Who’s teaching science in Australia’s schools?
[ UniNews Vol. 14, No. 10
13 - 27 June 2005 ]
By Kerri-Lee Harris
Why we should be concerned about science education in our schools and universities
Alarm bells are ringing on a looming crisis in science education. A recent flurry of newspaper articles report a shortage of skilled science teachers in secondary schools, a deficiency set to worsen due to the age of existing teachers. Graduates with strong backgrounds in the ‘enabling’ sciences of chemistry and physics are not choosing teaching as a career. What is happening, and should we be concerned?
The recent media interest in science teaching was sparked by the April release of the Australian Council of Deans of Science report Who’s Teaching Science? (pictured right), prepared by the Centre for the Study of Higher Education. In the following article, principal author of the report Dr Kerri-Lee Harris describes the problem and discusses the role of universities in meeting this challenge.
Who’s Teaching Science? provides the first clear evidence of the serious shortage of suitably qualified chemistry and physics teachers in Australian secondary schools. As the ‘baby-boomers’ retire, this shortage is set to worsen. Schools are likely to find it difficult to replace the large number of retiring teachers with appropriately qualified people – recent trends show that new teachers are typically biologists, with limited backgrounds in chemistry and physics. The current shortage of teaching expertise in the physical sciences is but a taste of things to come unless action is taken.
We should all be concerned by the CSHE’s findings. Science helps us to understand the world we live in, to respond to challenge, and to monitor and manage change. We therefore need to ensure that scientific curiosity and awareness are nurtured and supported by the Australian secondary education system.
As a society, we continue to be intrigued by science. Paradoxically, although many recent studies and news items report a decline in the appeal of science as an area of study, popular television programs such as CSI and Mythbusters suggest a strong community interest in science-related tales. Both programs adopt a quasi-scientific method: observation, then informed hypothesis, followed by experiment or test. Both assume that the audience is interested in science technology. Both assume that the audience is interested in the biology, chemistry or physics of the ‘case’, as illustrated by the frequent use of computer-generated graphics showing the effect of a passing bullet or poison on the human body (CSI) and the production of realistic, physical models (Mythbusters) – science teachers must envy access to such ‘teaching aids’! Clearly both programs have broad, popular appeal.
Popular TV programs such as CSI probably have particular appeal for a science-literate audience. The frequent use of scientific jargon rewards those viewers who have some knowledge of science, as they know the language. The most scientifically knowledgeable viewers can critique the program, at will, in a game of ‘spot the mistake’.
School experiences significantly influence – for better or worse – students’ engagement with science. Students are typically enthusiastic when given opportunities to discover ‘how things work’. In many schools, Year 9 students and younger are offered opportunities to experience science in action, whether through special short courses during school holidays, or via visiting activities and programs. But unless students are similarly enthused by their regular science classes, such initiatives are limited in what they can achieve. If students believe science classes are ‘boring’ they are unlikely to opt for science study in senior school and beyond.
Choosing to study science becomes complicated in senior school by the streaming of science into discrete disciplines and by considerations of university access. Science in Years 11 and 12 is divided into distinct subjects –the ‘traditional’ such as Physics, and the more interdisciplinary approaches such as Environmental Science. Potentially, this provides an opportunity for students to focus on subjects of particular personal interest to them.
However, the subjects many students choose to study in Years 11 and 12 reflect a strategy toward university access rather than a specific area of interest. For example, many students who go on to study medicine or other biological sciences at university do not study Biology at school because Chemistry, Physics and advanced mathematics are more attractive options for capable students seeking to maximise ENTER scores.
So how do we engage students in the study of science for its own sake, beyond choices around ENTER scores and prerequisite subjects? Exposure to the process of ‘doing science’ may be the key. Ask a science graduate why they chose science or a particular science discipline and very often the answer will be “I had this great science teacher at school, and we did real experiments” or “In first year physics I remember my demonstrator explaining her PhD project to me, and how she was doing real research”. Research-led teaching, in its broadest sense, is a powerful motivator.
However, not all school science teachers have the science background necessary to teach science this way. Imagine trying to convey the relevance and excitement of chemistry if you have barely studied the subject yourself. Yet this is the case for nearly half the nation’s teachers of Year 9/10 science. Perhaps even more alarming are the shortages of suitably qualified teachers for senior science subjects. One school reported a fruitless, five-year search for a physics teacher and two out of five of the nation’s senior Physics teachers lack a major in the discipline.
Teachers themselves recognise their limitations and are calling for assistance. One teacher said his science minor was a ‘joke’ and that he taught science on the basis of what he could recall from his own school days.
Universities and secondary school science education
The shortage of suitably qualified science teachers in our schools is worrying. The Australian Council of Deans of Science argues that governments and education authorities need to take action – now. So what might universities do to help?
Universities already play an important role in teacher training and in supporting practising science teachers in schools. It is timely to consider how these efforts might be strengthened. As part of the CSHE study we asked teachers across the country for their suggestions, and found these aligned closely with the recommendations of the 2003 DEST review of science teaching, Australia’s Teachers: Australia’s Future.
Need for linkages
There is a call for greater linkages between Education and Science faculties in universities with the aim of encouraging people with a recognised interest in science to follow a teaching career. Many science-trained school teachers report they were largely unaware of teaching as a career option during their undergraduate years. They recommend that Science students at university be encouraged to include teacher education subjects in their undergraduate course.
Such linkages can be forged in a variety of ways. One option is to ensure there is sufficient flexibility in existing Science degrees to accommodate the subjects necessary for teacher accreditation. A second option is to create specific, combined Science/Education degrees. The University of Melbourne’s new combined Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Teaching degree is an example, integrating subjects offered by the Science and Education Faculties so that students graduate with both the knowledge and skills necessary to teach well and a Science major.
But making such pathways possible is not sufficient. Universities also need to ensure that students are aware of their options, and that students see teaching as a positive career choice – not a last resort should ‘all else fail’. Specific information sessions can help, particularly if they target students in the early years of their degree. Melbourne’s Faculty of Science offers a second semester session called Pathways to Teaching that seeks to do just that. Another strategy is to create opportunities for current students to hear from past students about their post-university experiences. Such meetings can be used to highlight the overall utility and versatility of a Science degree, as well as to showcase teaching success stories.
Support for teachers
The second major role that universities play in school science teaching is through supporting practising school teachers. This support takes a variety of forms, from programs that directly assist senior schools students in their preparation for final examinations, to ‘in-service’ seminars and workshops designed specifically for science teachers.
Schools and universities collaborate extensively with regard to the school science curriculum – university academics are involved in preparing and moderating final-year assessment; are frequently keynote speakers at senior school curriculum conferences and meetings; and conduct special short courses for Year 11 and 12 students. But beyond senior school exam preparation, what role is there for universities in engaging students in learning science?
As ‘doing science’ is a key to engaging students in science, and as universities are where so much science is carried out, the university-school alliance is a logical and exciting area of opportunity. Indeed many universities, including the University of Melbourne, are already involved in bringing the experience of research to school students. Some programs are seminar-based while others are experiential and involve university staff and students providing hands-on science programs for school students. This year, named the Einstein International Year of Physics, Melbourne will celebrate with a full day physics forum specifically designed for secondary school science students.
School teachers across the country want to stay in touch with current research in their chosen disciplines. They point to this as key in providing their teaching with the essential currency and relevance necessary to engage students. They also identify this as a necessity if the teaching profession is to attract well-qualified scientists into the future. As one teacher argued, why would a person who loves physics take a job where the opportunities to stay in touch with the cutting edge of their discipline are limited by both shortage of time and opportunity?
To this end, universities organise professional development opportunities for practising teachers and offer public seminar programs that provide an opportunity for teachers and others to hear about current research. Teachers seeking greater involvement in research are also calling for time-release for postgraduate research, and job-sharing across the secondary and tertiary sectors.
Peer tutoring
Finally, peer-tutoring programs are a form of university-school partnership that at once:
•raises ‘teaching’ awareness among university science students;
•supports existing secondary school science teachers; and
•exposes secondary school students to the possibilities of tertiary science study.
Several universities, including the University of Melbourne, offer programs that link university science students to school science classes – supporting both the school students and their teachers. The In2science program is a joint initiative by the University of Melbourne and La Trobe University and is based on the long-running STAR peer tutoring program (Murdoch University). University students (peer-tutors) spend some time each week working with teenagers in secondary schools. These peer-tutors offer academic support, but are not responsible for the teaching.
Positive experiences as a peer-tutor can encourage science graduates to pursue a career in teaching. As one enthusiastic science teacher said, she became a teacher three years ago as a direct result of time spent in school classrooms while enrolled in her Science degree. Teachers report that as host to a peer-tutor they are able to develop and run new and creative practical activities. The peer-tutor provides more than an extra pair of hands – they are also a source of ideas and current knowledge, particularly if they are involved in research projects as part of their university studies. Peer-tutors also stimulate school students’ interest in, and enthusiasm for, science. Peer-tutors are the most potent of role models, as they too are students, not teachers.
Universities and their science students
Beyond preparing science-trained graduates for school teaching, universities have multiple other responsibilities with respect to their science students. Having played a role in attracting school students to study science, universities must then prepare science graduates for careers in research, academia, industry and other forms of employment and enterprise. How might universities improve their support for science students?
Universities and university departments might consider doing more to cooperate with, rather than compete for, students. Most current funding models foster competition between university departments teaching science subjects. Departments, understandably, strive to convince students to study their later year subjects and seek to attract the ‘brightest’ into their honours programs. Yet such subject combinations may not always suit the interests of individual students, nor the disciplinary field itself.
Universities might do more to make explicit the broader value of training in science. If a Science graduate or an employer of Science graduates is asked about what a Science degree offers, chances are such phrases as ‘the ability to think critically’, ‘the ability to tackle novel problems in a logical way’, and ‘the ability to communicate ideas’ will emerge. These are highly valued and transferable skills. It is therefore no surprise that many Science graduates gain access to careers in non-science areas. But do science students always hear this message? Or does the desire to train researchers too heavily influence the signals given to students about career choice and options?
Science and society – why science education matters
The role of the science ‘elite’
More than ever before, Australia needs a scientific ‘elite’. Many of the advances we make as a society and the decisions made by governments rely upon knowledge generated by the scientific research community.
Most people recognise the value of medical research. Australia’s achievements in this field are widely recognised – the role of the CSL in vaccine development in the 1940-50s; the 1980s breakthroughs in heart transplant techniques; the success and international adoption of the Bionic Ear through the 1980-90s. It might be argued that this forms the basis of the broader community’s view of science.
There is also growing public awareness of how non-medical, scientific research informs Government policy. On a single day last month the front page of The Australian newspaper carried two stories that typify this connection. The first was based upon ecological and environmental research – Victoria’s environment minister John Thwaites cited “conclusive and unanimous” scientific evidence for the decision to ban cattle from Victoria’s Alpine National Park. The second article reported advice to government from a high profile CSIRO researcher. Citing evidence for the high volume of water used to produce rice in Australia, changes in farming practice were advocated.
The role of community science knowledge
Australia will also benefit from a science-literate community. Individual opinions and attitudes influence not only personal choices, but also societal norms. Governments receive advice from the scientific community, but they also look to broader community sentiment when making decisions. Ideally, therefore, public opinions and attitudes should be informed ones. As many of the questions that we face as a society relate to the physical or life sciences, we benefit from widespread, shared scientific knowledge.
In a science-literate community, people are able to ask sensible questions of themselves and of one another with regard to the underlying scientific issues. A science-literate community encourages a logical and evidence-based approach to problem solving. The current debate surrounding stem cell research illustrates the importance of knowledge when it comes to forming personal opinions. The science surrounding stem cell research is complex, and the issue is made more so by the associated religious, ethical and social dimensions. People who are science-poor are likely to be disadvantaged in the debate.
Dr Kerri-Lee Harris (right) joined the Centre for the Study of Higher Education in 2004. Her background is in science, and she holds a PhD in Developmental Neurobiology.
Her article is based, in part, on the study commissioned by the Australian Council of Deans of Science, and reported in Who’s Teaching Science? Meeting the demand for qualified science teachers in Australian secondary schools. 2005. Kerri-Lee Harris, Felicity Jensz and Gabrielle Baldwin.
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