- International
Council of Association for Science Education
- Declarations
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-
Tartu Declaration (English version)
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Tartu Declaration
(Portuguese version)
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The Perth Declaration
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The Way Forward
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- International
Council of Association for Science Education
- ICASE 2003
- Increasing the
Relevance of Science and Technology Education for All
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- Preface
- As we enter the 21st
Century, ICASE proposes there is a need for a review of the
quality and status of the Science and Technology Education
(STE) provision within a country. The relevance of the STE
provision is suspect in many curricula around the world. STE
does little to increase the popularisation of science and
technology in schools, or raise public awareness of science
and technology among the future generation (concerns raised
in the World Conference on Science, 1999).
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- The relevance of science
and technology education (STE) is a concern in at least three
important areas:
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- 1. Meeting the perceived
educational needs and the interests of students,
- 2. Giving a balanced
vision of the importance and socio-scientific functioning of
industry. Also, being of relevance for the preparation and
awareness of student careers, and
- 3. Reflecting the
needs for a science and technology education towards
societal development and socio-scientific decision-making
within the society.
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- STE has its roots in
the educational curriculum provision, often based on the
separate school disciplines of science and technology (or in
sub-divisions of these – biology, chemistry, geology/earth
science, physics, food technology, materials technology,
engineering, etc).
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- But it is very
important that we not forget that STE is education,
and hence its goals and emphases need to be driven by
educational needs, relevant to the students and
the society in which the students are being educated.
ICASE feels it is necessary to review the part played
by STE and to reflect on its role, bearing in mind the
strong, but necessary suitable, past influences of
subject-based conceptual learning from projects of the 1960s
and 1970s.
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- Those with an
interest in STE (Governments; professional bodies, academies
and associations; STE educators in Ministries of education,
Universities, STE centres, institutions and schools; and
"the media") should recognise the concern
indicated (and hence the need for action) and agree on a
framework, within a country, a region, or a locality that
can be developed for greater STE relevance. The setting up
of a `national team` (under whatever name considered
appropriate and composed of a wide range of expertise,
representative of those most concerned) is seen by ICASE as
an important step.
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- The following is a
framework, put forward for the attention of the ‘national
team’, or whoever has interest in the challenge of
increasing the relevance of STE. This framework emanates
from an international conference, convened by ICASE, in
April 2003 and is supported by the delegates present. It
recognises all points put forward in the declaration from
the Project 2000+ forum (UNESCO, 1993) and develops these
further. The Project 2000+ declaration concluded by
recommending that by 2001 there should be in place “appropriate structures and activities to foster scientific
and technological literacy for all in all countries’. It
will be appropriate to determine to what extent these
structures are in place and working. In addition, the
framework builds on the recommendations of the Science
Agenda - framework for Action, arising from the World
Conference on Science in Budapest, Hungary in 1999, which
urges Governments to endorse the recommended action on
Science Education stated in paragraphs 41 to 49 of the
report.
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- The Way
Forward
- A Framework
for STE for the 21st Century
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- This is a series of
recommendations, made to various bodies seen as interested
in STE. The recommendations are
specifically addressed to ‘national teams’, who are asked to
reflect on the recommendations and to development them
further for the specific situation in their country. And
then, having their own specific recommendations, the goal is
to disseminate these to the various, relevant bodies for
consideration and enactment.
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- Key
Recommendations (overall statements)
1.The goals of STE should be solely derived from, and relate
to, the goals of Education.
2.Achievement of the goals of STE can be measured in terms
of the degree to which students acquire scientific and
technological literacy (STL) to the standards determined by
the society.
3.STE should be a core provision within the school
curriculum at all levels and be expected to provide a basis
for acquiring skills for lifelong learning.
4.Standards should be set for the STE provision, related to
multi-dimensional STL, and student assessment should be
criteria referenced on the basis on these standards.
5.The teaching of STE need to give due attention to the STL
approach in terms of relevance (relevance to the student, as
well as industry and society expectations) and be based on
constructivist principles.
6.Where optional or compulsory curriculum choices (at
whatever level) extend the ‘time on task’ for students
learning STE, the extension is expected to build on the
existing STL level and target a higher level of
multi-dimensional STL.
- 7.Monitoring of
student learning within STE should encompass the development
of attitudes towards science and technology, especially with
respect to the popularity of STE and the raising of
awareness of science and technology within society.
- 8.Greater efforts
should be made to encourage research in, disseminating the
results of, and supporting the implementation of, STE
research findings.
9.The validity and reliability of student assessment in STE
should be increased and made more relevant to the
achievement standards set for multi-dimensional STL.
10.Greater provision should be made for the professional
development of STE teachers to promote relevance in the
teaching provision for multi-dimensional STL.
11.Provision should also be made for the training and the
ongoing professional development of STE teacher educators
(those handling pre-, or in-service STE) for greater STL
relevance.
12.Official support (especially in terms of recognition)
should be forthcoming for professional STE teacher
associations.
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- Explanation of
Terms
STE = science and technology education, encompassing science
education (or its sub-components e.g. biology, chemistry,
physics education); technology education (under whatever
name or sub-division); or science and technology education
as a combined programme.
STL = scientific and technological literacy (taken as the
target, at a multi-dimensional level, for any, or all, STE
programmes).
Multi-dimensional = acquiring skills and values at an
intellectual, personal and social level, appropriate for the
science and technology education provision at the standard
indicated.
This target
- can be expressed at many levels, depending on the width, multitude and
cognition level of the specific aims to be achieved, all
within the framework of the goals of education.
- is expected to encompass aims in all the goal areas
expressed for education at that level (e.g. cognitive,
process skills, communication, personal development, social
skills).
- is for any science and technology education programme.
This is because scientific literacy and technological
literacy are not distinguished for one another.
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- NOTE: literacy in
this context related to all goals of education. It does not
simply equate to reading and writing. As such it is
recognized that the term literacy does not translate well
into other languages.
NOTE also: In English, there is no difference between:
science education and scientific education
science and technology and scientific and technological
literacy literacy
but there is a big difference between
science and science education (or the teaching of science)
technology education and technical education
(related to all goals (limited mainly to
the process skills of
of education) component of
education)
(i.e. technological ≠ technical)
The following elaborates the 12 key recommendations so to as
to make them more specific to various stakeholders.
The detailed statements recommend courses of action to be
taken in order that all members of the “national team “ can
play their role in raising the popularity of STE, especially
at the junior secondary level where dissatisfaction with
school science subjects seems to be developed.
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- The following
recommendations are addressed to:
A. Government policy makers
B. Curriculum developers
C. Teachers of STE
D. Teacher Educators
E. External Examination Authorities
F. UNESCO and International NGOs (ICASE)
G. National Science and Technology, Professional Teacher
Associations
H. Industrialists
I. Scientists or Science Academies
J. Science Centres or Science Museums
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These recommendations
build on those emanating from the International Conference
on STE held in Goa, India in 2001. They stress the
importance of reflecting on educational needs of students
and of the society. This stress is especially related to
increasing the relevance of the STE provision in schools
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These recommendation also
relate to the need to develop responsible citizens capable
of appreciating the need for the promotion of ethical
values, human rights, a culture of peace, equity for all
including minorities and a vision of sustainable development
and globalization.
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A. Recommendations to
Government Policy Makers
- Policy Makers should
make STE more relevant to the perceived needs and interests
of students, reflecting a balanced vision of the importance
and socio-scientific functioning of industry, plus relevance
for preparation for, and awareness of, student careers, and
meeting the needs of society and the culture, by:
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- 1.reviewing their STE
policy, at the school level, for the 21st century. In
particular the objectives for STE programmes should be
checked for their relevance against the stipulated goals of
education. Also to be checked is that appropriate emphasis
is given to conceptual development, skills development,
personal development (including communication and
cooperative learning) and moral and ethical considerations.
This policy reflects the society need for the STE provision
to be through a STL oriented science (or its sub-components)
and technology education, or through a STL oriented science
and technology provision (techno-science), at least for the
compulsory years of schooling, where specialisation is not
contemplated.
2.recognising the goal of STE should be taken to be
scientific and technological literacy for all (STL) (ICASE,
2001). This ensures any STE policy is:
(a)in line with those for education as a whole;
(b)in line with promoting greater student interest and
intended to lead to greater public awareness and
understanding of the role played by science and technology
in the lives of students now and in the future;
(c)for lifelong learning, reflecting the future needs of the
country and encompassing moral, ethical, societal, and
culturally dependent values;
(d)emphasising the need for understanding and having an
awareness of the importance of sustainable development with
respect to issues in the local society and the importance of
the role of STE in developing responsible citizenry;
(e)promoting equity relevant to STL, ensuring the
educational aims empower women for life in their society and
allow full opportunities for students from all backgrounds;
(f)able, in recognition of globalisation, to realise that
policies need to be implemented which are in harmony with
those developed in other countries;
(g)encouraging the interaction between science and
technology educators. An important approach to this is for
Governments to support the Project 2000+ network guided by
UNESCO and a group of international NGOs;
(h)encouraging interactions at the science and technology
teacher level with the help of national, professional
associations and the coordination of international NGOs such
as ICASE.
3.making science and technology, individually or
interdisciplinarily, core subjects at basic school level for
all. For this it is important to ensure they:
(a)meet the needs of all students as future citizens;
(b)enable students to make appropriate career choices;
(c)provide appropriate learning opportunities in terms of a
range of educationally driven STE knowledge/skills for
possible future studies in science and technology.
4.setting school ‘standards’ for scientific and
technological literacy requirements in terms of (i)
conceptual development, (ii) scientific and technological
processes, (iii) personal development, (iv) cooperative and
communication skills, as well as (v) socio-scientific
values, all carefully screened to be appropriate for the
students’ aptitude, prior learning/age and social
environment. These ‘standards’ need to be flexible to
respond to changes in science and technology, changes in the
local environment and to society and career needs; extend
‘standards’ to cover justifiable ethical and moral values
related to science and technology related issues and an
appreciation of the role STE can play in developing human
rights values, a culture of peace and poverty alleviation,
equity gender issues and responsible citizenry.
5.attention should be given to the expected teaching targets
and approaches, especially with respect to relevant
experiences by students, thus ensuring that STE is seen to
be an integral part of the total education provision and
hence playing its part in the holistic development of
individuals.
6.viewing specialization, or optional additional course, in
any STE course as the desire to extend ‘time on task' in
meeting the goals of education through science. Ensure these
courses are still intended to provide suitable intellectual,
attitudinal, skills and values oriented learning, leading to
an enhanced level of STL.
7.monitoring specific attitudinal targets within STE, in
terms of the positive role science and technology can play
in the economic and social advancement of society; and
academically, in terms of educational competence, geared to
science and technology problem solving and socio-scientific
decision making capabilities. It is expected such provision
does not discriminate on the grounds of race, religion,
ethnicity or gender, ensuring sustainable development,
responsible citizenry and equity practices in STE at all
levels and with adequate steps taken to promote practices
for the empowerment of women and the inclusion of
marginalised groups.
8.encourage research efforts in the field of STE, both of a
quantitative and qualitative nature. The research should
(a)cover all areas of learning and achievement;.
(b)include curriculum development and assessment practices;
(c)address diagnostic reflection of teaching and classroom
action research;
(d)include the effectiveness, and the effective use of
resources;
(e)cover the initial and in-service training of teachers;
(f)not only be undertaken nationally, but outcomes from
research internationally should be noted;
(g)be disseminated to all interested in STE, especially
teachers, through appropriate and effective mechanisms (e.g.
not through written notice-board announcements);
(h)be considered an important area for policy makers to
ensure outcomes are put into practice where considered
advantageous.
9.ensuring that assessment practices pay attention to:
(a)validity and are thus geared to the attainment of
multi-dimensional STL;
(b)the diagnostic evaluation of factors influencing student
learning, to ensure students, both girls and boys, are not
underachieving;
(c)setting standards that ensure the assessment of students
pays more attention to what students know rather than
determining what they do not know;
(d)ensuring future assessment procedures are based on the
attainment of criteria or targets, ensuring assessment of
students, within the STE classroom, encompass competence in
communication skills, personal attributes, socially related
decision–making skills, and values besides cognitive
achievement; ensuring that assessment instruments are valid
for the purpose for which they were intended;
(e)promoting reliability in assessment by requiring multiple
measurements of the educational attributes and expect many
of these to be classroom based and carried out by the
teacher during normal teaching practices;
(f)enhancing the use of formative assessment procedures by
the teacher, especially observational techniques and oral
questioning, both for diagnostic purposes related to the
teaching and for determining the progress of student;
requiring that assessment and evaluation policies relate to
an understanding and the value of science and technology
learning, with respect to globalisation, sustainable
development and taking appropriate social responsibility.
10.making adequate provision for ongoing professional
support for science and technology teachers. This should
cover:
(a)rethinking the role of science and technology teaching
within a framework of STL for all;
(b)the ability to cope with a future society- related
curriculum; and above all,
(c)the ability to ensure STE knowledge/skills are in
response to relevant student interests and society needs;
(d)proposing a policy of professional development
strategies, which stress that the teaching materials and
teaching approaches must be equally applicable to both boys
and girls in terms of the knowledge, skills and values to be
imparted through STE teaching and for the cultural and
social environment.
11.ensuring professional development is not only confined to
science and technology teachers. Steps should be taken to
provide initial training and professional support to the
‘trainers’ of such teachers, so they are able to provide STL
oriented pre- and in-service professional help.
12.supporting the formation and functioning of
non-Governmental science and technology professional,
subject teacher associations, covering primary and secondary
teacher, teacher educators and others involved with science
and technology education. The major purpose for this is the
professional development of, and support available to,
teachers at a practical level. This professional peer
support should be equipped to help to ensure that teachers
are able to share ideas and practices at the local level,
and through international links, at the regional and
international levels.
B.Recommendations to Curriculum Developers
Curriculum Developers should be trained to make STE more
relevant to the perceived needs and interests of students,
reflecting a balance view of the importance and functioning
of industry and giving an awareness of careers; and meeting
the needs of society and the culture by:
1.ensuring that science and technology curricula contain a
clear statement of aims, making it explicit why it is
considered valuable for all to study this area, and what
they should gain from the experience. These aims should
relate, first and foremost to all stated goals of education
and indicate the role of STE in meeting the education needs
of students, which can be easily understood by teachers,
students and parents;
2.determining how the curriculum can
(a)reflect, and be seen to reflect, the statement of aims;
(b)be compiled to reflect the emphasis that an education
through science and technology should place on the various
aims in attaining the stipulated goals of education;
(c)recognise that the goal of education through science and
technology requires teaching that promotes intellectual
qualities, personal development, societal attributes and
communication skills of students as a basis, a direction and
a stimulation for positive science and technology attitudes;
(d)besides conveying ideas of education through science, the
curriculum should convey the science and technology ideas by
which the educational goals can be expected to be attained
and incorporate important ideas about-science and
technology, that is, ideas about the ways in which reliable
knowledge of the natural and man-made world has been, and is
being, obtained;
(e)ensuring that science and technology curricula integrate
elements designed to enhance ‘literacy‘, and those designed
as the early stages of a ‘specialist’ training in science.
The major goal of STE, irrespective of type of course, or
calibre of students, should be STL;
3.recognize that STE should be a core provision for all
students and hence can be expected to plays its part in the
achievement of all the goals of education; the general goals
of education, viewed from a science and technology education
perspective, are those to attain multi-dimensional STL.
4.ensuring curricula match ‘standards’ for scientific and
technological literacy in terms of (i) conceptual
development, (ii) scientific process, (iii) personal
development, (iv) cooperative and communication skills, as
well as (v) socio-scientific values, all carefully screened
to be appropriate for the students’ aptitude, prior
learning/age and social environment. The matching of
‘standards’ need to be flexible to respond to changes in
science and technology, changes in the local environment and
to society and career needs;
5.ensuring that STE courses promote a better understanding
of science and technology in society, through
(a)developing student abilities to solve problems utilizing
science and technology principles and assist students to be
comfortable with making societal decisions incorporating
science, technology and mathematics alongside economics,
environmental, political and social considerations;
(b)recognising the role of STE is promoting education geared
to raising public awareness, public understanding of aspects
relevant to society and in raising the popularity of science
and technology subjects;
(c)including appropriate strategies enabling students to
examine issues geared to sustainable development, developing
positive attitudes and to recognise the roles to be
undertaken by a STL responsible person;
(d)making science and technology courses more popular among
students, both girls and boys. This should be through
increased relevancy to everyday life geared to the local,
national or even global perspective as well as the world of
work and leisure;
(e)recognising distance learning and information technology
procedures should be seen as playing a unique role in STE.
Greater learning opportunities through distance learning
should to be developed for teachers to utilise;
(f)recognising that science and technology knowledge is
increasing at a faster and faster rate and hence selection
of content, for school science and technology curricula,
should not be based solely on fundamental science and
technology ideas for fear that science and technology,
relevant to society issues and concerns, does not get
taught. [Basing curricula on context rather than content
allows students greater opportunity to take control over
their learning];
(g)recognising that relevant science and technology
curricula should incorporate interdisciplinary STL ideas and
should be expected to prepare students to address concerns
and issues about health; food; energy; land, water and
minerals resources; the environment; industry; and
information technology;
(h)recognising the importance of sustainable development in
a global economy and in providing science and technology
contexts and activities to promote skills and attitudes
needed by students to become responsible citizens;
(i)ensuring that science and technology curricula are
carefully constructed so as to promote equity for all in
acquiring STL and be seen to be presented in a manner
relevant to both boys and girls;
(j)being prepared, in a world of increasing knowledge and
the growth and availability of multiple sources of
knowledge, to move away from viewing the textbook as the
only STE teaching resource. Greater use of the society
(museums, centres, libraries, the internet and even its
people) as a resource should be promoted.
6.viewing specialization, or optional additional course, in
any STE course as the desire to extend ‘time on task' in
meeting the goals of education through science and
technology, leading to an enhance level of STL; ensuring
these courses are still intended to provide suitable
intellectual, attitudinal, skills and values oriented
learning, befitting education through science and technology
at a higher multi-dimensional STL level.
7.promoting
(a)a positive image of science and technology within the
curriculum (units such as pollution are not contemplated);
(b)a positive role that science and technology plays in the
economic and social advancement of society;
(c)scientific problem solving;
(d)socio-scientific decision making capabilities, which do
not discriminate on the grounds of race, religion, ethnicity
or gender,
(e)ensuring sustainable development, responsible citizenry
and equity practices in STE at all levels; and
(f)adequate steps are taken to promote values related to the
empowerment of women and the inclusion of marginalised
groups.
8.undertaking research into the development and evaluation
of the suitability of the curriculum in meeting the goals of
STE and enabling students to reach a multi-dimensional level
of STL.
9.ensuring that feedback and assessment practices
recommended pay attention to:
(a)validity and are thus geared to the attainment of STL;
(b)the diagnostic evaluation of factors influencing student
learning, to ensure students, both girls and boys, are not
underachieving;
(c)promoting activities that ensure assessment of students
pays more attention to what students know rather than
determining what they do not know;
(d)ensuring activities undertaken by students, within the
STE classroom, encompass competence in communication skills,
personal attributes, socially related decision–making
skills, and values as well as cognitive achievement;
(e)enhancing the use of formative assessment procedures by
the teacher, especially observational techniques and oral
questioning, both for diagnostic purposes related to the
teaching and in determining the progress of student;
requiring that assessment and evaluation policies relate to
an understanding and the value of science and technology
learning with respect to globalisation, sustainable
development and taking appropriate social responsibility.
10.making adequate provision for ongoing professional
support for science and technology teachers. This should
cover:
(a)rethinking the role of science and technology teaching
within a framework of STL for all;
(b)the ability to cope with a future society- related
curriculum; and above all,
(c)the ability to ensure STE knowledge/skills are in
response to relevant society needs, proposing a policy of
professional development strategies, which stress that the
teaching materials and teaching approaches must be equally
applicable to both boys and girls in terms of the knowledge,
skills and values to be imparted through STE teaching and
for the cultural and social environment.
11.ensuring professional development is not only confined to
science and technology teachers. Take steps to provide
initial training and professional support to the ‘trainers’
of such teachers, so they are able to provide the pre- and
in-service professional help.
12.supporting the formation and functioning of
non-Governmental science and technology professional,
subject teacher associations, covering primary and secondary
teacher, teacher educators and others involved with science
and technology education so as to aid the professional
development of, and support available to, teachers at a
practical level. This professional peer support should be
equipped to help to ensure that teacher are able to share
ideas and practices at the local level, and through
international links, at the regional and international
levels.
C.Recommendations to Teachers of Science and Technology
Subjects
Teachers of science and technology subjects should make STE
more relevant to the perceived needs and interests of
students, reflecting a balance view of the importance and
functioning of industry and giving an awareness of careers;
and meeting the needs of society and the culture by:
1.be aware, and appreciate the implications of, the goals of
science and technology education being derived from the
general goals of education and are hence wider than the
acquisition of knowledge, or what constitutes science and/or
technology content;
2.ensuring that STE is made relevant to the interests of all
students. It is expected that much attention is paid to:
(a)issues and concerns brought to the lesson by the students
based on their lives and their concerns and, where
appropriate for science and technology learning, the
teaching takes into account the prior learning of students;
(b)the STE goals for students as being to achieve a high
multi-dimensional level of STL.
(c)recognising that the expectations for STL teaching is the
promotion of conceptual learning, acquiring process skills,
personal and societal skills and values, as a basis, a
direction and a stimulation for positive science and
technology attitudes, encouraging students to aspire to a
more diverse and great level of STL throughout life.
3.endorsing the view that STE should be a core provision in
the school curricula, made available to all students based
on the same general goals (derived from the goals of
education);
4.promote school ‘standards’ for scientific and
technological literacy requirements
(a) in terms of (i) conceptual development, (ii) scientific
process, (iii) personal development, (iv)cooperative and
communication skills, as well as (v) socio-scientific social
values, all carefully screened to be appropriate for the
students’ aptitude, prior learning/age and social
environment,
(b)geared to ‘standards’ flexible to respond to changes in
science and technology, changes in the local environment and
to society and career needs;
(c)extending ‘standards’ to cover justifiable ethical and
moral values based on science and technology related issues,
and
(d)appreciating the role STE can play in responsible
citizenry or values for human rights, a culture of peace and
poverty alleviation.
5.ensuring the teaching includes
(a)recognising that STE needs to be undertaken in schools in
a manner designed to make the subjects popular and providing
a background that will lead to public awareness of the
importance of science and technology;
(b) utilising approaches that actively involve students,
both girls and boys in participatory learning and place
greater emphasis on learning for transference, rather than
memorizing. The emphasis needs to be on what students
acquire rather than what is presented; values education as
an important component of STE for all; the promotion of
ethical positions and social responsibility need to be a
part of science and technology teaching alongside economic,
environmental, and political considerations;
(c)ensuring science and technology teaching relates to local
issues and concerns. The relevance of the role of STE in
guiding justifiable decisions and practices to solving
problems needs to be overt in the eyes of students;
(d)being aware of the growing creation of new technologies
in society and orient teaching towards a future having
currently unknown developments and situations; use teaching
approaches which ensure students: are at the centre of the
classroom, helping to define content and activities; are
active inquirers involved in resolution of real life
problems;
(e)ensuring that STE, being culturally bound, related to the
society in which it is being taught. Co-operative skills,
innovative development, creative skills and critical
thinking are important for the development of students and
the recognition of the place of science in society. STE
practices need to promote these attributes;
(f)being encouraged to develop their own meaning for
experiences they have and experiments they do, define
learning by what they can do and how they can use
information and skills in new contexts;
(g)ensuring students show an understanding and appreciation
of sustainable development in the context of their
environment, their cultural and social background and the
decisions expected of a responsible person;
(h)ensuring students are willing to show strong values of
equity, empowerment of women and fairness to all as a result
of the teaching strategies and feedback used by ST teachers.
This needs to be developed in the face of local
superstitions and believes, which are judged contrary to
human rights;
(i)being aware that STL involves experiences as well as
interactions within society;
(j)needs of employers, especially from industry, that
employees possess skills of problem solving and
decision-making skills, together with personal attributes
such as initiative, ingenuity and perseverance, and ensure
students acquire such attributed through education, of which
STE is an important part;
(k)teaching students to justify ethical positions utilising
sound science and technology knowledge, related to the
local, national and global arena;
(l)use of strategies to motivate students to recognise the
role of STE in promoting human rights and in acquiring a
holistic concept of, and the need for, a culture of peace;
(m)relating to and utilise, research findings about
children’s learning and constructivism; to teaching
approaches, which provide a stimulating learning
environment; and to valid feedback or assessment/diagnostic
practices;
(n)maintaining strong links with social science teachers and
interrelate with their practices to promote human rights, a
culture of peace and poverty alleviation. Links with UNESCO
and international NGOs need to be promoted to share ideas
related to moral and ethics values;
6.viewing specialization, or optional additional course, in
any STE course as the desire to extend ‘time on task' in
meeting the goals of education through science and
technology; ensure these courses are still intended to
provide suitable intellectual, attitudinal, skills and
values oriented learning, leading to an enhanced level of
STL. The general goals and hence the enhancing of STL needs
to be understood as being the same, whether the course is
viewed as ‘specialisation’ or a terminal class’.
7.monitoring specific attitudinal targets within STE, in
terms of the positive role science and technology can play
in the economic and social advancement of society; and
academically, in terms of educational competence, geared to
science and technology problem solving and social decision
making capabilities (of which science and technology play a
part), which do not discriminate on the grounds of race,
religion, ethnicity or gender, ensuring sustainable
development, responsible citizenry and equity practices in
STE at all levels and that adequate steps are taken to
promote practices for the empowerment of women and the
inclusion of marginalised groups.
8.recognise the importance of diagnostic feedback research
and other action research practices in supporting the
promotion of effective STE; being aware of research in STE
both nationally and internationally;.
9.ensuring that assessment practices pay attention to:
(a)being an integral part of teaching and learning and be
more susceptible to developments shown to be effective by
research;
(b)using feedback as a crucial component of teaching, and
specifying, for achievement, criteria or targets as well as
use multiple measures of attainment;
(c)validity and are thus geared to the attainment of STL;
(d)the diagnostic evaluation of factors influencing student
learning, to ensure students, both girls and boys, are not
underachieving;
(e)setting assessment standards that ensure assessment of
students pays more attention to what students know rather
than determining what they do not know;
(f)ensuring future assessment procedures are based on the
attainment of criteria or targets, ensuring assessment of
students, within the STE classroom, encompass competence in
communication skills, personal attributes, socially related
decision–making skills, and values as well as cognitive
achievement, ensuring that assessment instruments are valid
for the purpose for which they were intended;
(g)promoting reliability in assessment by requiring multiple
measurements of the educational attributes and expect many
of these to be classroom based and carried out by the
teacher during normal teaching practices;
(h)enhancing the use of formative assessment procedures by
the teacher, especially observational techniques and oral
questioning, both for diagnostic purposes related to the
teaching and in determining the progress of student;
requiring that assessment and evaluation policies relate to
an understanding and the value of science and technology
learning with respect to globalisation, sustainable
development and taking appropriate social responsibility.
10.be willing to participate in ongoing professional support
for science and technology teachers related to :
(a)rethinking the role of science and technology teaching
within a framework of STL for all;
(b)the ability to cope with a future socio- scientific
related curriculum; and above all,
(c)the ability to ensure STE knowledge/skills are in
response to relevant society needs,
(d)stressing that the teaching materials and teaching
approaches must be equally applicable to both boys and girls
in terms of the knowledge, skills and values to be imparted
through STE teaching and for the cultural and social
environment.
11.support the suggestion that professional development is
not only confined to science and technology teachers. Steps
should be taken to provide initial training and professional
support to the ‘trainers’ of such teachers, so they are able
to provide the pre- and in-service professional help.
- 12.supporting the
formation and functioning of non-Governmental science and
technology professional, subject teacher associations,
covering primary and secondary teacher, teacher educators
and others involved with science and technology education so
as to aid the professional development of, and support
available to, teachers at a practical level. This
professional peer support should be equipped to help to
ensure that teacher are able to share ideas and practices at
the local level, and through international links, at the
regional and international levels.
D. Recommendations to Teacher Educators (for Pre-service and
In-service Provisions)
Teacher Educators should be trained to guide teachers of
science and technology subjects to make STE more relevant to
the perceived needs and interests of students, reflecting a
balance view of the importance and functioning of industry
and giving an awareness of careers; and meeting the needs of
society and the culture by:
1.ensuring teachers:
(a) appreciate the overall purpose of teaching and the place
of STE within this;
(b)are able to address the integration of the full range of
educational goals within the context of teaching science and
technology; and
(c)have knowledge related to the effectiveness of teaching
related to the overall goals of education;
2.guiding teachers to recognise that the goal of STE is
multi-dimensional STL
3.ensuring teachers accept that STE should be a core subject
provision in schools and that students need to be prepared
for, and to appreciate the need for, lifelong learning in a
changing world.
4.expect standards to be set for the STE provision and that
these include relevance to the needs of society, as well as
appropriate for the needs of the students.
5.recognising the difficulty teachers face and ensuring
teachers are ‘trained’ to:
(a) interrelate ethics and social responsibility with
scientific knowledge and skills;
(b)taking note of the outcomes of research undertaken and
measures suggested to put positive outcomes into practice,
especially those geared to public awareness and
understanding;
(c)change their role from imparting knowledge to enabling
learners to develop skills, possess positive attitudes and
stress evaluation for diagnostic purposes in their teaching;
(d)use a wide variety of teaching methods and approaches;
(e)realize that their students will handle new technologies
and hence the students must be educated to cope with the
future unknown;
(f)move away from using the textbook as their only resource
and make greater use of the society, the local environment
and, as appropriate, the internet as a resource ;
(d)are trained to utilise constructivist ideas and able to
build on students’ experiences in their teaching;
(e) make students:
- the centre of the classroom attention, helping to define
content and activities;
- active inquirers involved in resolution of real life
problems;
- willing to develop their own meaning for experiences they
have and for experiments they perform;
(f)define learning by what students can do and how they can
use information and skills in new contexts;
(g)are aware that their role is not one of imparting
knowledge, but one of promoting skills and attitudes related
to local, national and relevant global issues;
(h)are flexible and have the ability to adapt material for
the local situation. [It needs to be recognized that it
takes skill to turn informational material into a teaching
and learning resource];
(i)see investigatory work as very important to solve
problems. Professional development needs to ensure teachers
recognize the role of experimental work in enhancing
personal development and that following experimental recipes
with little learning (especially using unfamiliar chemicals
and specialist apparatus) is an expensive and unnecessary
luxury];
(j) are more aware of STE research and its relevance. [Make
provision for teachers to be involved in action research at
both local and through international co-operation, at global
levels with a view to raising the awareness by students of
the need for a responsible citizenry];
(k) recognise that relevant STE relates to the world of the
student (at the local, regional or universal levels). The
guidance needs to enable teachers to interrelate the ST
concepts with the societal, technological developments,
which are relevant to the students’ world;
(l) are able to make changes in curricula so they better
suit their students (the curriculum should suit the
students, rather than the students following an
inappropriate curriculum). Guidance is needed to help
teachers address appropriate curriculum change based on a
sound philosophy and the use of a range of resources
including radio, TV, libraries, videotape, CD-roms, internet
and science centres/museums;
(m) are able to put forward STE activities that enable
students to gain and develop values associated with
sustainable development and responsible citizenry;
(n) address the full range of educational goals, especially
the need for educating students for tolerance, the promotion
of a culture of peace, human rights and poverty alleviation;
(o) are able to teach in an equitable manner appropriate for
both boys and girls, adapting to the aptitudes, interests,
abilities, cultural diversity and prior learning of all
students;
6. stressing that the offering of optional or extended
courses (so-called specialist courses) still need to conform
to STL and having the same general goals related to
education.
7. stress the need for teachers to monitor stundents
attitudes towards STE and that a positive attitude is
essential for learning; ensure teachers recognise that
relevance of teaching is a crucial factor for maintaining a
positive attitude.
- 8. recognise that
they are needed to be at the forefront of research in STE,
to guide the respectability of the research from an
educational point of view, and to be aware of research
developments worldwide.
9. ensure teachers are able to base assessment strategies
on:
(a) the attainment of criteria or targets. [Criteria
referenced assessment needs to relate to all aspects of
education that are to be achieved through STE i.e.
intellectual development, personal attributes and social
values];
(b)validity and not unduly weighted towards lower order
cognitive skills, nor ignoring that the STE provision is
education through science and technology;
(c)undertaking multiple measurements of the educational
attributes to be gained by students to increase reliability.
[Such multiple measures need to involve the teacher playing
an active role in the continuing assessment of students and
in the diagnostic determination of the success of the
teaching];
(d)being able to assess students’ performance focussing on
students’ ability to understand and interpret scientific
information, to discuss controversial issues, as well as on
their knowledge and understanding of ST ideas relevant to
the social setting;
10. recognise that professional development provisions for
teachers are important and that this is an on-going need in
which teacher educators are expected to play an important
role.
11.accept that the teacher educators also need professional
development and that practicing teachers can assist in one
component of this.
12. recognise the need to play a strong role in supporting
professional STE teacher associations and appreciate that
they can play an important role in supporting teachers by:
(a) providing teaching ideas, guidance and support;
(b) provide opportunity to be able to interact with other
teachers and share ideas:
(c) informing teachers of links through international NGO
organisations. Teachers need to be made aware of the role of
UNESCO and international NGOs in supporting the teaching of
ST;
(d)helping them to form links with social workers and others
involved in problems of social inequity, non-empowerment of
women and the marginalisation of minority groups.
E. Recommendations to External Examination
Authorities/Bodies and their personnel
Examiners of science and technology subjects should
recognise their role in making STE more relevant to the
perceived needs and interests of students, reflecting a
balance view of the importance and functioning of industry
and giving an awareness of careers; and meeting the needs of
society and the culture by:
1. recognising that the goals of science and technology
education relate to the goal of education as a whole and
that examiners, along with curriculum developers, are
required to be able to interpret this so as to ensure valid
learning by students.
2. appreciate that the teaching within STE is to achieve a
multi-dimensional level of STL.
3. recognising that the STE provision is intended for all
students, encompassing widely different interests and
aspirations and hence any assessment measure of success
needs multiply components to cope with the diversity.
4. aware of, and able to interpret for given situations, the
standards to be set for the STE provision.
5. recognise that the teaching of education through science
and technology involves values education, personal
development, conceptual development within science and
technology and also skills in undertaking various processes
in science and technology. All this is in addition to
science and technology conceptual development, problem
solving and socio-scientific decision making.
6.note that the overall goals of science and technology
education do not change, even when one group of students
differs from another. And extension of the science and
technology education provision for one group over another is
intended to provide the opportunity for greater promotion of
multi-dimensional STL.
7.appreciate that student attitude is important in STE
teaching and that any impact of examinations affects the
attitude of students, the teaching, probably the textbook
and certainly the emphases placed on the teaching of various
components of STE.
8.ensure adequate research is undertaken on all external
assessment/examination practices to
(a) determine their validity and reliability,
(b)comparability with aspects such as expectations against
standards, achievement patterns in previous years,
achievements in other subject areas, etc.
9. reflecting seriously on
(a) the validity of assessment practices used for any formal
external examination system, and to ascertain their negative
influence on ongoing teacher practices within the classroom
towards the promotion of STL;
(b) ensuring that valid assessment strategies cover
intellectual (especially higher order skills), personal,
communicative and social value skills with an appropriate
conceptual situation. It is not sufficient to assess content
knowledge. Attention needs to be given to the assessment of
skills in scientific method, personal development and social
skills, especially those related to problem solving and
decision making;
(c)recognising that student attitudes and personal skills
such as perseverance, creativity, initiative, ingenuity and
regard for safety procedures are expected to form part of
the assessment strategy for STE;
(d)recognising that techniques need to be introduced to
assess student abilities to undertake decision-making and
use appropriate communication skills in a societal context;
(e)noting that equity issues need to form part of the
assessment strategy for students on STE courses and for the
evaluation of STE practices. Note also that assessment
procedures used to test for an understanding and
appreciation of equity issues are expected to be relevant to
the students’ environment, culture and aptitude.
10.appreciate the need for examination personnel to be
involved in assisting the professional development of
teachers.
11.appreciate the need for examination personnel to be
involved in the professional development of the ‘trainers’
of teachers and to interact with such personnel on research
developments affecting assessment practices and directions.
12.recognise the important role that can be played by
professional STE teacher associations and to seek advice
from, and to give guidance to, such bodies.
F. Recommendations to UNESCO and International NGOs
UNESCO and International NGOs should make STE more relevant
to the perceived needs and interests of students, reflecting
a balance view of the importance and functioning of industry
and giving an awareness of careers; and meeting the needs of
society and the culture by:
1.supporting Governments, teacher educators, curriculum
developers and professional teacher associations in
recognizing the goals and trends in science and technology
education and the research developments taking place;
2.supporting Governments, teacher educators, curriculum
developers and professional teacher associations in efforts
to ensure the STE provision is in line with Project 2000+
and STL for all;
3.supporting Governments, teacher educators, curriculum
developers and professional teacher associations in efforts
to make STE a core subject in the school curriculum and a
basis for lifelong learning, towards greater awareness of
science and technology within a changing society.
4.support Governments, teacher educators, curriculum
developers and professional teacher associations in setting
up suitable standards for the STE provision within the
country, or region.
5.setting up a mechanism for the collection and
dissemination of information and of examples of effective
STE practice at community level for the benefit of teachers,
teacher educators, curriculum developers and examination
personnel.
6.support Governments, teacher educators, curriculum
developers and professional teacher associations in
recognising the value of STL targets at a multi-dimensional
level and to gear all STE provisions, at whatever level, to
this goal.
7.assist Governments, teacher educators, curriculum
developers and professional teacher associations in
monitoring the STE provision within school and especially
the attitudes of students towards the relevance of science
and technology; encourage and assist research in STE within
the country, or region.
8.encourage, support and play a strong role in the
dissemination of research efforts in STE within a country at
Governmental and non-Governmental levels.
9.support Governments, teacher educators, curriculum
developers and professional teacher associations in setting
up valid and reliable assessment procedures for STE.
10.encouraging the provision of greater professional
development for STE teachers.
11.encouraging the provision of greater professional
development for science and technology teacher educators,
both from institutions and from professional associations.
12.encourage and support Governments to recognise the value
of, and need for, professional STE teacher associations,
which can play an important role in:
(a) raising standard and morale among STE teachers;
(b) aiding the exchange of resources and expertise, the
interaction of teachers and the exchange of ideas;
(c) facilitating the sharing of resources, research
findings, curriculum strategies and exchange of ideas for
the classroom. [International NGOs should be supported to
form links with national and sub-national groups];
(d) conducting research and surveys on developments in STE
and the manner in which STE is playing its role within
education in promoting public awareness and popularity of
science, ensuring human rights a culture of peace and
poverty alleviation, promoting responsible citizens and
sustainable development and ensuring equity, the empowerment
of women and the inclusion of minority and marginalised
groups.
G. Recommendations to National Science and Technology,
Professional, Teacher Associations)
Science and Technology Education Teacher Associations should
make STE more relevant to the perceived needs and interests
of students, reflecting a balance view of the importance and
functioning of industry and giving an awareness of careers;
and meeting the needs of society and the culture by:
1.guiding teachers to recognise that the goals of STE should
be derived from, and relate to, the goals of education;
assist Governments, curriculum developers, teacher
educators, examination personnel and teachers in the
interpretation of this.
- 2.appreciate that the
target for STE is multi-dimensional STL for all; be able to
appreciate the philosophy driving this and put forward
approaches for its operationalisation in the classroom.
- 3.guide Governments
that the STE should be a core provision for all students, at
all levels of schooling and to guide teachers that the place
of Biology, Chemistry and Physics as separate entities,
unrelated in their approach, is a thing of the past; guide
teachers to recognise that, either a science (or science and
technology) course provision is provided, or where separate
sub-components are offered that these have strong
inter-relationships..
- 4. expect standards
to be set for the STE provision and that these include
relevance to the needs of society, as well as appropriate
for the needs of the students.
- 5. continue to
provide support for STE teachers to assist them in their
teaching in terms of materials, moral support and guidance;
also ensuring the teaching includes
(a) values education as an important component of STE for
all. Ethics and social responsibility need to be a part of
science and technology teaching alongside economic,
environmental, and political considerations in
socio-scientific decision-making;
(b) meeting the needs of employers, especially from
industry, i.e. employees possess skills of problem solving
and decision-making skills, together with personal
attributes such as initiative, ingenuity and perseverance,
and ensure students acquire such attributed through
education, of which STE is an important part;
(c) use of strategies to motivate students to recognise the
role of STE in promoting human rights and in acquiring a
holistic concept of, and the need for, a culture of peace;
(d) teaching students to justify ethical positions utilising
sound science and technology knowledge, related to the
local, national and global arena;
(e) ensuring STM teaching relates to local issues and
concerns in addressing sustainable development and the
social responsibilities of citizens. The relevance of the
role of STE in guiding justifiable decisions and practices
to solving problems needs to be overt in the eyes of
students,
(f) maintaining strong links with social science teachers
and interrelate with their practices to promote human
rights, a culture of peace and poverty alleviation. Links
with UNESCO and international NGOs need to be promoted to
share ideas related to research into assessment strategies
for moral and ethics values;
(g)recognising that STE needs to be undertaken in schools in
a manner designed to make the subjects popular and providing
a background that will lead to public awareness of the
importance of science and technology;
(h) utilising approaches that actively involve students,
both girls and boys in participatory learning and place
greater emphasis on learning for transference, rather than
memorizing. The emphasis needs to be on what students
acquire rather than what is presented;
(i) relating to and utilise, research findings about
children’s learning and constructivism; to teaching
approaches, which provide a stimulating learning
environment; and to valid feedback or assessment/diagnostic
practices;
(j) ensuring that STE, being culturally bound, related to
the society in which it is being taught. Co-operative
skills, innovative development, creative skills and critical
thinking are important for the development of students and
the recognition of the place of science in society. STE
practices need to promote these attributes;
(k) being aware of the growing creation of new technologies
in society and orient teaching towards a future having
currently unknown developments and situations; use teaching
approaches which ensure students: are at the centre of the
classroom, helping to define content and activities; are
active inquirers involved in resolution of real life
problems;
(l) being encouraged to develop their own meaning for
experiences they have and experiments they do, define
learning by what they can do and how they can use
information and skills in new contexts;
(m)ensuring students show an understanding and appreciation
of sustainable development in the context of their
environment, their cultural and social background and the
decisions expected of a responsible person;
(n)ensuring students are willing to show strong values of
equity, empowerment of women and fairness to all as a result
of the teaching strategies and feedback used by ST teachers.
This needs to be developed in the face of local
superstitions and believes, which are judged contrary to
human rights;
(o) being aware that STL involves experiences as well as
interactions within society;
6. stressing to teachers that the offering of optional or
extended courses (so-called specialist courses) still need
to conform to STL and having the same general goals related
to education.
7. stress the need for teachers to monitor stundents
attitudes towards STE and that a positive attitude is
essential for learning; recognise that relevance of teaching
in the eyes of students is a crucial factor for maintaining
a positive attitude.
8. encourage, and where appropriate, coordinate research
into STE, especially at the classroom level, take steps to
make teachers aware of research developments within the
country and internationally, and play an effective role in
the dissemination of research findings to classroom
teachers.
9. guide teachers to base assessment on
(a)the attainment of criteria or targets. [Criteria
referenced assessment needs to relate to all aspects of
education that are to be achieved through STE i.e.
intellectual development, personal attributes and social
values];
(b) measures that ensure the assessment of students is valid
and not unduly weighted towards lower order cognitive
skills, nor ignoring that the STE provision is education
through science and technology;
(c)undertaking multiple measurements of the educational
attributes to be gained by students to increase reliability.
[Such multiple measures need to involve the teacher playing
an active role in the continuing assessment of students and
in the diagnostic determination of the success of the
teaching];
(d)students’ performance, focusing on students’ ability to
understand and interpret scientific information, to discuss
controversial issues, as well as on their knowledge and
understanding of ST ideas relevant to the social setting;
11. recognise that professional development provisions for
teachers are important and that this is an on-going need in
which professional STE associations can, and should, play a
large role in:
(a)helping teachers appreciate the purpose of science and
technology teaching
(b)guide teachers in suitable ways to interpret the
curriculum and operationalise the goals of teaching science
and technology
(c)assisting teachers in resource provisions and their
utilisations
(d)overcoming constraints in teaching
(e)assisting teachers provide constructivist teaching,
avoiding misconceptions
(f)assist teachers to use sound techniques and new practices
(g)making teachers aware of research developments, assist
them in conducting research efforts of their own, encourage
interaction of teachers related to research development and
put forward ways in which research findings can be
operationalised in the classroom
(h)help teachers with feedback and assessment procedures,
both formative and summative and in interpreting the
requires of external examiners
(i)acting as a buffer between teachers and policy makers,
curriculum developers, external examiners, the scientific
community and industry and making known teachers views,
concerns and suggestions.
12.accept that the trainers of teachers also need
professional development and that teacher associations can
assist in this.
13.appreciate that professional STE teacher associations can
play an important role in supporting teachers by:
(a)provide opportunity to be able to interact with other
teachers and share ideas:
(b)informing teachers of links through international NGO
organisations. Teachers need to be made aware of the role of
UNESCO and international NGOs in supporting the teaching of
ST;
(c)helping them to form links with social workers and others
involved in problems of social inequity, non-empowerment of
women and the marginalisation of minority groups.
H. Recommendations to Industrialists
Industrialists should help to make STE more relevant to the
perceived needs and interests of students, reflecting a
balance view of the importance and functioning of industry
and giving an awareness of careers; and meeting the needs of
society and the culture by:
1. recognise that the aims of STE relate, first and foremost
to the goals of education and hence there is a big
difference between science and technology education (the
science and technology in schools) and specialist
instruction to become a scientist/ technologist (largely
seen as a tertiary education component.
2. recognising the curriculum
(a) is expected to reflect the statement of aims;
(b) is compiled to reflect the emphasis that an education
through science and technology can place on playing its part
in attaining the stipulated goals of education;
(c) is based on the goals of education through science and
technology and teaching of science and technology is
promoting intellectual qualities, personal development,
societal attributes and communication skills of students as
a basis, a direction and a stimulation for positive science
and technology attitudes;
(d)besides conveying ideas of education through science and
technology, it is expected to convey the science and
technology knowledge by which the educational goals can be
expected to be attained and also incorporate important ideas
about-science and technology, that is, ideas about the ways
in which reliable knowledge of the natural and man-made
world has been, and is being, obtained;
(e) tries to ensure that science and technology curricula
integrate elements designed to enhance ‘literacy‘, and those
designed as the early stages of a ‘specialist’ training in
science. The major goal of STE, irrespective of type of
course, or calibre of students, is expected to be STL;
3. recognize that STE needs to be a core provision for all
students and hence can be expected to plays its part in the
achievement of all the goals of education; the general goals
of education become the general goals of STE.
4. ensuring curricula match ‘standards’ for scientific and
technological literacy in terms of (i) conceptual
development, (ii) scientific process, (iii) personal
development, (iv) cooperative and communication skills, as
well as (v) socio-scientific social values, all carefully
screened to be appropriate for the students’ aptitude, prior
learning/age and social environment. The matching of
‘standards’ need to be flexible to respond to changes in
science and technology, changes in the local environment and
to society and career needs;
5.supporting STE courses that promote a better understanding
of science and technology in society through
(a)developing student abilities to solve problems utilizing
science and technology principles and assist students to be
comfortable with making societal decisions incorporating
science, technology and mathematics alongside economics,
environmental, political and social considerations;
(b)recognising the role of STE as promoting education geared
to raising public awareness, public understanding of aspects
relevant to society and in raising the popularity of science
and technology subjects;
(c)including appropriate strategies enabling students to
examine issues geared to sustainable development, develop
positive attitudes and to recognise the roles to be
undertaken by a STL responsible person;
(d)making science and technology courses more popular among
students, both girls and boys. This should be through
increased relevancy to everyday life geared to the local,
national or even global perspective as well as the world of
work and leisure;
(e)recognising that science and technology knowledge is
increasing at a faster and faster rate and hence selection
of content for school science and technology curricula
should not be based solely on fundamental science and
technology ideas for fear that science and technology, which
is relevant to society issues and concerns, does not get
taught. Basing curricula on content rather than contexts
allows students little opportunity to take strong control
over their learning;
(f)recognising that relevant science and technology
curricula should incorporate interdisciplinary STL ideas and
should be expected to prepare students to address concerns
and issues about health, food, energy, land, water and
minerals resources, the environment, industry and
information technology;
(g)recognising the importance of sustainable development in
a global economy and provide science and technology contexts
and activities to promote the skills and attitudes needed by
students to become responsible citizens;
6.viewing specialization, or an optional additional
component, in any STE course as the desire to extend ‘time
on task' in meeting the goals of education through science
and technology, leading to an enhance level of STL; ensure
these courses are still intended to provide suitable
intellectual, attitudinal, skills and values oriented
learning befitting education through science and technology
at a more intensive level.
7.promote a positive image of science and technology (units
such as pollution should not be contemplated) and the
positive role science and technology can play in the
economic and social advancement of society; and
academically, in terms of educational competence, geared to
science and technology problem solving and socio-scientific
decision making capabilities, which do not discriminate on
the grounds of race, religion, ethnicity or gender, ensuring
sustainable development, responsible citizenry and equity
practices in STE at all levels and that adequate steps are
taken to promote practices for the empowerment of women and
the inclusion of marginalised groups.
8. appreciate the need for research and evaluation in the
field of STE, especially with respect to teaching resources
and the manner in which they are used in the classroom, the
effectiveness of visits to industry and industry involvement
in the classroom.
9. recognise the need for feedback and assessment practices
to pay attention to:
(a) validity and reliability;
(b) the diagnostic evaluation of factors influencing student
learning, to ensure students, both girls and boys, are not
underachieving;
(c)promoting activities that ensure assessment of students
pays more attention to what students know rather than
determining what they do not know;
(d)ensuring activities undertaken by students, within the
STE classroom, encompass competence in communication skills,
personal attributes, socially related decision–making
skills, and values as well as cognitive achievement;
- 10. support the need
for adequate provision for ongoing professional support for
science and technology teachers.
- 11. support the need
for adequate provision for ongoing professional support for
the ‘trainers’ of such teachers, so they are able to provide
the pre- and in-service professional help.
- 12. supporting the
formation and functioning of non-Governmental science and
technology professional, subject teacher associations,
covering primary and secondary teacher, teacher educators
and others involved with science and technology education so
as to aid the professional development of, and support
available to, teachers at a practical level.
I. Recommendations to Scientists/Researchers (Science
Academies)
Scientists should help make STE more relevant to the
perceived needs and interests of students, reflecting a
balance view of the importance and functioning of industry
and giving an awareness of careers; and meeting the needs of
society and the culture by:
1. being prepared to recognise that the aims of STE relate,
first and foremost to the goals of education and hence there
is a big difference between science and technology education
(the science and technology in schools) and instruction to
become a scientist/technologist (usually reserved for the
tertiary level)
- 2. recognising the
curriculum
(a) reflects the statement of aims,
(b) is compiled to reflect the emphasis that an education
through science and technology can place on playing its part
in attaining the stipulated goals of education;
(c) is based on the goal of education through science and
technology and where teaching is promoting intellectual
qualities, personal development, societal attributes and
communication skills of students as a basis, a direction and
a stimulation for positive science and technology attitudes;
(d) besides conveying ideas of education through science and
technology, it should convey the science and technology
knowledge by which the educational goals can be expected to
be attained and incorporate important ideas about-science
and technology, that is, ideas about the ways in which
reliable knowledge of the natural and man-made world has
been, and is being, obtained;
(e) tries to ensure that science and technology curricula
integrate elements designed to enhance ‘literacy‘, and those
designed as the early stages of a ‘specialist’ training in
science. The major goal of STE, irrespective of type of
course, or calibre of students, should be multi-dimensional
STL and linked to this, higher order cognitive skills;
- 3. recognize that STE
needs to be a core provision for all students, irrespective
of aptitude and hence can be expected to plays its part in
the achievement of all the goals of education; the general
goals of education become the general goals of STE.
- 4. ensuring curricula
match ‘standards’ for scientific and technological literacy
in terms of (i) conceptual development, (ii) scientific
process, (iii) personal development, (iv) cooperative and
communication skills, as well as (v) socio-scientific social
values, all carefully screened to be appropriate for the
students’ aptitude, prior learning/age and social
environment. The matching of ‘standards’ need to be flexible
to respond to changes in science and technology, changes in
the local environment and to society and career needs, but
rigorous in ensuring skills of learning to learn and higher
order reasoning ability;
- 5.supporting STE
courses that promote a better understanding of science and
technology in society through:
(a) developing student abilities to solve problems utilizing
science and technology principles and assist students to be
comfortable with making socio-scientific decisions,
incorporating science, technology and mathematics alongside
economics, environmental, political and social
considerations;
(b)recognising the crucial need of STE to promote education
geared to raising public awareness, public understanding of
aspects relevant to society and in raising the popularity of
science and technology subjects;
(c)including appropriate strategies enabling students to
examine issues geared to sustainable development, develop
positive attitudes and to recognise the role to be
undertaken by a STL responsible person in society;
(d)making science and technology courses more popular among
students, both for girls and boys. This should expected to
be through increased relevancy to everyday life geared to
the local, national or even global perspective, as well as
the world of work and leisure; the approach to science and
technology education should not be expected to be from
abstract scientific or technological ideas, but from a
societal perspective utilising constructivist principles;
(e) recognising that science and technology knowledge is
increasing at a faster and faster rate and hence selection
of content for school science and technology curricula is
crucial; this selection should not be based, solely on
fundamental science and technology ideas for fear that
science and technology, which is relevant to society issues
and concerns, does not get taught. Basing curricula on
contexts rather than content allows students greater
opportunities to take strong control over their learning
(emphasising students learning, rather than teachers
teaching);
(f) recognising that relevant science and technology
curricula should incorporate interdisciplinary STL ideas and
should be expected to prepare students to address concerns
and issues about health; food; energy; land, water and
minerals resources; the environment; industry; and
information technology;
(g) recognising the importance of sustainable development in
a global economy and provide science and technology contexts
and activities to promote the skills and attitudes needed by
students to become responsible citizens;
- 6. viewing
specialization, or optional additional components, in any
STE course as the desire to extend ‘time on task' in meeting
the goals of education through science, leading to an
enhance level of STL; ensure these courses are still
intended to provide suitable intellectual, attitudinal,
skills and values oriented learning befitting education
through science and technology at a more intensive level and
are NOT abandoning the goals of education in favour of
knowledge cramming;
- 7.promote a positive
image of science and technology (units such as pollution
should not be contemplated) and the positive role science
and technology can play in the economic and social
advancement of society; gearing the teaching towards science
and technology problem solving and socio-scientific decision
making capabilities, which do not discriminate on the
grounds of race, religion, ethnicity or gender, ensuring
sustainable development, responsible citizenry and equity
practices in STE at all levels and that adequate steps are
taken to promote practices for the empowerment of women and
the inclusion of marginalised groups.
- 8. recognise that
much research in the area of STE falls within social science
research techniques, as it is dealing with persons (students
and teachers), where variables cannot be controlled.
Encourage STE research and recognise the need for stress to
be placed on validity and reliability factors for meaningful
outcomes and to appreciate the inability to undertake
multiple measures in a controlled environment.
- 9. recognise the need
for feedback and for assessment practices in STE to pay
attention to:
(a)validity, and within this, reliability;
(b)the diagnostic evaluation of factors influencing student
learning, to ensure students, both girls and boys, are not
underachieving;
(c)promoting activities that ensure assessment of students
pays more attention to what students know rather than
determining what they do not know;
(d)ensuring activities undertaken by students, within the
STE classroom, encompass competence in communication skills,
personal attributes, socially related decision–making
skills, and values as well as cognitive achievement;
- 10.support the need
for adequate provision for ongoing professional support for
science and technology teachers; be willing to assist in the
knowledge updating components of professional support.
- 11.support the need
for adequate provision for ongoing professional support for
the ‘trainers’ of such teachers, so they are able to provide
the pre- and in-service professional help.
- 12.supporting the
formation and functioning of non-Governmental science and
technology professional, subject teacher associations,
covering primary and secondary teacher, teacher educators
and others involved with science and technology education so
as to aid the professional development of, and support
available to, teachers at a practical level.
J. Recommendations to Science Centres (Museums)
Science Centres should help make STE more relevant to the
perceived needs and interests of students, reflecting a
balance view of the importance and functioning of industry
and giving an awareness of careers; and meeting the needs of
society and the culture by:
1.being prepared to recognise that the aims of STE relate,
first and foremost to the goals of education and hence there
is a big difference between science and technology education
(the science and technology in schools) and instruction to
become a scientist/technologist (usually reserved for the
tertiary level)
- 2. recognising that
in promoting science and technology to students, the school
curriculum
(a) reflects the statement of aims;
(b)is compiled to reflect the emphasis that an education
through science and technology can place on playing its part
in attaining the stipulated goals of education;
(c)is based on the goal of education through science and
technology and where teaching is promoting intellectual
qualities, personal development, societal attributes and
communication skills of students as a basis, a direction and
a stimulation for positive science and technology attitudes;
(d) besides conveying ideas of education through science and
technology, it should convey the science and technology
knowledge by which the educational goals can be expected to
be attained and incorporate important ideas about-science
and technology, that is, ideas about the ways in which
reliable knowledge of the natural and man-made world has
been, and is being, obtained;
(e)tries to ensure that science and technology curricula
integrate elements designed to enhance ‘literacy‘, and those
designed as the early stages of a ‘specialist’ training in
science. The major goal of STE, irrespective of type of
course, or calibre of students, should be multi-dimensional
STL and linked to this, higher order cognitive skills;
- 3.recognize that STE
should be a core provision for all students, irrespective of
aptitude and hence can be expected to plays its part in the
achievement of all the goals of education; the general goals
of education become the general goals of STE. With this in
mind, science centres can play a useful role in
complementing the school provision.
- 4.recognise that
school curricula need to match ‘standards’ for scientific
and technological literacy in terms of (i) conceptual
development, (ii) scientific process, (iii) personal
development, (iv) cooperative and communication skills, as
well as (v) socio-scientific social values, all carefully
screened to be appropriate for the students’ aptitude, prior
learning/age and social environment. The matching of
‘standards’ need to be flexible to respond to changes in
science and technology, changes in the local environment and
to society and career needs, but rigorous in ensuring skills
of learning to learn and higher order reasoning ability;
- 5.supporting STE
courses, through science centre exhibits and other
activities, which are designed to promote a better
understanding of science and technology in society through:
(a) developing student abilities to solve problems utilizing
science and technology principles and assist students to be
comfortable with making socio-scientific decisions,
incorporating science, technology and mathematics alongside
economics, environmental, political and social
considerations;
(b)recognising the crucial need of STE to promote education
geared to raising public awareness, public understanding of
aspects relevant to society and in raising the popularity of
science and technology subjects;
(c)including appropriate strategies enabling students to
examine issues geared to sustainable development, develop
positive attitudes and to recognise the role to be
undertaken by a STL responsible person in society;
(d) making science and technology courses more popular among
students, both for girls and boys. This should expected to
be through increased relevancy to everyday life geared to
the local, national or even global perspective, as well as
the world of work and leisure; the approach to science and
technology education should not be expected to be from
abstract scientific or technological ideas, but from a
societal perspective utilising constructivist principles;
(e)recognising that science and technology knowledge is
increasing at a faster and faster rate and hence selection
of content for school science and technology curricula is
crucial; this selection should not be based, solely on
fundamental science and technology ideas for fear that
science and technology, which is relevant to society issues
and concerns, does not get taught. Basing curricula on
contexts rather than content allows students greater
opportunities to take strong control over their learning
(emphasising students learning, rather than teachers
teaching);
(f)recognising that relevant science and technology
curricula should incorporate interdisciplinary STL ideas and
should be expected to prepare students to address concerns
and issues about health; food; energy; land, water and
minerals resources; the environment; industry; and
information technology;
(g)recognising the importance of sustainable development in
a global economy and provide science and technology contexts
and activities to promote the skills and attitudes needed by
students to become responsible citizens;
- 6. viewing
specialization, or optional additional components, in any
STE course in schools as the desire to extend ‘time on task'
in meeting the goals of education through science and
technology, leading to an enhance level of STL; recognise
these courses are still intended to provide suitable
intellectual, attitudinal, skills and values oriented
learning befitting education through science and technology
at a more intensive level and are NOT abandoning the goals
of education in favour of knowledge cramming;
- 7. promote a positive
image of science and technology (pollution should not be the
major focus, but rather how science and technology help to
combat pollution) and the positive role science and
technology can play in the economic and social advancement
of society; gearing the student involvements towards science
and technology problem solving and socio-scientific decision
making capabilities, which do not discriminate on the
grounds of race, religion, ethnicity or gender, ensuring
sustainable development, responsible citizenry and equity
practices in STE at all levels and that adequate steps are
taken to promote practices for the empowerment of women and
the inclusion of marginalised groups.
- 8. recognise that
much research in the area of STE and hence research in
science centres falls within social science research
techniques, as it is dealing with persons, where variables
cannot be controlled. Encourage STE research and recognise
the need for stress to be placed on validity and reliability
factors for meaningful outcomes and to appreciate the
inability to undertake multiple measures in a controlled
environment.
- 9. recognise the need
for feedback and for assessment practices in STE to pay
attention to:
(a) validity, and within this, reliability;
(b) the diagnostic evaluation of factors influencing student
learning, to ensure students, both girls and boys, are not
underachieving;
(c) promoting activities that ensure assessment of students
pays more attention to what students know rather than
determining what they do not know;
(d)ensuring activities undertaken by students, encompass
competence in communication skills, personal attributes,
socially related decision–making skills, and values as well
as cognitive achievement;
- 10.support the need
for adequate provision for ongoing professional support for
science and technology teachers; be willing to assist in the
knowledge updating components of professional support.
- 11.support the need
for adequate provision for ongoing professional support for
the ‘trainers’ of such teachers, so they are able to provide
the pre- and in-service professional help.
- 12.supporting the
formation and functioning of non-Governmental science and
technology professional, subject teacher associations,
covering primary and secondary teacher, teacher educators
and others involved with science and technology education so
as to aid the professional development of, and support
available to, teachers at a practical level.