The science curriculum's potential for developing students' scientific literacy offers the ideal opportunity for addressing global concerns such as the 'post-truth' epidemic. In this article, we review the Year 10 "Australian Curriculum: Science" for its capacity to help students become producers and consumers of knowledge. We adopt a…

Science curriculum and pedagogy offer ideal avenues for teaching young people the critical thinking skills they need to live in a post-truth world. Drawing on the theory of epistemic cognition, we present a selection of research-based pedagogies that have been shown to be effective in developing school students' understanding of knowledge and how…

We suggest that two interpretations of time -- linear time and cyclical time -- that complement each other when planning lessons, can be used in both Western and Indigenous science. The idea of time in the Australian Curriculum: Science is examined and seen to be primarily associated with the Western science tradition, so it is suggested that the…

The issue of Indigenous engagement, participation and success in the sciences is a concern both in Australia and in Canada. The authors of this paper have taught Indigenous students in tertiary enabling programs, undergraduate science and science education. Their experiences bridging Indigenous and Western cultures in science and science education…

The article discusses the link between a curriculum based on academic subjects derived from disciplinary knowledge and a progressive pedagogy that endeavours to engage students from all backgrounds with it. Section 1 describes the realist theory of knowledge which justifies the argument for this accommodation between curriculum and pedagogy.…

This study assessed the quality of preservice primary teachers' written arguments in an open inquiry laboratory task. An analysis of the features of the laboratory task was also undertaken to ascertain the characteristics of the task that facilitated or constrained the development of participants' written arguments. Australian preservice primary…

This study is an investigation of the epistemological beliefs and study habits of students undertaking first-year courses in Biological Chemistry and Biochemistry. In particular, we were interested in the relationship between students' epistemological beliefs about learning and knowledge, approaches to learning, and achievement. The study adopted…

Introduces a new curriculum framework that was developed and mandated for implementation in Western Australia. Documents the process by which a mandated set of core shared values were incorporated into a statement describing the science curriculum. Provides a re-analysis of some school science issues. (Contains 24 references.) (Author/YDS)

The paper identifies possible factors associated with changes in style and presentation of diagrams of lunar phases and eclipses in school textbooks and other resources. Science curriculum resource materials used extensively during the past two hundred and fifty years in North America and Australia provide insights into teaching and learning of…

Science education is not exempt from the general criticism that research has had little effect on classroom practice. Argues that teachers do not reject research about practice, they ignore it. Contains 46 references. (DDR)

The calls for the transformation of how science is taught (and what is taught) are numerous and show no sign of abating. Common amongst these calls is the need to shift from the traditional teaching and learning towards a model that represents the social constructivist epistemology. These calls have coincided with the Internet revolution. Through…

Discusses students' perceptions of using writing as a component of their science learning. Results, collected over four years, are organized to include students' perceptions of writing in science, learning, ownership, purpose, and science. These results are then discussed in terms of students' developing metacognition and epistemologies of…