Towards a critical professionalism in university science and mathematics education

Abstract

Descartes is often referred to as the first modern philosopher, as he introduced a new way of looking at knowledge and nature. This new way is initiated by a universal doubt that allows Descartes to question what has been presented as knowledge, regardless of what authority has claimed it to establish fundamental truths. Modernity can also be related to scientific and industrial developments by paying special attention to the fact that the so-called Scientific Revolution was followed by an Industrial Revolution. Naturally, there are no direct causal links between the two revolutions as many elements, including non-scientific ones, contributed to the Industrial Revolution. But it is still important to observe that Modernity relates to scientific and technological development, which introduces new forms of production. Modernity is characterized by certain political developments including the advancement of democratic ideas. As part of the French Revolution, ideas of freedom, equality and fraternity entered the scene and signified a new political outlook. This revolution composes part of the modern era, regardless of the fact that a political barbarism was soon to follow this revolution providing the first raw material for Madame Trousseau's production of masks of famous heads. The great discoveries made an initial step into the modern area, and Modernity marched along with colonization of the so-called New World. Slavery and racism accompanied the exploration of modern principles of governing and the emerging democratic outlook. This brings highly critical elements into the glossy self-portrait of Modernity. An ultimate destruction of the rosy picture is found in the Holocaust and Modernity, where Bauman (1989) portrays the Holocaust as a possible aspect of modern rationality, and not as a simple pathological event in the flow of history. Finally, one could claim that modernity has come to an end, and there is no lack of suggestions for what to call the epoch we are entering, or about to enter: postmodernity, late modernity, liquid modernity, risk society, reflexive modernity, information society, informational society, network society, hyper-complex society, knowledge society, learning society, Modus-2 society. When we take a look at science and mathematics education, in particular as they are organized in a majority of universities and higher educational institutions all over the world, it appears to many (including me) that this education is to a great extent still framed according to the outlook of Modernity. As a consequence, an important challenge facing science and mathematics education is to consider what it could mean to move beyond the assumptions of Modernity. © 2009 Springer US.