summarised by Centrist
In ‘School science – where we’ve gone wrong and what we need to do to get it right” Dr Barend Vlaardingerbroek says:
“Most people take into adulthood the science they acquired at school, and no more. They become voters who have to evaluate scientific claims made by political parties. ‘Science for democracy’ should aim to produce citizens who know the basics of modern science and know what scientific reasoning involves.”
Vlaardingerbroek says a ‘Science for democracy’ curriculum, at its core, for young pupils to learn, should include basic ecosystem dynamics, Newtonian physics and types of common chemical reactions.
In addition, tertiary programmes need to be made available to pupils with a promising middle school record, which will lead them into careers in science and technology. He also recommends ‘softer’ science courses for university bound students not aiming for a science based career.
Vlaardingerbroek also advocates for science teachers to be better educated and schools to be better resourced when it comes to teaching science. Lab work is labour intensive. Schools could help by making available lab assistants to help with set up of lab related work.
