Why teach science? Setting rational goals for science education

Abstract

In this article we develop a fundamental rationale for teaching science to all children. We justify the teaching of science by linking scientific ways of thinking with the advancement of democratic society. Rather than simply treating science education as a civics course, we take the strong view that science education should produce a population with the skills to critically analyze and change society. Science students must learn science, but they must also learn about science, they must develop a scientific view of the world, and they must adopt some of the creative and critical attributes of scientists. To achieve these outcomes, science educators must be clear about what view of science they reflect and, in particular, they must reject both positivist and postmodernist elements. Science education must reflect the way in which the theories and practice of science are constrained by the real world. In setting out a robust answer to the question of why teach science we provide three aims for science education. These aims can assist science educators to decide what and how they teach, and help us all to defend science education from antiscientific criticisms. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:473–492, 1999.