European Identity - Individual, Group and Society - HumanitarianNet

21.Multicultural and Non-Racist Science Education. NewApproaches and Strategies for the Learning of Sciencein a Multicultural SettingBerta Marco StiefelScience Education“Castroverde” Foundation, SpainSome preliminary reflectionsResearch on Science Education is highlighting the importance ofconsidering citizenship education as an approach of scientificcurricula 1 . This implies taking into account the different peoples,languages, races, identities, etc. that shape Western societies. Scienceitself refers to culture, but, which culture are we referring to?The migratory movement is completely transforming the Europeansetting: the faces we meet, the music we hear, the poverty we seearound us, the fights of so many people to settle in our own country insearch of better living conditions: prosperity, education, health, work...We are starting to be multicultural. In only a few years, Spain hasbecome a sort of paradise or holy land for many people who wereformerly unknown to us.At the beginning of the 2002 school year, 67.000 new immigrantchildren were schooled in Madrid, 10.000 more than the previousyear 2 . How should we face this reality? The whole school system isaffected. Nowadays, a new educational reform has been implementedin our country based on “quality” of education. How can we reach1Membiela, P. (2001). Enseñanza de las Ciencias desde la perspectiva Ciencia-Tecnología-Sociedad. Formación científica para la ciudadanía. Editorial Narcea, Madrid.On scientific literacy, volume 2, number 1, of the Canadian Journal of Science,Mathematics & Tecnology Education, January 2002.2ABC Madrid. “El curso empieza con 67.000 alumnos inmigrantes”. p. 45.