China Education Daily-China Education News Network News (Reporter Lin Huanxin) This year's National People's Congress and the National People's Congress, the Democratic Progressive Party submitted a proposal on doing a good job in the addition of youth science education.
The proposal points out that at present, there are still several problems in the practice of science education in primary and secondary schools in China. First, the orientation of talent selection is not conducive to the development of science education. Many teachers still take exam-taking as their main goal, and the expectations of young people in China for science-related careers are generally low. According to the results of the 2020 national compulsory education quality monitoring, there are only 03% of eighth-graders expect to become scientific and technical personnel and assistant professionals. The frequency of high school students' participation in science and technology activities was significantly lower than that of primary and junior high schools, while the number of subject competitions that were conducive to further education was significantly increased.
Second, there is a lack of courses to cultivate higher-order thinking, the implementation of experimental courses is not in place, and there are few opportunities for students to practice hands-on, and the phenomenon of "doing experiments on the blackboard" is relatively common. In actual teaching, there are few courses to cultivate students' higher-order thinking such as scientific reasoning, and there is a lack of ways to support students' scientific practice.
Third, under the background of the "double reduction" policy, the contradiction between students' higher enthusiasm for participating in science and technology activities in schools and less science and technology after-school services is prominent. At present, many students are willing to participate in more scientific activities such as science and technology practice activities and science and technology competitions in school. However, the 2023 "Science Literacy Survey Project for Primary and Secondary School Students" found that more than 60% of primary and secondary school students have not participated in or only participated in one science after-school service in the country, and even as high as 75% in some areas, which exposes the serious shortage of high-quality science education services.
To this end, the DPP ** suggests:
The first is to establish a coordinated promotion mechanism for science education to ensure the long-term effect of normalcy. Science education plays a key role in the cultivation of innovative talents and the construction of a strong country, and it is necessary to continuously deepen our understanding and establish a work pattern of overall consideration and coordinated promotion of education, science and technology, and talents. Financial investment and project planning should be tilted towards science education in primary and secondary schools, so as to provide a guarantee for the addition of science education in the "double reduction" of education. Strengthen the guiding role of science education and research, give play to the professional role of scientists, and comprehensively improve the quality and effectiveness of the compilation and use of science teaching materials. Establish and improve a system for monitoring the quality of science education and evaluating the development of schools with scientific and technological characteristics that conform to the laws of young people's physical and mental development, and give full play to the guiding role of scientific evaluation.
Second, it is necessary to strengthen safeguards and give full play to the role of primary and secondary schools as the main front of science education. Guide schools to increase investment in science education resources such as laboratories, and provide financial guarantees for students to go out of campus to carry out science education practice. Strengthen the design of first-class and experiential courses, explore the establishment of scientific experimentalist positions in schools where conditions permit, improve the implementation rate of scientific experiments, and gradually eliminate the phenomenon of "teaching experiments" and "memorizing experiments". Set up special projects, organize high-level teams to carry out the research and development and promotion of high-level science courses in science education experimental areas and experimental schools, and strengthen the cultivation of scientific thinking. Strengthen the construction of schools with scientific characteristics and play an exemplary role. Select and strengthen full-time science teachers, improve the staffing standards of science teachers, improve the professional quality of science teachers in rural schools, and meet the needs of education and teaching.
The third is to fully mobilize the power of social resources and unleash the vitality of science education in the social classroom. Vigorously promote universities and scientific research institutes to open laboratories and other scientific and technological resources to primary and secondary schools, set up summer and winter camps, and train science teachers through joint teaching and research, joint training, and the integration of science and education. Strengthen the construction of the museum-school integration mechanism between schools and science and technology museums, encourage science and technology museums to develop science courses for primary and secondary school students, and develop scientific activities in which students are deeply involved. Strengthen the digitalization of science and education resources, and promote the sharing and commonality of digital teaching materials and other resources. Standardize the development of science and technology extracurricular training institutions to meet the individual needs of schools and students. Make good use of the new **, create high-quality science education theme programs, and vigorously promote the spirit of science. Increase the positive publicity of scientific and technological innovation practice activities, and create a good working environment and atmosphere.
Author: Lin Huanxin.