What is Science for All?

Last Updated (Monday, 29 November 1999 16:00) Written by Raymond Nakamura

In connection with the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in Vancouver this month, Science World set up a special speaker event Science For All: A Challenge for Our Times, featuring Professor Pierre Léna of the Académie des Sciences in Paris and Dr. Sandy Eix of Science World, with educational consultant Dr. Bruce Beairsto as moderator. I was part of the proverbial choir of course, but here are some of the ideas I found most interesting.

1. Science education is a form of social justice.
Some of the reasons for promoting science education include the need for competent participants in a knowledge economy, developing rational thinking for deciding our futures, and those sorts of practical reasons.  I am partial to the idea of how tentative "truth" is. This is not to say that anything goes, but that answers always lead to more questions.

Pierre Léna, who was an astrophysicist before dedicating himself to science education and a French organization for promoting interactive science learning called La main à la pâte, also suggested that sharing knowledge about how the world works should be seen as a fundamental right, a matter of justice.

2. Playing is learning
Children are naturally curious. Sandy Eix, who in addition to her extensive background in physics and education, is one of the most dedicated and enthusiastic science educators you will ever meet, talked about how children learn through play, even though this can make their parents crazy. Tell me about it.

3. Inquiry allows children to learn from each other.
Bruce Beairsto, an educational consultant and former Superintendent of Schools for Richmond, mentioned how some parents worry about the effects of split classes, but that every class has children with a range of abilities in whatever aspect you might look at. Seeking knowledge through exploration and discussion encourages the involvement of diverse abilities and approaches.

4. Teachers guide inquiry
An experienced educator can use his or her knowledge to guide student discussions in more productive directions and even help broaden discussions into the social implications of scientific answers. For elementary school teachers with general backgrounds, science can seem daunting. They need opportunities to build on their understanding of science, to rediscover a sense of wonder. Also when presenting a subject, presenting the history of the discovery can help students understand the content. Science centres could perhaps do more in this direction too.

5. Parents model inquiry
The endless barrage of questions for your child can be exasperating. And if you're not comfortable with the subject to begin with, it could even be intimidating. Some may see admitting ignorance as undermining their authority. An inquiry-based approach is more about how you look for answers, rather than whether you have the right one.

This speaker event was part of Science World's intention to broaden its audience and deepen the experiences it offers. It was not, of course, the final word on science education, but I liked how it raised questions about the role of science in our lives, schools and society in general. I'd be interested in your take on this.