Time to Advocate for Science: Is Canadian Education Missing the Point?

Over the past decade of travels in and out of schools, board offices, and educational stakeholder offices, I’ve noticed a rather subtle, but disturbing, trend in the view many folks have about science education. Educational decision makers, leaders and stakeholders don’t really have the time or budget support to support the growth and development of science teachers.

Some may see this as an inflammatory statement, so lets reframe the statement into a more “educational context” that is more palatable. A common phrase heard throughout Canada – and the Western world – is that our kids can’t read, they can’t write, and they have difficulties with math. These statements are often worthless diatribes by people either looking to get elected for a particular office or by those who want money for their organization or foundation. If our kids couldn’t read or write, employers and parents would be raising the alarm and educators would have detected this problem a long time ago. Of course there are learning issues in every educational setting, but most can be explained on an individual basis. This fact alone is an amazing testament to the excellence of our teachers. So, lets just stop with the rhetoric. Accept that kids learn at different rates, but they do learn to read, write and complete their math.

Presently, this idea - that kids do learn the basics in school - has gone unheeded. In fact, just the opposite is happening in educational policy. The focus on literacy and numeracy continues. More workshops, more speeches, and more specialized programs with targeted funding all focused on literacy and math continue to grow. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing and many good learning opportunities occur, it’s unnecessary and distracting to the system. The literacy-numeracy distraction means focus (and thus policy initiatives – which leads to funding) on other areas in education is being diverted. While not purposeful, the inaction by our educational leaders is having significant consequences on the teaching of other subjects and especially to the teaching of science.

Some may say that a reduced focus on teaching science really isn’t a huge issue in a child's educational career. After all, the core compentacy of reading, writing and numeracy are far more important. Unfortunately this mindset is somewhat limiting as it misses a key aspect of a child’s future. Every student will eventually need to apply those literacy and numeracy skills in a variety of life situations, from reading the label on the back of a medicine bottle to calculating the proper dosage to voting on a future referendum on placing wind turbines to generate green energy in their community. A context for applying these skills is required. The context for many of these situations is based on understanding the world around them, and this is the context of science. Or put another way, the teaching and learning of science is the application of reading, writing and numeracy skills.

When leaders and decision makers in education realize that the key to innovation is the application of literacy and numeracy skills in the context of science, then science education will be back in focus for the educational system. The realization of this issue will not happen in isolation. It will happen when science educators and science education stakeholders become advocates for science education. It must start from within our professional self and expand to the science education community as whole.

To me, the professional self is any action taken personally to raise the profile of science and the teaching of science. For example, I present a science related topic at a conference, or I go into one of my son’s classrooms to teach a science concept for a day, or I talk to my neighbour about what I do and why it’s important. But, it cannot end there and unfortunately right now, when we need advocacy the most, this is what is happening. We, as a collective of science educators and supporters of science education, need to go farther.

I have been known to rant about this issue of lack of support in science education and even do the occasional workshop on the subject. Now is the time to acknowledge the need for a greater emphasis on advocating for issues related to science education. I plan to stop ranting and start writing about issues as I see them, and in the spirit of any project I’ve worked on, provide some suggestions for solutions to these issues.

This blog is my first suggestion to providing a platform for like minds to advocate for a greater emphasis on science and the teaching of science in our K to 12 school system.



Lionel Sandner is a science teacher, science author, and all-round science education advocate. You can hear Lionel talk more about science at this year's BC Science Institute.