Emerging Trends And Challenges In Science Education

Abstract

Science education has been recording dismal academic achievement, skills and attitudinal outcomes in Nigeria. The students, right from the basic education to the tertiary level lack 21st century skills of critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, citizenship, self-regulation, time management, knowledge construction, problem solving, digital literacy skills and many other positive skills expedients for proper employability and entrepreneurship. The conventional, didactic, non-heuristic instructional strategy adopted in teaching science education in the country is already dated at the face of Covid-19 and post-Covid-19 pandemic. The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA, 2012, 2020) of America recommended the Next Generation Science Standard (NGSS) as the trending path to science education productivity through technology integration and reflective thinking. Cybernetics, constructivism and behaviorism theories buttressed the integrating of technology and reflective thinking in science education. Empirical findings equally justify teaching science technologically and with reflective thinking. There are challenges to technological integration in science education, the FUD factors (Fear, Uncertainties and Doubts) about the use of technology in science education, Inadequate ICTs policies and programmes, insufficient technological infrastructures, low ICTs skills and knowledge, poor attitudes to change (status quo sustenance), poor finance, poor management cum maintenance culture, and many other impinging challenges to effective technological integration in basic science education. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in ICTs infrastructural development in schools, adequate funding, training and re-training of science education teachers will allay major constraints to effective utilization of technology in basic science education for enhanced productivity.