Running head: AN EVOLVING PERSPECTIVE ON SCIENCE EDUCATION

An evolving perspective on science education

Kyla Tempest
University of Calgary

AN EVOLVING PERSPECTIVE ON SCIENCE EDUCATION

Science offers the boldest metaphysics of the age. It is a thoroughly human construct,
driven by the faith that if we dream, press to discover, explain, and dream again, thereby
plunging repeatedly into new terrain, the world will somehow come clearer and we will
grasp the true strangeness of the universe [emphasis added]. And the strangeness will all
prove to be connected and make sense. (Wilson, 1998, p. 12)

My conceptualization of science education has changed from a focus on learning the

scientific method and the content material to a more holistic approach that not only incorporates
developing an understanding of how science functions but also engages societal issues and
human emotion. While previously I would have presented material through hands-on procedural
activities, I will now strive to give students a chance to follow their curiosity and pursue
questions that are meaningful to them rather than solely providing them with step-by-step
procedures. I will also ensure that I give them a chance to work collaboratively to explore their
questions, and communicate their ideas and findings with each other. Reflecting the reiterative
nature of science within the classroom by giving students the chance to communicate, generate
new ideas, and pursue the questions that stem from their findings will make their pursuits more
authentic and give students ownership over their learning. Furthermore, it is important to present
science as not just a body of knowledge, but a way to investigate the world and make informed
decisions. Developing a scientific literacy that allows all students to engage with societal issues
is particularly important in todays society, which is intertwined with issues influenced by
science and technology, and in many cases the classroom is the only place where students will
actively develop the critical thinking skills and mindset that are involved.

AN EVOLVING PERSPECTIVE ON SCIENCE EDUCATION

A concept that I am coming to appreciate more and more in science education is the
importance of story. Stories, rich with emotion and the twists and turns that make a topic
intriguing, are an essential part of the human experience. Science, like any human endeavour, is
inextricably linked with the conflicts that face its characters. Giving students an opportunity to
view science through a narrative, rather than presenting them with scientific facts that seem
unrelated both to each other and to students experiences makes exploration of topics more
meaningful. As stated by E.O. Wilson in his book Consilience, It is our nature to put all
knowledge into context in order to tell a story, and to recreate the world by this means (1998, p.
56). As science educators, it is important to put the content matter into a meaningful framework
and help to make connections that assist students in developing habits that promote scientific
thinking even when they are not engaged with issues that do not appear to be, on the surface,
scientific topics. Connecting scientific topics to a narrative will assist in encompassing a wider
range of human experience and engage more students in a more meaningful way.

In my previous Field Experience in a grade one and two split classroom, I took a step back
from what I was comfortable with and approached the water cycle from what could be
considered a humanities perspective. We considered the sounds that different kinds of water
make and wrote onomatopoeia poems. I hope that, in making that connection and giving
students a chance to think about their own experiences with water and imagine characteristics of
types of water phenomena that they had not encountered, students engaged with aspects of the
topic that they had not connected with when learning about the water cycle in science class.
Through connecting this scientific concept to their own experiences and considering it from
another perspective, I hope that a broader and deeper understanding was fostered and they could

AN EVOLVING PERSPECTIVE ON SCIENCE EDUCATION

appreciate more deeply the variety of forms of precipitation. Previously I would have likely
considered artistic and scientific approaches to studying water as separate, but now I find that
they go hand in hand; each perspective enhances the other.

The scientific pursuit is often considered dry and destructive of human perception of the
beauty of nature. This idea has been reflected in poetry, such as Walt Whitmans poem When I
Heard the Learned Astronomer (1867) and John Keats poem Lamia (1820), which both depict
the effect these poets perceived scientific study has on beauty: the formerly beautiful stars being
systematically quantified into dull sets of numbers, and a rainbow being unwoven. I would hope
that these sentiments were merely an artefact of Romanticist thought during that time period, a
backlash against Enlightenment thinkers who wished to explain the natural world through
reason, but unfortunately it seems that this sentiment persists in some circles. In recent years, the
wonder of science and its power of explaining the universe has made a resurgence in popular
culture and poets and scientists seem to have made peace, and in fact, have come together. To
honour the UKs National Poetry Day, theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking and poet Sarah
Howe collaborated to create a poem-film about relativity; Hawking stated Physicists and poets
may differ in discipline, but both seek to communicate the beauty of the world around us (New
Scientist, 2016), and Howe echoed this sentiment. However, a fear or dislike of or
indifference to science is not an affectation that has completely disappeared amongst the
general population, particularly those who are unlikely to pursue scientific concepts outside of
the classroom through personal research. I believe that this is an issue that can be remedied by
the teaching of science in a way that is more meaningful to all students and engages a fuller
range of human experience. Cold facts are easy to shy away from, while a way of thinking that

AN EVOLVING PERSPECTIVE ON SCIENCE EDUCATION

enriches ones view of the universe is more compelling. Presenting scientific thinking as
something that adds beauty to the universe will promote a positive impression of the subject,
rather than the avoidance of science or the belief that science is boring that is often seen today.

In many ways, scientific thinking is a way of seeing deeper into our reality and giving us
additional, previously hidden layers to ponder. Science education in the elementary classroom
should reflect this unfolding of nature and provide students with a means by which they are able
to see deeper into phenomena they encounter, or perhaps phenomena they are curious about and
intrigued by. As stated by Harlen, Science seen as the creation of understanding about the
world is more likely to excite learners than when seen as a set of mechanical procedures and
established right answers (2010, p. 12). Science, rather than being an unchanging source of
knowledge, is constantly evolving in response to new ideas and evidence; rather than something
to memorize, it is something to explore and to investigate, and anyone has the potential to make
a contribution to scientific understanding. It is seen as the result of human endeavour,
involving creativity and imagination as well as the careful collection of data and interpretation of
data to generate evidence (Harlen, 2010, pp. 11-12).

A turning point for me in my perception of scientific study was reading the works of the
astronomer and science communicator Carl Sagan. I already enjoyed science but I hadnt made a
strong emotional connection to what science can show us. Science cannot be labelled as a
worldview or a set of beliefs, but provides a framework for human beings to explore the universe
and our place in it. It is a way of thinking that illuminates the shadowed parts of the world that
we cannot see with our naked eye. It is science that allows us to see and wonder at those hidden

AN EVOLVING PERSPECTIVE ON SCIENCE EDUCATION

layers, enriching our understanding of the universe. Humans have a strong desire to find their
place in the cosmos, and while it may seem cold and indifferent to our existence, our
understanding of the universe now shows that everything is connected, through the production of
the atoms that make up our bodies in the hearts of stars, and the biological evolution of life on
Earth. It shows us that we are small and insignificant, but also that we are precious; in our study
of the universe so far, our Earth is the only planet known to harbour life. Our understanding of
what it means to be human is enormously influenced by our understanding of the universe.
Science is the tool that helps us reach this understanding. By engaging the emotional
significance of science in the classroom, the study of science will become immensely more
meaningful to students.

In addition to making science meaningful through emotional engagement, it is also

important to consider the role of science education in promoting a scientific mindset that will
benefit students regardless of whether they continue on to become research scientists. This is
particularly important in an age where we must be able to understand the consequences of where
human beings source their energy and resources, how we interact with nature, and how we make
decisions regarding our health. These decisions can be affected at a governmental level through
making informed decisions in politics, as well as individual levels when we choose what kind of
transportation to use or what food to buy. When a group of experts in science education came
together to identify key components of science education, they stressed the importance of
science for all (Harlen, 2015), a science education that enable[s] understanding of events and
phenomena of relevance to students lives (Harlen, 2015, p. 2), rather than targeting only those
students who have the intention of becoming scientists. I have come to believe that developing

AN EVOLVING PERSPECTIVE ON SCIENCE EDUCATION

this scientific mindset and an understanding of the scientific method is more important to foster
within children than the knowledge of various scientific topics.

I am writing this on Carl Sagans birthday, which, incidentally, is also the morning after
we found out that the 45th president of the United States of America would be Donald Trump.
Sagan stressed the importance of scientific understandings, particularly with respect to the
environment and nuclear disarmament, topics that were crucial in the last years of his life. In an
interview with Psychology Today, he stated, The dangers of not thinking clearly are much
greater now than ever before. Its not that theres something new in our way of thinking, its that
credulous and confused thinking can be much more lethal in ways it was never before (1996).
There have been concerns about the president-elects perspective on science and his
understanding of scientific evidence; he has repeated the myth that vaccines cause autism and
claims that climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese government, and his
administration will mean politics that are based on short-term economic interests rather than
science (Kravets, 2016). The fact that someone with such beliefs is able to gain a place in the
Oval Office is reflective of the level of either indifference to or ignorance of science in the USA.
As Canadians we cannot deny that this kind of thinking is not also present within our nation;
Stephen Harpers conservative government removed the post of national science advisor and was
generally infamous for its disregard for science (Science in retreat, 2008). While scientific
perspectives have been promised a place in Trudeaus new government (Bhambra, 2016), this
perspective on science is still evident. Neil deGrasse Tyson has stated that You have not fully
expressed your power as a voter until you have a scientific literacy in topics that matter for
political issues (Moyers and Company, 2015, 7:50). Giving students guidance in developing

AN EVOLVING PERSPECTIVE ON SCIENCE EDUCATION

this scientific literacy will empower them to make informed decisions about issues that affect
their futures. This is a role of science education that I have come to understand over the past two
years, and have seen examples of in the elementary school classroom, especially in terms of
environmentalism and the choices we can make every day that promote our personal health and
that of our global ecosystem.

In additional to the critical thinking skills that are crucial to making informed decisions, a
scientific mindset also promotes the ability to embrace ambiguity and fosters the development of
a growth mindset. A growth mindset is advantageous in all aspects of life, promoting the
perspective that we can develop skills and talents with practice and effort, rather than the belief
that intelligence and skill are fixed traits. Through this perspective, failure or mistakes are not
reflective of an individuals self-worth but rather a learning opportunity. A perspective that
encourages being comfortable with ambiguity, rather than a dependence on the existence of
objective right and wrong answers, gives students the skills to operate in a society in which these
answers do not exist. Instead, students develop the skills required to make what they consider
the best decision based on a variety of factors. This will also involve considering the social and
economic aspects of a decision, and just as real science does not exist in isolation, I hope to tie in
other disciplines within the classroom in order to reflect the work that scientists and policy
makers do in a more realistic way.

Rather than providing the class with step-by-step procedures and instructing them to
observe results, I realize now that allowing students to create their own questions based on their
curiosity, and providing them with the guidance to explore these questions is crucial. Prior to

AN EVOLVING PERSPECTIVE ON SCIENCE EDUCATION

exploring approaches for teaching elementary science in the education program, I would have
struggled how to incorporate real scientific inquiry within the classroom and perhaps thought it
not feasible to do so, relying instead upon procedural activities such as the ones that I have
grown up with. Alberta Educations Elementary Science Program of Study states that, By
engaging in the search for answers, solutions and decisions, students have a purpose for learning
and an opportunity to develop concepts and skills within a meaningful context (1996, p. 2). In
addition to the search for answers, solutions, and decisions, I would like to incorporate the search
for questions, in which students identify which issues are meaningful to them and important to
society. This will make their investigations more meaningful and place scientific inquiry into
context within their own lives. Such authenticity is crucial when approaching topics through
inquiry (Galileo Educational Network, 2016).

Authenticity is also important when considering the communication of students findings

through inquiry. Communication allows the teacher and the students to reflect on the
procedures followed, share their conclusions, claims, and supportive evidence, and allow others
to critique the findings and offer counterclaims, if appropriate (Llewellyn, 2014, p. 167).
Insights about both the topic and the process of inquiry can be shared and recommendations
regarding potential changes can be made. It also provides an opportunity for students to build on
the inquiries of their peers and consider questions that arose, creating a path for future inquiry.
Having an authentic audience also increases student engagement and motivation to create a
quality product. Keeping this in mind, I will ensure that inquiry in the classroom is not
conducted by students in isolation but rather in an environment where collaboration and sharing
is encouraged. When creating our Sky Science unit plan, my group and I emphasized this aspect

AN EVOLVING PERSPECTIVE ON SCIENCE EDUCATION

of inquiry through the use of group blog posts as well as a showcase and presentation that
centred around the communication of each groups ideas. I intend to continue this focus in
future unit plans and lessons.

As I move forward as an educator, I will endeavour to make science relevant to all my

students, and to help them develop the skills and attitudes they require to make responsible
choices in todays society, as well as the society of the future. Science is not an objective,
unchanging body of knowledge but rather an understanding of the universe that is in constant
flux. Our application of science must respond to societal and economic factors, while also being
critical in our analysis of such issues. Many students will have the impetus and means to develop
scientific literacy outside the classroom, but for many students the majority of this development
will take place with the guidance of their teacher. Educators must be aware that science is not
just something that must be understood by students who wish to become scientists, but
something that is necessary for all members of todays society.

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AN EVOLVING PERSPECTIVE ON SCIENCE EDUCATION

References

Alberta Education. (1996). Program of Study: Science (Elementary). Retrieved from

https://education.alberta.ca/media/159711/elemsci.pdf

Firth, N.. (2016, January 20). Verse in the universe: The scientific power of poetry. New
Scientist. Retrieved from https://www.newscientist.com/article/2073697-verse-in-theuniverse-the-scientific-power-of-poetry/

Harlen, W.. (2010). The big ideas of science. Retrieved from

http://cmaste.ualberta.ca/en/Outreach/~/media/cmaste/Documents/Outreach/IANASInt
erAmericasInquiry/PrinciplesBigIdeasInSciEd.pdf

Keats, J., (1820). Lamia. Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2490/2490-h/2490h.htm

Kravets, D.. (2016, November 9). What the Trump win means for tech, science, and beyond.
Ars Technica. Retrieved from http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/11/what-thetrump-win-means-for-tech-science-and-beyond/

Llewellyn, D.J. (2014). Inquire within: Implementing inquiry- and argument-based science
standards in grades 3-8. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin: A Sage Company.

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AN EVOLVING PERSPECTIVE ON SCIENCE EDUCATION

Moyers and Company. (2015, January 1). Neil deGrasse Tyson on why science literacy matters.
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhAgeLipr00

Science in retreat. (2008, February 21). Nature. Retrieved from

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v451/n7181/full/451866a.html

Whitman, W.. (1867). When I heard the learned astronomer. Retrieved from
https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/when-i-heard-learned-astronomer

Wilson, E. O.. (1998). Consilience: The unity of knowledge. New York: Knopf.
Psychology Today. (1996). Carl Sagan. Retrieved from
https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/199601/carl-sagan

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