Frankenstein, Monsters, and Science Education: The Need for Broad-Based Educational Policy

Abstract

In the current administration, as in earlier administrations, the main purpose of education is that of helping individuals secure employment so America will remain competitive in the global economy. In this chapter, I highlight the problematic aspects of the education policy devised to meet this goal of education. I will also discuss how revitalizing longstanding modes of human understanding by incorporating the wisdom of the humanities provides valuable insights in thinking about education, particularly with respect to science education. As a case in point, I will take Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein and use it to: (1) highlight the problems and dangers of implementing narrow education reforms (such as Race to the Top), and (2) explore why a more comprehensive direction in science education is needed. Ultimately, my hope is that readers will come away from this chapter with a renewed appreciation for the many purposes of education, and perhaps a richer, more comprehensive understanding about the possibilities of educational policy in science education.