Some responses to an early draft of a proposed science curriculum warned it would 鈥溾. But an updated curriculum for today鈥檚 world presents an opportunity to engage all students in science through contexts that matter.
As we witness record-breaking temperatures on land and in the听, 鈥溾 contaminating drinking water in the US, and听听globally, it is clear听听is not just about 鈥渓earning the basics鈥.
Teaching science should instead be about developing听. A meaningful and robust science education is increasingly听, not just those who want to become scientists.
Students must learn to听, alongside other forms of knowledge, to make informed decisions and act on issues that matter.
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Curriculum change is necessary
Decades of research have shown that school science that focuses predominantly on decontextualised scientific facts and theories has听. This approach has ill prepared students to engage competently or critically with science, and has failed to听听in science careers or degree programmes.
Enrolments in traditional science programmes at New 茄子视频app官网universities are听. Fewer 15-year-old New Zealanders see the听听compared to international peers.
As former chief science advisor Sir Peter Gluckman听听in 2011, New 茄子视频app官网needs radical changes to the science curriculum to better prepare students for the complex issues of our time.
A 2022听听to the听听reinforced this perspective. It highlighted how science education needs to prepare students for a world characterised by increasing disinformation campaigns, and growing environmental and other science-related social concerns.
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What needs to change
The听听states the purpose of science education is to ensure students 鈥渃an participate as critical, informed, and responsible citizens in a society in which science plays a significant role鈥.
But as a听听issued by the Education Review Office revealed, New 茄子视频app官网is far from achieving this goal. Students鈥 awareness of environmental problems has听. A听听showed New Zealanders don鈥檛 understand how to act on climate change.
Faced with interrelated changes in the environment,听. It is becoming more interdisciplinary. We see new fields emerging at the intersection of physics, chemistry and biology.
Scientists are increasingly working alongside M膩ori and other Indigenous leaders, drawing from multiple knowledge systems to听collaborate on complex science-related problems. A science curriculum for today鈥檚 world must be interdisciplinary and reflect these changes. Students need to be able to see听.
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Teaching science in context
Research shows that students learn fundamental science concepts better when they are听. A contextualised curriculum also creates space for听听such as m膩tauranga M膩ori and Indigenous knowledge.
Such an approach supports learning in听, which is particularly important given the growing diversity in New 茄子视频app官网schools.
A science curriculum focused on contemporary issues will not only help prepare all students to engage more competently with science, it can also inspire more students to consider science-related career paths they might not have otherwise.
Curriculum wars in science are not new. Debates over the goals and content of a science curriculum are听, and meaningful curriculum change that disrupts the status quo is difficult.
It requires a bold vision but must also be buttressed by extensive support for teachers. Some non-M膩ori science teachers are keen to make the change but have expressed concerns about lacking skills; for example, how to听.
Teachers are currently听听to teach science in the context of the critical issues of our time, such as climate change. Teacher education and professional development will need to be 鈥渢urbo-charged鈥 with听.
However, the goal of curriculum reform is to lay out a听, which then drives and catalyses the required resourcing.
Fortunately, there are听听and听听in New 茄子视频app官网currently leading the way. We can look to them to see what is possible and be inspired by all that science education can be.
This article was originally published on听.听
