Brief history of science education I Beginnings of Modern Science Ed. (1900-1930) II Progressive Education (1930-1950) III Golden Age (1950-1977) IV Back to Basics (1975-1983) V A Nation at Risk (1980s) VI Science for All (1996 to today)

Inquiry teaching methods …traced back to mid 19th century college science instruction. Ben Sillman – visual aids Louis Agassiz – object lessons Asa Gray – botany as a related system

Inquiry teaching methods Summarize your earliest memories of inquiry teaching methods What does it mean to “teach science by inquiry?” Describe teaching of this sort that we might find in your school.

I The Beginnings of Modern Science Education (1900-1930) Original U.S. Science Curriculum, 1899 Elementary School (K-8) Nature Study (2 lessons per week) High School (9-12, 4 lessons per week) Grade 9: Physical Geography Grade 10: Biology (botany & zoology) Grade 11: Physics Grade 12: Chemistry

I The Beginnings of Modern Science Education (1900-1930) Nature study --child-centered approach --interdisciplinary study of plants, animals & ecology --dominant to 1910, faded by 1930s Elementary Science Movement – continuous K-8 program that added physical science

Secondary School Science around 1920: One semester courses in many different subjects (astronomy, botany, geology, physiology, zoolog Grade 9-12 science curriculum of year-long courses in general science, biology, chemistry and physics

II Progressive Education (1930-1950) 1932 A Program for Science Teaching published NSSE emphasized organization of sciences courses around general principles involve students in observing, hypothesizing, and experimenting

II Progressive Education (1930-1950) 1938 Science in General Education published by PEA, cited 4 aims of science teaching John Dewey appeal to educators regarding progressivism’s congruence with democratic ideals of the U.S.

II Golden Age of Science Education (1950-1977) Cold War anxiety in the U.S. Federal intervention in science education Curriculum development Teacher training

II Golden Age of Science Education (1950-1977) NSF responds with Summer Institutes Personnel shortages in science & engineering High school science courses inadequate Science teacher training & better methods Textbooks outmoded

II Golden Age of Science Education (1950-1977) A shot that had reverberating effects on U.S. science and mathematics education like no other event in the 20th century.

II Golden Age of Science Education (1950-1977) High School Junior High Elementary PSSC 1956 CPB 1957 ESCP 1962 SCIS 1961 BSCS 1958 ISCS 1965 SAPA 1963 ChemStudy ’59 IPS 1965 ESS 1963 Proj Physics ’62 ECCP 1965 ISIS 1972

IV Textbook Controversies & Back to Basics, (1975-1983) Man: A Course of Studies April 1975 Congress terminated funds for this and other curriculum projects 1980s NSF role in science education was limited to college faculty improvement

IV Textbook Controversies & Back to Basics, (1975-1983) 1960s BSCS in Texas & Rev. Lemmons Henry Morris and Creation Science 1972 CA Board of Education approved statement proposing neutrality in science textbooks. Texts dealing with evolution would include a printed statement Science cannot answer all questions about origins Evolution is a theory, not a fact

V A Nation at Risk (1980s) National Commission on Excellence cries U.S. is being taken over as the leader in science, technology, commerce, industry and innovation by Japan…due to the rising tide of mediocrity in our schools. Five New Basics

VI Science for All (1996 to today) Four developments of the 1990s: Scientific Literacy Movement National Science Education Standards Constructivist view of Learning Emergence of the Internet