Science Education for a New Age
The very great advances in science just before and after the middle of the twentieth century have caused educators to realize that science teaching in the future must differ from science teaching in the past.During the past twenty years science has played an important part in shaping the character of our civilization.The scientific revolution which we are beginning to experience, together with the trend toward industrialization, demands a program of science education with new emphasis, purpose, and content.
In education there should be a good balance among the branches of knowledge that contribute to effective thinking and wise judgment.Such balance is defeated by too much emphasis on any one field.This question of balance involves not only the relation of the natural science, the humanities, and the arts but also relative emphases among the natural sciences themselves.
Similarly, we must have a balance between the current and claical knowledge.The attention of the public is continually drawn to new poibilities in scientific fields and the discovery of new knowledge; these should not be allowed to turn our attention away from the sound, established materials that form the basis of courses for beginners.
Science teaching must deal with the knowledge and methods of science; both are neceary.From science courses students should acquire a useful command of science concepts and principles.Science is more than a collection of unrelated facts; to be meaningful and valuable, they must be arranged to show generalized concepts.A student should learn something about the character of scientific knowledge, how it has been developed, and how it is used.He must see that knowledge is subject to development and change and that it is likely to change in meaning and status with time.At school a student needs to increase his knowledge in an organized way, to acquire sufficient vocabulary in science for effective communication, and to learn some facts because they are important in everyday living, such as knowledge that is useful for his health, for his safety, and for an understanding of his surroundings.
Young people need to understand how our society depends upon scientific and technological advancement and to realize that science is a basic part of modern living.The scientific proce and the knowledge produced cannot be considered to be ends in themselves, except for the claical scientist.A student should understand the relation of basic research to applied research, and the connection between technological developments and human affairs.
Science instruction should familiarize students with career poibilities in technical fields and in science teaching.A continuous effort should be made to identify and encourage those who develop special interests.They should be given opportunities for some direct experience of a profeional nature; they should also learn about the extent of the various science fields and how these fields are related to each other.But it is even more important for young people to acquire those skills and abilities that will enable them to take the responsibility for expanding their own learning.
