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TITLE: Science and Mathematics Education in a New Social and Economic Context

Introduction: Science and mathematics have always been important areas of study both for students in elementary and secondary schools and for those in post-secondary institutions. However, as the 21st century draws closer, Canadians along with other citizens of the world, have a greater need than ever before of high quality science and mathematics. The rapidly changing context of education -- including the economic, social, technological and political dimensions -- require that much more attention be paid to science and mathematics than has traditionally been the case. These changing contexts dictate new goals, new content, new methods of teaching, and new ways of assessing progress in school and university science and mathematics. Overall, a new approach to learning is required.

Description: Increasing global economic competition requires that countries (such as Canada) that depend on trade for their prosperity and standard of living, look more and more to high quality education in science and technology to spur industrial innovation. Thus, high achievement in math and science and the development of the skills and attitudes associated with creativity and innovation are critical. Yet, the curricula in science and mathematics and the methods of teaching used in schools are changing very slowly. In 1984 the Science Council of Canada presented a report entitled "Science for Every Student: Educating Canadians for Tomorrow's World." Since that time, some progress has been made but international comparisons remind us that much more is needed. Measuring progress in math and science is becoming an increasing priority in Canada.

Technology continues to dominate our work and personal lives, yet few in school learn to become technologically literate and the numbers of those entering engineering are at a plateau. The Science Council's 1984 Report opened with an endorsement of a statement in the 1972 Faure Commission Report, Learning to Be:

An understanding of technology is vital in the modern world and must be a part of everyone's basic education.

The Council went on to comment: "There was international consensus on this point 12 years ago; yet little has happened, at least in North America." This is still true today. As the skills required for tomorrow's industry become more complex, preparing young people for the jobs of the future becomes more challenging. Cooperative education, in which this task is shared between schools and industry is becoming a popular option in Canadian school systems as are other forms of partnership between schools and industry.

Socially, Canada has changed rapidly in the past twenty years and is facing the challenges of a multicultural society. Yet participation in science, technology and mathematics fails to reflect these changes. A growing though still too small a number of women and members of visible minority groups including aboriginal people enter the science and engineering professions, thus creating a distorted and inequitable balance in our society. Teaching and assessment methods must change to take into account the rich variety of life experiences and conceptual backgrounds of all Canadians if full participation in these fields is to be achieved.

Progress is being made, however. Provincial education systems are beginning to conduct systematic assessments of students' progress in math and science.

Demands for greater political participation and the growing democratization of our social institutions has increased the need for all citizens to be literate in math, science, and technology. This has yet to be matched by appropriate senior levels of courses taken by all students through their high school years. New ways of understanding science and mathematics, set in real world contexts, must become standard for all students throughout their education and methods of assessment must reflect this need. Otherwise, as the Science Council pointed out, "if we, as a society, fail to understand the interaction of science, technology and society, we surrender control of the most potent forces shaping our world to a technocratic elite."

Science and mathematics are important because they make up an important dimension of 20th century life and culture, and a person who claims to be "liberally" or "humanistically" educated, must also be literate in math and science. This dimension of science education must not be forgotten in our need to remain competitive economically.

Conclusion: In the past decade, Canadians have become increasingly concerned with their system of public schooling. Canadian results in international tests have been discouraging. School systems have only reluctantly accepted the need for increased accountability and the pace of curricular and pedagogical innovation has been painfully slow. A recent national report has called for a "strong learning culture" that focuses on results, makes learning continuous, innovates to strengthen the systems and involves all Canadians (Inventing Our Future). Another has stressed the need for a more comprehensive system that integrates school, work and training more closely (A Lot to Learn). Yet our educational institutions are designed to meet the goals of the past. As a recent analysis of Canadian schools puts it: "Canadian education is under stress...its external environment is changing faster than its internal workings can adapt" (Overdue Assignment).

Clearly, major structural and institutional changes are on the horizon for Canada's schools as they prepare for the 21st century. Mathematics and science are cornerstones of the society we live in today and an education system created in the 19th century will no longer do. Education in mathematics, science and technology for the 21st century must aim at both excellence and equity. It must fully integrate with the "real world" in which we live, and it must be lifelong in its scope.

Bibliography:

A Lot to Learn: Education and Training in Canada, statement by the Economic Council of Canada, Ottawa, 1992.

Inventing Our Future: An Action Plan for Canada's Prosperity, Steering Group on Prosperity, Ottawa, 1992.

Learning Mathematics and Learning Science, International Assessment of Education Progress, Princeton, NJ, 1992.

Overdue Assignment: Taking Responsibility for Canada's Schools, by Jennifer Lewington and Graham Orpwood, John Wiley & Sons, Toronto, 1993.

School Achievement Indicators Program, Report on Mathematics Assessment, Council of Ministers of Education, Canada, Toronto 1993.

Science for Every Student: Educating Canadians for Tomorrow's World, Report 36 of the Science Council of Canada, Ottawa 1984.

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The Working Group thanks Graham Orpwood (York University) for his collaboration in preparing this "Brief".

This "Brief" is one of a series of six. The others are: The Participation of Girls and Young Women in Science and Mathematics Education; The Education of Science and Mathematics Teachers; Measuring Success in Science and Mathematics Education; Information and Communication Technologies in Science and Mathematics Education; Partnerships to Strengthen Science and Mathematics Education. The views expressed in this "Brief" do not necessarily represent those of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, but rather reflect those of the Commission's Sub-Commission on Natural Sciences and its Working Group.