Literature Review in Science Education and the Role of ICT: Promise, Problems and Future Directions

01 January 2003

Today, what ‘counts’ as science and science teaching is in a state of flux. This, however, is not new – for 150 years there have been debates about the purpose, nature and role of science education in our society. Any designer of resources and tools for the teaching of science therefore needs to be able to understand these debates, and to be aware of the origins and reasons for the changes that are currently taking place.

This review is intended as a useful component in raising that awareness. It is a guide to the history, principles, debates and practices of science teaching in the 21st century and an introduction to the roles that digital technologies, as key new resources for scientific endeavour and communication today, might play in the changing practices of science teaching in our schools.