Science is a systematic body of knowledge arrived at through careful experiment and observation of the natural world. Nevertheless, in the media and in many people’s thinking, there is often confusion about what science is and how it works, and science is sometimes misrepresented as being either static and infallible or simply irrelevant.  It is none of these. Scientific theories represent great leaps in our ability to understand and manipulate our world, but they always leave room for revision and progress provided this occurs through proper scientific practice.  In addition, the terrific pace at which scientific knowledge advances nowadays means that a working understanding of some core scientific concepts and processes is indispensable.

Above all, science is a practice, so the best way of learning is through doing. In school, students should have the opportunity to encounter scientific knowledge through the practice of experiments and theories, rather than as lists of dry facts. Furthermore, in modern science, experiments depend on technological tools and theories depend on rigorous mathematics. Consequently, a successful science education means a well-rounded SMT education.  

• What is science?
• How should we teach science?
• What does good science education look like?
• How has the nature of science come up in other districts?
• How can I get my board talking about this?

 
What is science?

• Joan Abdallah, of AAAS’s department of Education and Human Resources explains what science is and why it’s important. [VIDEO]
• An in-depth discussion of the nature of science in Chapter 1 of AAAS’s Science for All Americans.

How should we teach science?

• An online guide to science education resources for K-12 educators
• A top journal covering all aspects of science education.
• Education Secretary Arne Duncan spoke at the 2009 annual meeting of the National School Boards Association on March 20th. He promised a "new era" of science education in the United States that keeps research from "being held hostage to a political agenda." 
  What does good science education look like?
• Standards from AAAS’s Benchmarks of Science Literacy covering science, mathematics, and technology. 
• Overview of the National Science Education Standards from the National Research Council.

How has the nature of science come up in school districts?

• A district in Indiana responds to a student campaign to include creation science in the biology curriculum by focusing on the nature of science. 

How can I get my board and comunity talking about this?

• PowerPoint slides with talking points to initiate a conversation about the nature of science.  Choose "save" to access talking points.