The ability to reason about risk is a crucial part of scientific literacy, therefore risk as a concept needs attention in science education. In order to investigate students’ understanding of risk, we distributed a questionnaire to technology and natural science programme students, aged 16, at two high schools in the greater Stockholm area (n=70 and n=143, respectively). The questionnaire contained three open-ended questions and a series of items where students were asked to rate the severity of 17 risk issues. Herein we focus on the three open-ended questions: (1) What comes to your mind when you hear the word risk? (2) List up to three risks with biotechnology, and describe them shortly. (3) List up to three risks with radiation, and describe them shortly. Question (1) was given first as to not frame risk in negative or positive terms.
Question (1) predominantly elicited definition-like descriptions of risk, only a handful of the students (<3%) gave examples of risks. In the students’ risk descriptions the most commonly brought up elements of risk were that risk concerns something adverse (89%) and/or something uncertain (60%), 56% of answers included both of these aspects. One in six (17%) also specified that risks are a result of one’s actions and 8% that risks could have positive connotations. Responses to questions (2) and (3) framed risk as the possibility of an adverse event, the adverse event or the cause of an adverse event. Question (3) elicited a wider range of examples than question (2). Interestingly, less than half of the students (45%) could give an example of a biotechnology risk (corresponding level for radiation 93%). Our findings are limited by the small sample size. However, the results raise a number of questions, such as: Does the concept of risk play any significant role in high school students’ lives? Are the risk-related issues frequently brought up in science education (GMO, nuclear power, climate change) relevant for students’ everyday lives? What are the implications of divergent understandings of the concept of risk when teaching about risks?