| Abstract |
"Why We Teach Science (and Why We Should) provides a historical overview of the reasons science has been included as a school subject in the United States and examines them in light of research on how people use science in their daily lives and future occupations. The book argues that all the various reasons can be broken down into two primary purposes: teaching science to prepare future scientific and technical workers and teaching science for general public understanding. Data on educational attainment and career outcomes show that only a small fraction of school students end up in technical occupations. Yet, schools routinely teach science for content mastery with the assumption that this will prepare students for technical careers. This suggests that the primary goal of science education should focus on public understanding instead. However, research from the fields of cognitive psychology, science education, and science communication reveals that the primary general-education goals of teaching science for everyday personal use, better thinking skills, or democratic decision-making (what are sometimes referred to as scientific-literacy skills) are poorly served by the prevailing content-mastery approach. The book suggests that, given the current social challenges society faces, science education should instead focus on building public trust in science. Such an approach would require a radical departure from both the traditional science teaching we have grown accustomed to and the current recommendations being made by policymakers"-- Provided by publisher. |
