Science for All Americans [Paperback]

F. James Rutherford (Author), Andrew Ahlgren (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 14, 1991 | ISBN-10: 0195067711 | ISBN-13: 978-0195067712 | Edition: 2

In order to compete in the modern world, any society today must rank education in science, mathematics, and technology as one of its highest priorities. It's a sad but true fact, however, that most Americans are not scientifically literate. International studies of educational performance reveal that U.S. students consistently rank near the bottom in science and mathematics. The latest study of the National Assessment of Educational Progress has found that despite some small gains recently, the average performance of seventeen-year-olds in 1986 remained substantially lower than it had been in 1969. As the world approaches the twenty-first century, American schools--when it comes to the advancement of scientific knowledge--seem to be stuck in the Victorian age.
In Science for All Americans, F. James Rutherford and Andrew Ahlgren brilliantly tackle this devastating problem. Based on Project 2061, a scientific literacy initiative sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, this wide-ranging, important volume explores what constitutes scientific literacy in a modern society; the knowledge, skills, and attitudes all students should acquire from their total school experience from kindergarten through high school; and what steps this country must take to begin reforming its system of education in science, mathematics, and technology.
Science for All Americans describes the scientifically literate person as one who knows that science, mathematics, and technology are interdependent enterprises with strengths and limitations; who understands key concepts and principles of science; who recognizes both the diversity and unity of the natural world; and who uses scientific knowledge and scientific ways of thinking for personal and social purposes. Its recommendations for educational reform downplay traditional subject categories and instead highlight the connections between them. It also emphasizes ideas and thinking skills over the memorization of specialized vocabulary. For instance, basic scientific literacy means knowing that the chief function of living cells is assembling protein molecules according to the instructions coded in DNA molecules, but does not mean necessarily knowing the terms "ribosome" or "deoxyribonucleic acid."
Science, mathematics, and technology will be at the center of the radical changes in the nature of human existence that will occur during the next life span; therefore, preparing today's children for tomorrow's world must entail a solid education in these areas. Science for All Americans will help pave the way for the necessary reforms in America's schools.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This text should be read by all pre-service and in service teachers, no matter what their major discipline. The content is relevant, readable, and addresses the issues that must be included in our science programs at all levels. If only current science texts were as succinct I am certain students would want to consider science and science-related courses."--Norman E. Dee, Lesley College

"The content of the text follows the title beautifully."--James M. Migaki, Washington State University

"Very good source for promoting thinking about the present and future of science in American society."--Duane Inman, Ph.D., Northwestern State University

"Excellent overview of issues for graduate students."--Dr. Catherine Commins, Louisiana State University

"An outline for comprehensive reform of science education that is based on a sound conceptual base." --Gerald Skoog, Texas Tech University

"Very readable."--Leo R. Finkenbinder, Southern Nazarene University

"Provides the type of background information needed by non-science majors who wish to teach. The principles and concepts discussed in this book form the information both parents and teachers should have. I would recommend this resource to beginning teachers, parents, older individuals who change careers to enter teaching, and others."--Marjorie W. Lee, Howard University

"Very clearly written....It provides an understandable rationale for scientific literacy but also provides clear, identifiable standards for teaching." --Reene Alley, College of Education, University of Akron

"An excellent presentation of basic science that should be required reading for all candidates for a teaching credential. It is clear, concise, and readable. Congratulations."--Walter F. Marshall, Point Loma Nazarene College

"A comprehensive report on how to reform the U.S. education system to provide students with adequate training in science, mathematics and technology. The authors focus on Project 2061, an initiative sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science to increase children's scientific literacy and prepare them for the world that will exist when Halley's Comet returns in 2061. Includes recommendations about what future generations should know in these areas as well as specific reform suggestions."--Science News

About the Author

F. James Rutherford is Chief Education Officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and Director of Project 2061: Education for a Changing Future. He is the co-editor (with Margrete S. Klein) of Science Education in Global Perspective.
Andrew Ahlgren, on leave as Professor of Education at the University of Minnesota, is presently Associate Director of Project 2061. He is the co-author (with Dr. Franz Halberg) of the forthcoming Cycles of Nature: An Introduction to Biological Rhythms.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 2 edition (February 14, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195067711
• ISBN-13: 978-0195067712
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #320,202 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent summary of science for nonscientists, April 29, 2000

By 

David Dathe (Milwaukee, WI) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Science for All Americans (Paperback)

"Science for All Americans" will appeal to two audiences: people who want to know something about science and science teachers. Written under the guidance of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the text describes what the average citizen or student needs to know to be reasonably scientifically literate. Science literacy is not knowing pages of facts, theories or equations. The book's organization helps define the basic components of science literacy. Chapters 1-3 describe what science is about. This includes defining the activity called science, introducing the language of science--mathematics, and the tools of science--technology. Chapters 4-9 present the fundamental base of scientific knowledge. The topics include: physical science (the universe, forces, motion), biological science (heridity, the cell, evolution), humans (the human organism, human society, technology), and mathematics. The information presented in these chapters is extremely well written in both a nontechnical and nonthreatening manner. If you've feared science or have forgotten all the science you have ever learned, you will still be able to enjoy and remember a surprising amount of the material presented. Chapter 10 summarizes the most fundamental discoveries of science. Finally, chapters 11-12 delve into the mind of a scientist. What patterns do we see in the world? And what type of mental habits should a scientist exhibit? The final 3 chapters of the book are on science teaching and reforming science education and so are of interest primarily to science teachers. The book achieves its aim of both defining science literacy and making the reader scientifically literate. In fact, the book does so well that I use it as the primary textbook in my college science class as part of the liberal arts education for nonscience majors. Speaking as a college instructor who spends most of my time teaching science to nonscientists, I emphasize again the organization, structure and writing of this book. Not only will you learn much from this book, you will develop a basis on which to increase your science literacy in the future. Science and technology are advancing rapidly--too rapidly for any one person to stay current in even one discipline. Yet citizens must make choices. This book will aid you in making informed choices when dealing with science and technology issues. As I try to explain to my students, it is not wrong to be feel discomfort at not knowing everything--no one does. The real error is to remain where you are now in your science literacy and not grow. This book will help you grow.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but there are better..., January 1, 2010

By 

K. Sanders "Loves Teaching" (United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Science for All Americans (Paperback)

This is a good overview of what Project 2061 is all about, but I think there are better resources. "Science for All Americans" is a bit dry. I would recommend "Science Matters" for a more interesting overview of what Americans should know about science.

8 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The beginning book in Science reform for literacy., June 2, 2000

By 

K. L Sadler "Dr. Karen L. Sadler" (Freedom, Pa. USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Science for All Americans (Paperback)

We have now entered a second time of deep concern for the science, math, and technological education for everyone. The first one occurred after the Sputnik fiasco, when the Russians beat us in the race to reach space. The concern now has risen due to what science groups such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and educators saw in comparison of assessments made of students in the U.S. and those in other developed countries, such as Japan. The answer to this concern was for the AAAS along with other groups to put out a guideline as to what constitutes scientific literacy, and what the public in the U.S. should at least know to be scientifically literate. As usual, though the AAAS addressed the fact that certain groups in the U.S. were not being 'included' in the pursuit of science literacy, such as women and racial minorities, in this their first book they skipped over those of us with disabilities. Since this is a major concern of mine and the area in which I do research, I was appalled to see they neglected 'us' once again, especially as the AAAS has a separate department dealing with the Disabled/Deaf. In spite of this mistake, the writing of this book has laid the groundwork for universities and colleges as to what the teachers they train should know and be able to teach so that our country can be more scientifically literate. With new information being made available through newspapers and the Internet on a daily basis, it is absolutely imperative that all adults regardless of race, gender, or ability be able to glean the information they need from this outpouring of information to make decisions requiring informed consent in health care, decisions on employment (since health care is one of the top employers in the U.S. today), and to teach their children. This book was the beginning, but it isn't the end. More books have further elucidated what is required for science literacy from both the AAAS and other science groups. This is the place to start if you are an educator of any kind who wants their students to become scientifically literate. Karen Sadler, Science Education, University of Pittsburgh, [e-mail]