School policy in science education: Promoting a more humanistic approach to the teaching and learning of science

Abstract

The premise of this volume is that the next generation of Americans—dubbed Generation R (for Responsibility)—will face personal, environmental, and social challenges different from any we have faced before. Citizens of responsibility will be more attuned to personal health, environmental sustainability, and community building through collaborative action, and the science education they receive will be holistic, integrated, and attuned to the relationship between humans and the physical world. Measures of school effectiveness will need to capture this holistic spirit. Finally, schools must start now to get ready for this next generation of learners. In this chapter I review the extent to which past and current policies in science education are preparing us for this transformation to an integrated, holistic, and humanistic approach to science education and the creation of indicators of school achievement to match that focus.