It can be observed from social media that a number of individuals resort to providing comments on scientific issues with reasoning that is not well grounded with scientific inquiry. This is very common at present especially on issues around vaccines, 5g technology and viruses. The teaching and learning of science and its methods should be made accessible to all and efforts must be made for a wider participation so as to avoid dangerous misconceptions that can harm the public. This blog explores and examines 'science for all' in the contemporary context and the reasons why a big number of the population all over the world still resort to non-scientific reasoning or thinking on science related matters.
Science for All
'Science for All' can have so many interpretations. Some organisations use it as a slogan to promote student engagement in the sciences, and others use it as a statement to emphasize the teaching of science in a curriculum. Regardless of where it's coming from, the goal is the same - and that is to make science accessible for all.
Science for all encourages public engagement in the sciences. It creates a professional culture wherein the public is expected to participate in science and its developments (Jackson 2010). According to BritishScienceAssociation.org (2009), ‘science for all’ has the role of increasing the effectiveness of public engagement in science and it also aids in creating strategic and tactical frameworks for the 'communication activities' of science. With its aims geared towards bringing science to an optimistic edge for the citizens in general, its successful delivery is also inhibited with some associated restraints.
Peacock (2002), points out some of the associated complications and restraints that inhibit the effective delivery of science for all. It can be noted from his writings on the 'Emergence of Primary Science' that some teachers had little confidence in teaching science and that some of them also lack working knowledge. In the past, requirements for teaching science are not as intensive as it is today. The teacher is necessitated to have mastery of a particular subject matter and must posssess additional credential requirements. DeYoung (2003) cites professional competence as one of the hallmarks of good teaching. Therefore, in that light, expanding the knowledge and competence of teachers through training is of critical importance when speaking of successful science teaching.
Other factors that also proved to be restraints in the effective delivery of ‘science for all’ are teacher resources, as well as teacher motivation in which teachers sometimes tend to revert to old habits as soon as the in-service support is withdrawn (Peacock, 2002). Politics can also be seen as a constraint at some point. One area of concern related to this would be in the case of existing unequal opportunities in science among genders which presently occur in other parts of the world (nature.com, 2013). Although differences in interests do occur among genders in the areas of science, ‘science for all’ should embrace equality.
Several literatures have also shown that the use of various resources in teaching science is highly beneficial in assisting student’s understanding, as in the case of the application of information and communications technology (ICT). With the increasing demand of today’s science learning, using ICT helps facilitate science teaching and learning in a variety of ways (Holliman & Scanlon, 2004).
The restraints for science for all, when taken for granted, can lead to further complications which would be unfavourable to its successful delivery. These restraints may sometimes lead to missed opportunities and incompetence to science skills (Peacock, 2002). Educators must be vigilant as to the present problems that hinder the effective delivery of science since its complications can be worrisome in the long term. The skills achieved through the sciences can open doors to careers in so many areas (Educationscotland.gov.uk, 2013).
Teaching and learning in the sciences can be challenging because science is a wide subject to consider. When it comes to the application of the learning theories, both the constructivist and social theories of learning can take place. Science deals not only with the theories taught in lectures, but also with learning the scientific process as well as the engagement of the related practical work.
Teaching science is challenging in the sense that science in itself is also ever changing. In order for science educators to be up-to-date with science in the present, the educator has to dwell with the voluminous activities related to his or her career such as engaging in further trainings, reading a wide range of journals and publications, as well as participating in conferences, seminars and continuing education. Professional competence has several aspects. A competent teacher has to show that he or she is confident in the subject matter and that he/she should be creative and stimulating in order to excite the interests of the learners (DeYoung, 2003).
As for the teachers, several teaching strategies should be employed in order to make science learning effective. According to Carrier (2014), to improve scientific literacy among learners, they need to have science content knowledge and must also practice the scientific habits of mind. In order to achieve this, the teacher employs various approaches to teaching by allowing science to make sense. The students should be encouraged to communicate and talk and engage in discussions. The teacher should utilize the use of diagrams, word game puzzles, and various activities that promote learning and stimulate motivation. Scanlon et al (2014) mentions about scaffolding as an approach to teaching science to students wherein students learn as they construct new meanings for themselves. This method of instruction provides support to the learning process making sure that the areas that are not well understood are emphasized and clarified.
In terms of the learning goals, science learning is made effective if the goals are directed towards being student centred. Students should be provided an opportunity to also participate in formulating the goals of the curriculum so as to provide motivation in learning. When they have an active role in the development of the goals, they are able to provide additional inputs in reference to their expertise. The learning activities should also be interactive so as to promote learning and allow active learning to occur.
Promoting scientific engagement for everyone to help develop scientific ways of thinking and reasoning is complex and further studies are needed to suggest better approaches. This blog only explored science for all in the world of schools. Science can also be learned outside academica such as social media. The challenge is really on finding more creative ways of teaching the public since the creators of today's fake information are also very well talented, dramatic, and convincing.
References:
Baltais, S. (2013, October). Citizen Science, the Benefits and Challenges: How do you make citizen science both fun and useful? [online]. Available at: http://qldcoastalconference.org.au/2013/pdf/BaltaisSimon.pdf
Carrier, S. (2014). Effective strategies for teaching science vocabulary. [online]. Available at: http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/7079?ref=search
Culatta, R. (2013). Constructivist Theory (Jerome Bruner). [online]. Available at: http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/constructivist.html
DeYoung, S. (2003). Teaching Strategies for Nurse Educators. New Jersey. Pearson Education.
Education Scotland. (2013, October). Cfe Briefing: Sciences for All. [online]. Available at: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/images/CfeBriefing15_tcm4-818092.pdf [Accessed: March 8, 2014].
Holliman, R. And Scanlon, E. (2004). Mediating Science Learning through Information and Communications Technology. London. Routledge
House of Commons Science and Technology Committee (2002) Science Education from 14 to 19, Third Report of Session 2001−02. Crown copyright material is reproduced under Class License Number C01W0000065 with the permission of the controller of HMSO and the Queen’s Printer for Scotland.
Mathieson, K. (2014, January 30). The 3Rs: Citizen Science in the classroom. British Science Association [online]. Available at: http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/blog/3rs-citizen-science-classroom
Millar, R. and Osborne, J. (1998) ‘Beyond 2000: Science Education for the Future’. King’s College London School of Education. © Robin Millar and Jonathan Osborne
Nature. (2013, March 6). Science for All, vol. 495, issue 7439 [online], p.5. Available at: http://www.nature.com/news/science-for-all-1.12535
Peacock, A. ‘The emergence of primary science’, Amos, S. and Boohan, R. (eds.) Teaching Science in Secondary Schools. Taylor and Francis/Routledge. Reproduced by permission of Taylor and Francis, Inc./Routledge, Inc.
Scanlon, E., Murphy, P., Thomas, J., and Whitelegg, E. (2004). Reconsidering Science Learning. London. Routledge
Whittington, K. (2014, August 6). Citizen Science Takes Flight: Benefits and Challenges in Data Collection. [online]. Available at: http://www.nature.com/scitable/blog/eyes-on-environment/butterflies_citizen_science
Comments