Science education

Informal science education is the science teaching and learning that occurs outside of the formal school curriculum in places such as museums, the media and community-based programs. The National Science Teachers Association has created a position statement[7] on Informal Science Education to define and encourage science learning in many contexts and throughout the lifespan. Research in informal science education is funded in the United States by the National Science Foundation^[3]. The Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE)[8] provides resources for the informal science education community.

Examples of informal science education include science centers and science museums, many of which are members of the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC)[9]. The Exploratorium in San Francisco and The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia are the oldest of this type of museum in the United States. Media include TV programs such as NOVA, Newton's Apple, The Magic School Bus, Dragonfly TV and Dora the Explorer. Examples of community-based programs are 4-H Animals Science programs, Hands On Science Outreach, NASA and Afterschool Programs[10] and Girls at the Center.

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United Kingdom

In England and Wales schools science is generally taught as a single subject science until age 14-16 then splits into subject-specific A levels (physics, chemistry and biology). However, the government has since expressed its desire that those pupils who achieve well at the age of 14 should be offered the opportunity to study the three separate sciences from September 2008.^[4] In Scotland the subjects split into chemistry, physics and biology at the age of 13-15 for Standard Grades in these subjects.

In September 2006 a new Science programme of study known as 21st Century Science was introduced as a GCSE option in UK schools, designed to "give all 14 to 16 year olds a worthwhile and inspiring experience of science"^[5].

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References

^ Bibby, Cyril 1959. T.H. Huxley: scientist, humanist and educator. Watts, London.
^ www.nd.edu/rbarger/www7/neacom10.html
^ National Science Foundation funding for informal science education http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5361
^ Kim Catcheside (2008). 'Poor lacking' choice of sciences. BBC News website. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved on 2008-02-22.
^ Welcome to Twenty First Century Science

Layton, D. (1981). The schooling of science in England, 1854-1939. In R. MacLeod & P.Collins (Eds.), The parliament of science (pp.188-210). Northwood, England: Science Reviews.
Del Giorno, B.J. (1969). The impact of chaning scientific knowledge on science education in th United States since 1850. Science Education, 53, 191-195.
Hurd, P.D. (1991). Closing the educational gaps between science, technology, and society. Theory into Practice, 30, 251-259.
Jenkins, E. (1985). History of science education. In T. Husen & T.N. Postlethwaite (Eds.) International encyclopedia of education (pp. 4453-4456). Oxford: Pergamon Press.
Aikenhead, G.S. (1994). What is STS teaching? In J. Solomon & G. Aikenhead (Eds.), STS education: International perspectives on reform (pp.74-59). New York: Teachers College Press.
Dumitru, P. & Joyce, A. (2007) Public-private partnerships for maths, science and technology education. Proceedings of Discovery Days conference.
European Schoolnet (2007) National and European Initiatives to promote science education in Europe. Insight portal.