Russell Tytler writes in The Conversation (2.12.16) about how Australia’s performance in science education continues to slide due to ineffective, traditional teaching practices and an outdated curriculum. The author suggests necessary changes to arrest this slide.
‘The latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) results has predictably triggered a round of national soul-searching as the realisation dawns that in both mathematics and science we are increasingly falling behind countries traditionally regarded as our inferiors.
‘While we can question whether such tests should be the sole arbiter of the worth of our education system, they contain important measures of our students’ capabilities on agreed educational benchmarks.
‘We have far fewer students performing at high reasoning levels, and far more students not reaching minimum science literacy standards (a serious question of equity), than the top performing countries.
‘Australia’s performance in science continues to slide due to ineffective, traditional teaching practices and an outdated curriculum, which is leading to students becoming disengaged with the subject.’
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