Abstract

VIEIRA, Nuno. Scientific Literacy and Science Education: two goals for the same lesson. Rev. Lusófona de Educação [online]. 2007, n.10, pp.97-108. ISSN 1645-7250.

This article presents an historical perspective of sciences teaching, from the ends of the 19^th century till nowadays. We consider that the years of 1950 and 1983 represent important changes in this domain. In 1950, teaching sciences didn’t intend to form citizens with a critical position related to science and citizenry but started to privilege the scientific contents and to give emphasis to the scientific method. 1983 was the year that the relation between science and society raised again, including the technology. Currently, it is intended to create informed citizens, capable of participating in scientific debates, considering them noteworthy to their everyday life. In the second part of this article we propose goals for the future of the sciences teaching. The importance of international tests and classifications must be minimized. These lead to a deterioration of the education system. Political decisions are made to improve the classification, the essential pillars for the construction of a scientific literate society are destroyed, and each local singularity isn’t considered. Therefore, the goals of pupils or teachers are not regarded and the innovation and the school activities creativity are inhibited.

Keywords : Natureza da ciência; literacia científica; currículos científicos.

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