News & Views item - May 2010

 

 

Concern Over Primary and Secondary Education in Mathematics, Science, Engineering, and Technology. (May 28, 2010)

It's a familiar sounding phrase voiced time and again in Australian STEM circles but this is in fact the lead into Science's May 28, 2010 editorial written by Alan I. Leshner Chief Executive Officer of AAAS, Shirley Malcom, Director of AAAS Education and Human Resources Programs and Jo Ellen Roseman, Director of AAAS Project 2061, decrying the state of STEM education in the United States: "Great concern has been voiced for at least 30 years about the sad state of U.S. primary and secondary education in mathematics, science, engineering, and technology, but little real progress has been made."

 

The editorial goes on to stress that since 1980 two issues have been noted as paramount: "[A] need for much better-prepared math and science teachers and for a clear statement of learning goals for science that are the same across the United States."

 

Leshner, et al. then sound a note of optimism that efforts toward reaching "common, internationally benchmarked, state-approved standards." are now entrain. "In March 2010, the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CSSO) released a draft of Common Core State Standards for English-language arts and for mathematics. This was followed in April by a call for state assessment systems based on those common standards." They note in particular that this was a call from the states themselves rather than an attempt of imposition from the federal government but in any case it bears a distinct resemblance to Australia's Labor government's effort to achieve a national curriculum; or to quote Minister for Education, Julia Gillard: "If I’d said we were going to get the curriculum work done, get agreement to it, national curriculum, 30 years of trying, people would have raised the other eyebrow."

 

However, Dr Leshner and Co. now come to the second aspect of the problem: "But science education has been left out of this public agenda for standards development... The Carnegie Corporation of New York has funded the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to develop a framework for such standards, and then, through work with the educational non-profit organization Achieve, the standards themselves. The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) will play a supporting role in both efforts."

 

 

And that leaves a third and more difficult hurdle to jump: "State and local education leaders need to hear now from the scientific community about the need for a common and coherent set of science education standards... [and scientists] must also participate in the standards development process [with the] first broad call for their contribution [coming] from NAS and expected this summer, when comments will be sought on a draft framework."

 

And finally the most difficult of all: "But we can only capture this opportunity if the scientific community steps up as a vocal, energetic advocate for common standards, while also becoming an active partner in the development and implementation processes." [our emphasis].

 

That "development and implementation process" necessitates the elevation of primary and secondary maths and science teaching to levels significantly above those presently available, and in Australia that will certainly require significant effort and resources being made available to the tertiary sector as well. Unfortunately, despite Labor's self-congratulatory posturing, the Liberal-National's antipathy, and the Green's utter disinterest, that would seem to be the land of too Far, Far Away.