Last year the NZ Council for Education Research published Inspired by Science (Bull et al. 2010) – a discussion paper intended to promote debate about the future of science education in this country. I found it an interesting paper, although I also thought that it didn’t really address some issues (funding, for example, or the fact that secondary schools these days have to do much more than simply prepare students for university study).
Now we have the next step along this path: the launch of Looking ahead: science education for the twenty-first century via an interactive broadcast on Tuesday 5 April (4-6pm). This report’s been developed by the Prime Minister’s Science Advisory Committee, along with the Royal Society & the Ministry of Science & Innovation. (You can read more, plus register for the launch, here.)
I’ve registered for the event already – when the details of where the event’s being ‘held’ (or at least, where to come to watch it) are available I’ll add them here. I’ll be particularly interested in hearing about how future strategies will mesh with the current, new, curiculum & upcoming changes in assessment standards; how teachers will be supported in delivering any new initiatives – and also, for pointers on how to swing societal attitudes to science around, something that changes in the classroom alone probably won’t do.
And of course, I’ll blog about it after the event – maybe even try ‘live-blogging’, provided I can a) type fast enough & b) manage to pay attention to what’s being said at the same time that I’m writing about it!
A.Bull, J.Gilbert, H.Barwick, R.Hipkins & R.Baker (2010) Inspired by science: a paper commissioned by the Royal Society and the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor. New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER), August 2010