The Purpose of Science Education and the Australian Curriculum Frameworks

The purpose of Science Education is not static; it changes over time in response to shifting societal needs and values.
Two primary competing views regarding the purpose of science education have existed over recent decades:
- Science for Future Citizens: Focused on scientific literacy for the general population.
- Science for Future Scientists: Focused on the development of specialized STEM professionals.
Historically, there has been a tension between providing enough knowledge for individuals to move through society effectively versus preparing a specialized workforce for global economic competition.

Leoni Rennie (2006): A Professor of Science Education (formerly at Curtin University, Western Australia), Rennie published a significant article in the journal Teaching Science regarding scientific literacy.
Definition of Scientific Literacy: The pursuit of a "scientifically literate citizenry." This ensures that all members of society possess sufficient scientific knowledge to operate effectively and critically in activities where science contributes to their personal well-being.
Goal: To enable all Australian citizens to make informed decisions about themselves and the environments in which they live.
Five Characteristics: Rennie identifies five distinct characteristics of a scientifically literate person (as detailed in her 2006 framework).

The Drive for STEM: Over the last two decades, particularly during the tenure of Australia’s Chief Scientist Ian Chubb, there has been a significant push toward Science Education for future scientists.
Political Rhetoric: This shift was influenced by political discourses around innovation, digital technologies, and technological change.
Economic Rationale: The argument suggests that nations must innovate to remain economically competitive on a global scale.
Impact on Schooling: This push has filtered down into early years and primary schooling, emphasizing content and skills to prepare students for post-compulsory science education in Years $11$ and $12$ , and eventually university-level training for STEM industries.
The Uncertain Future: The current dominant narrative views STEM subjects as the primary tool for dealing with an uncertain future, which the speaker notes can sometimes marginalize other disciplines like the humanities.

The purposes of school science shape and are shaped by both the intended and enacted curriculum:
- Intended Curriculum: The curriculum as it is written; the official "black and white" document or text provided by educational authorities.
- Enacted Curriculum: What actually occurs within the science classroom during the teaching and learning process.
The Teacher's Role: The teacher is the mediator between the intended and enacted curriculum. Educators interpret the document based on their own beliefs, values, and worldviews.
Eisner’s "Curriculum as Technology": Educational theorist Eisner describes a view of curriculum where learning is treated as a technical undertaking and a means to an end.
- Ends and Objectives: The curriculum focuses on specific, measurable learning objectives.
- The Efficient Machine: Eisner suggests this model evokes the image of a classroom as an "efficient and effective machine."
- Juxtaposition: This technical view often stands in contrast to the Australian Curriculum’s stated rationale, which uses descriptive words like "joy," "discovery," and "nurturing natural curiosity."

The Australian curriculum for Science from Prep to Year $6$ is organized into three interrelated strands:

Focuses on knowledge and conceptual understanding established by scientists over time. It is divided into four sub-strands:

Focuses on the nature of science and how it is used. It is divided into two sub-strands:

Nature and Development of Science: Explores how scientific knowledge is developed and the epistemological underpinnings of scientific practices. It addresses whether knowledge is static and certain or evolving based on new evidence.
Use and Influence of Science: Highlights how scientific knowledge informs decisions regarding health, the environment, and socio-scientific issues like climate change or global pandemics.

Focuses on "ways of working" or scientific practices that mirror real-world scientific processes. It is divided into five sub-strands:

The three strands are not meant to be taught in isolation; they are taught in an integrated manner.
Teachers should facilitate science inquiries (Inquiry Skills) to build conceptual understanding (Science Understanding).
Throughout this process, teachers prompt students to reflect on the nature of their activities (Science as a Human Endeavor) so they appreciate how scientific knowledge is produced.

Document Title: Belonging, Being and Becoming.
Scope: Supports children from birth to age $5$ and assists in the transition to primary school.
Five Learning Outcomes:
1. Identity
2. Connectedness
3. Well-being
4. Confident and Involved Learners
5. Communication
Scientific Links:
- Outcome 4: Focuses on sub-outcomes like curiosity, creativity, experimenting, investigation, and problem-solving.
- Outcome 5: Relates to communicating and representing information, which is a core scientific practice.

This is a Queensland-specific interpretation of the EYLF, updated in the previous year.
It is generally more prescriptive than previous versions.
Five Learning and Development Areas:
- Identity
- Connectedness
- Well-being
- Active Learning
- Communicating
Phases of Learning: The document tracks progress through three phases, the first of which is the "emerging" phase.