Education through Science as a Motivational Innovation for Science Education for All.

Historically, science was introduced into the school curriculum to enable students, who were entering university to study science related subjects, to gain some background knowledge before beginning studies at the university level (Fensham, 2008, p 14). Unfortunately this view is still very prevalent among policy-makers and teachers today. And this is so, even though science subjects have become part of ‘education for all’ and, in most systems, science have become compulsory for primary school students. This paper considers the roles of science education as expressed in curriculum documents and in educational standards. It notes the often expressed target of science education as enhancing scientific literacy and puts forwards views on what is meant by this expression Also noted is the comment in the UNESCO booklet on the Eleven Emerging Issues in Science Education (Fensham, 2008, p.8 and 27) that the term ‘scientific literacy’ should no longer be used. The papers argues that policy-makers and teachers should rethink their vision of science in the school curriculum and accept the view that the teaching of science subjects is part of the overall educational provision and must not be viewed in a different philosophical light from other subjects. If education is the target, then the philosophy for the teaching of science subjects must be, it is argued, ‘education through science’. This view represents a paradigm shift in the purpose of school science education from the historical view. The new vision is put forward as an essential step if school science education is to play a meaningful role for the majority of students, especially girls, in 21 st century education.