Issues In Upper Secondary Science Education

This book provides a comparative look at key issues that characterize and contextualize upper secondary science education in sixteen countries in Oceania, South America, Asia, Europe, North America, Africa, and the Middle East, incluing links with elementary and early science, final assessment, and the secondary/tertiary education interface.

Secondary education is the final stage of compulsory education, preceded by primary education and followed by higher education. It is characterised by transition from the typically compulsory, comprehensive primary education for minors to the optional, selective tertiary, 'post-secondary', or 'higher' education (e.g., university, vocational school) for adults. Depending on the system, schools for this period or a part of it may be called secondary schools, high schools, gymnasiums, lyceums, middle schools, colleges, vocational schools and preparatory schools, and the exact meaning of any of these varies between the systems. The exact boundary between primary and secondary education varies from country to country and even within them, but is generally around the fifth to the tenth year of education. Secondary education occurs mainly during the teenage years. In the United States and Canada primary and secondary education together are sometimes referred to as K-12 education. The purpose of secondary education can be to give common knowledge, to prepare for either higher education or vocational education, or to train directly for a profession. This new book presents the latest research in the field.

Contents: Science Education for Contemporary Society: Problems, Issues and Dilemmas, Current Trends and Main Concerns as Regards Science Curriculum Development and Implementation in Selected States in Asia, Current Trends and Main Concerns as Regards Science Curriculum Development and Implementation in Selected States in Europe, New Approaches in Science and Technology Education, The Challenges to be Faced in Order to Progress Towards a Greater Coherence and Relevance of Science and Technology Education.

Science education has changed radically in recent years, both as a result of debates within the subject and because of curriculum legislation. Jerry Wellington discusses the major issues in science education today - such questions as the balance of content and process in the curriculum, the role of practical work and the nature of science as a subject - and uses this discussion to support a very practical resource for teachers in training and their mentors. The book covers every aspect of science teaching, including: Planning Differentiation and special needs Assessment Practical work Problem solving and investigations IT in science Handling sensitive issues, e.g. sex education Building on children's prior learning Throughout, Wellington's guidance is accompanied by suggestions for discussion, activities for individual and group use and annotated lists of further reaing aimed at helping the reader to build up a personal approach to the teaching of the subject. Students will also be helped by the glossaries of specialist terminology at the end of each chapter and by the references to National Curriculum attainment targets at every point in the book.

The decline in the quality of American public school instruction, particularly in science and mathematics, is a well-documented subject of concern for our nation. This book examines the educational systems in Japan, the People's Republic of China, East and West Germany, and the Soviet Union, countries that have developed particularly innovative app

This book offers a meso-level description of demographics, science education, and science teacher education. Representing all 13 Canadian jurisdictions, the book provides local insights that serve as the basis for exploring the Canadian system as a whole and function as a common starting point from which to identify causal relationships that may be associated with Canada’s successes. The book highlights commonalities, consistencies, and distinctions across the provinces and territories in a thematic analysis of the 13 jurisdiction-specific chapters. Although the analysis indicates a network of policy and practice issues warranting further consideration, the diverse nature of Canadian science education makes simple identification of causal relationships elusive. Canada has a reputation for strong science achievement. However, there is currently limited literature on science education in Canada at the general level or in specific areas such as Canadian science curriculum or science teacher education. This book fills that gap by presenting a thorough description of science education at the provincial/territorial level, as well as a more holistic description of pressing issues for Canadian science education.

Various topics of discussion are scope of science education, current trends in science education, science education development, teaching and learning, skills in science education, opportunities and constraints etc. A very informative book on the subject.

This broad-based volume highlights dozens of situations and challenges associated with middle school and secondary school science teaching, along with the suggestions of experts for improving practice and stimulating creative thinking in a scientific vein. After an introduction to the case-based pedagogy, ten chapters present three to four cases each, all of which relate to a central theme. The final chapter delineates a methodology for creating engaging, instructional cases from one's personal teaching experience. Through a study of the cases, future and practicing science teachers can glean an understanding of prevailing instructional practices and convincing, research-based arguments with which to challenge current traditional approaches. For future and in-service science teachers at middle and secondary schools.