IBSE Final

Epilogue Science Teachers as 21st-Century leaders

tHE tEACHING OF SCIENCE: 21 st-CENTURY PERSPECTIVES 171

I made the case that the instructional core—curriculum instruction, assess-

ment, and professional development—is where our time, money, and effort

should be focused. Improvements in the instructional core will, in both the

short- and long-terms, bring the greatest advances toward scientific literacy

for all students. Among the crucial aspects of the instructional core, one has to

include the understanding of scientific inquiry by classroom teachers and their

subsequent efforts to help students develop the cognitive abilities and concep-

tual understandings aligned with this aspect of science education.

I see the continued need for professional development. Relative to this

theme, I note that it should be integrated with other meaningful activities, such

as curriculum reform.

Within each of the five themes, one can easily identify other challenges

that educational leaders must confront. Such is the reality of reform in science

education. Each leader has his or her individual and unique circumstances,

whether in the science classroom, superintendent’s office, board of education

or public agencies, and private organizations at the state and national levels.

Regardless of the unique situations, we are all part of a larger science educa-

tion system that strives toward a goal of attaining higher levels of scientific

literacy for all of our students.

I made the case that the instructional core—curriculum instruction, assess-