Introduction: Setting the Scene for a Meso-level Analysis of Canadian Science Education

Abstract

Canada is a country with an international reputation for strong science achievement; as such, it can offer insight into effective policies, structures, and pedagogies. However, there is scant literature on science education in Canada in general; and the specific aspects of science curriculum and science teacher education—both preservice and inservice—are even more limited. Some publications have addressed science teacher education in Canada, but much of this literature has been on a macro level, where a Canadian example is situated within an international context offering a systems perspective in comparison with other systems (Dopfer, Foster, & Potts 2004). There is a small though growing body of micro-level science education literature that consists of highly contextualized cases, where individual studies describe specific components of the system. This book provides a meso-level description and analysis of demographics, science education, and science teacher education across all 13 jurisdictions within Canada. The author teams provide informed insights that serve as a basis for examining the provincial and territorial systems so as to explore the diverse Canadian system as a whole. In this chapter, we include a geographical, historical, and cultural background; the general structure of education and science education across the country; an overview of teacher education and science teacher education programs; and professional development as advance organizers for making sense of the next 13 chapters.