The Many Lives of Scientific Literacy
By John L. Rudolph
To face the challenges of the future, educators should focus on teaching concepts and practices rather than on memorization of facts.
This Article From Issue
July-August 2024
Volume 112, Number 4
Page 206
Science education today revolves around the idea of scientific literacy—the base-level knowledge about science that nonscientists require to effectively get on in the world. This concept has served as a central goal for curriculum developers, local school boards, business and community leaders, and policymakers ever since its introduction nearly 80 years ago. But despite its enduring cultural presence, there has rarely been complete agreement about what the concept means in practice in American science classrooms.
QUICK TAKE
- Science education today is based on the concept of scientific literacy—the base-level knowledge that nonscientists should have to effectively get on in the world.
- The definition of scientific literacy has evolved over the years, but the term was originally coined to promote public support for scientific research.
- Returning to that original vision of scientific literacy will require refocusing curricula on what science is and how it works rather than rote memorization for standardized tests.
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