IBSE Final

Epilogue Science Teachers as 21st-Century leaders

tHE tEACHING OF SCIENCE: 21 st-CENTURY PERSPECTIVES 165

education K–12, and they cooperate in achieving that purpose, they develop a

sense of community and collegiality.

Empowering people results in their greater enjoyment of their work. This is

a fourth dimension. Outdated theories of motivation and leadership suggested

that only rewards and punishments of individuals could achieve desired results.

Contemporary theories of motivation and leadership recognize that individuals

have higher needs, and those include such motivations as needing to know

and understand, engaging in meaningful work, and developing a personal and

professional efficacy.

My theme of responsibility suggests a final dimension of empowerment. A

critical aspect of empowerment is assuming the responsibilities for achieving

the tasks. Science teachers must realize that empowerment and responsibility

are two sides of the same coin. So, with empowerment, teachers have the respon-

sibility to attain higher levels of student achievement. Science teachers also have

to accept the consequence that with their relying on how-to activities, refusing

to understand the larger education system, and resisting information because

it is not relevant to their “real world,” they relinquish power and avoid their

responsibility for improving science education.

Leadership Requires a Vision and a Plan

One of the consistent requirements of education leadership is that leaders have

both a vision and a plan. The point here is that teachers have both a vision and

a plan. Many individuals have ideas for a better science education, but when

asked about implementing their ideas they lack short-term tactics or long-term

strategies. On the other hand, one no doubt has encountered individuals who

have suggestions about how to manage things, but the individual has no goals

or objectives, except better management. Leadership requires both a vision

and strategies.

Vision

Leaders with vision may, for example, have a long-term perspective, see large

systemic issues, present future scenarios, or discern fundamental problems and

present possible solutions. As leaders, teachers do not spend time and energy

assigning blame for problems. Depending on their situations, leaders have

diverse ways of clarifying a vision. Some may do so in speeches, others in articles,

and still others in policies. One leader’s vision may unify a group, organization,

or community; another’s vision may set priorities or resolve conflicts among

constituencies. A leader’s vision likely will have many sources and result from

extensive review and careful thought. This is especially true in today’s complex

education system.

Leadership in science education extends from science teachers to the secre-

tary of education and the president. It does not reside with only a few people in