Science Education

Science education is the field concerned with sharing science content and process with individuals not traditionally considered part of the scientific community. The target individuals may be children, college students, or adults within the general public. The field of science education comprises science content, some sociology, and some teaching pedagogy.

Science education standards

In many US states, K-12 educators must adhere to rigid standards or frameworks of what content is to be taught to which age groups. Unfortunately, this often means teachers rush to "cover" the material, without truly "teaching" it. In addition, the process of science is often overlooked, such as the scientific method, and critical thinking, producing students who can pass multiple choice tests (such as the New York Regents exams and the Massachusetts MCAS), but cannot solve complex problems. Although at the college level American science education tends to be less regulated, it is actually more rigorous, with teachers and professors fitting more content into the same time period.

Scientists vs. educators

The perceived elitism of professional scientists and academia has prompted a number of education specialists to take an interest in science education and make it more accessible to individuals. These science educators take the point of view that many groups (such as women, non-Asian and non-Jewish ethnic minorities, and the disabled) have been traditionally marginalized and excluded from science, to the detriment of the field. On the other hand, some traditional scientists feel it is important not to "dilute" science. In their opinion, only those who run the gauntlet of higher education, graduate school, and so on, prove themselves to reliable scientists. Allowing those less qualified to perform science is thought to result in the propagation of errors and less accurate science. Both groups wish to train future scientists; they differ on how to do so, and who they believe is qualified.

England & Wales

Schools science is generally taught as a single subject science until age 14-16 then splits into subject specific A levels (physics, chemistry and biology).

Science is a much more practical subject than most and is thought in general to be learned best by "doing" rather than reading.

 

Science education links

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