Challenges and Strategies in Teaching Socioscientific Issues: A Study of Indonesian Pre-Service Biology Teachers

In Indonesia, fostering scientific literacy is a central goal of the science curriculum, yet effective instructional approaches have remained a challenge. Socioscientific issue ( SSI )-based instruction offers a promising method for enhancing students’ engagement and reasoning skills. To explore how pre-service teachers adopt this approach, this study engaged 45 pre-service biology teachers in an 8-week SSI teaching-oriented course. Data from lesson videos, reflections, and instructional materials were analyzed using the Socioscientific Issues Observation Protocol ( SSI-OP ). Quantitative findings revealed variation in teachers’ implementation of SSI -based instruction, with strengths in classroom engagement but challenges in instructional planning, argumentation, and integrating science content with social dimensions. Qualitative analysis highlighted difficulties in assessment and resource development. These results offer practical insights for science teacher educators, emphasizing the need for structured training in SSI pedagogy to better prepare teachers for integrating socioscientific discussions into school science curricula.