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ature of Science Approach to ScienceTeaching and LearningLee Yew Jin and Yeoh Oon ChyeMuch has been said in the local media about making a living in thenew economy. It has been perceived that one way of keeping acompetitive edge in the emerging knowledge-based global economywould be in the development of human potential - effected in the localeducational system by the Thinking Programme. This is not a newchallenge for Singapore as its leaders have long tried to promoteentrepreneurship and develop human talent to offset a lack of land, askilled workforce and financial capital (in the initial years of nationhoodat least). With the onset of the third millennium however, the stakesare even higher and more challenging. Hence the consistent emphasison the need to develop the human potential in Singapore.The Thinking Programme (TP) that has been introduced in theschools by the Ministry of Education aims to foster critical and creativethinking; to acknowledge and give due recognition that having the'facts' alone is insufficient, and that being able to evaluate the evidenceis crucial as well. It is an explicit aim of the curriculum now in place inSingapore schools to devote more time to appreciating contextual issuesin the subject matter. Pupils are encouraged to delve deeper, probe andask hard questions in contrast to a previous situation whereby thecompletion of the prescribed syllabus was paramount and thus left littletime for such matters. Such teaching and learning environments cando nothing but assist the growth of general literacy and democraticliving in a technologically-oriented society.Our policy makers have recognized that science plays, and willcontinue to play a critical role in the development of the economy ofSingapore. The challenge is how best to develop the ability to bridgewhat students learn in school science with the needs of the market placefor the products of science (without neglecting the spirit and processof science). To do so, both teachers and students must acquire anddevelop a clear conception of what is science and its implications forscience teaching and learning.
Teaching & Learning 22: 1 July 2001+Described asOf instrumental worthGaining scientific or technicalknowledgePractical results, skills & factsFor the good of society first andthen the individualMore short term goal'Knowing Science'+ Described asOf intrinsic worthThinking critically & creativelyabout natural worldScientific ways of knowingFor the good of the individualfirst and then societyMore long term goal'Knowing about Science'Figure 1. A model of Science and Scientific literacy based onMaienschein (1998).Figure 1 clarifies the active interplay between Science Literacy andScientific Literacy. Clearly, there is a 'knowing' component (the facts,concepts, principles and structure) which is the predominant mode ofscience content knowledge encountered in schools and a 'knowingabout' science which is often only implicit in the intended curriculum.We feel that the TP is thus a timely correction towards the nurturing ofscientific literacy or 'knowing about science', though at no time doesthe curriculum neglect teaching and learning for science literacy or'knowing science' (see Maienschein, 1998). However, in the pursuit ofscientific literacy, critical thinking is a necessary but not sufficientcondition, for its development. We maintain that what is advocated andtaught in the local TP is both timely and desirable, particularly whenstudents learn to develop the logical, intellectual processing skills incritical and creative thinking. Yet, these by themselves do not necessarilyfocus on the process of knowledge construction or generation that islinked to the processes of concept learning and conceptual change(Yeoh, Lim & Jackson, 1998).
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