Unesco Internat Ional Sc Ience, Technology & Env Ironmental Educat Ion Newsletter

T he 21st century offers both a promise and a challenge. Remarkable advances in electronic technologies in general, and information technologies in particular, hold out the promise of new scientific discoveries, improved living standards, better communication, increased production, greater access to information and significant improvements in health and quality of life. However, many children, possibility the majority, face obstacles that stem from a lack of educational opportunity and quality health care as a result of poverty, overpopulation and violence. They will also bear the brunt of decreasing environmental quality, wider and increasingly brutal armed conflict and unequal opportunities between the sexes. These children, especially girls, will not be able to reach their potential. Consequently, preparing students for the 21st century should be one of the priorities of educational and political leaders around the world. UNESCO underscores the value of scientific and technological literacy as a universal requirement if people are not to become alienated from the society in which they live, or be overwhelmed and demoralized by change. Meanwhile, research has shown that many students in both developing and developed countries lack the necessary knowledge and skills in science and technology (S&T) to function effectively in the modern world (AAAS, 1989; Eisenhart, Finkel, and Marion, 1996; ETS, 1988; Halloun, 1993; et al.). Students graduating from schools in the 21st century need the scientific and technological knowledge and skills that will permit them to be creative members of society, take responsible decisions in their everyday and professional life and function effectively in a world of work that is fluid and in which the traditional bases of economic competition continue to change. This requires students to develop a thorough knowledge and understanding of basic scientific and technological concepts, allied with problem-solving and critical-thinking skills that they can apply in a variety of situations. A strong conceptual base and essential thinking skills must thus be the new basics and the focal points of teaching and learning S&T in the classrooms of the 21st century (Resnick, 19991). But what science and what technology should students study and how should they study them? What characteristics should students have in order to be considered scientifically and technologically literate individuals? What qualities do graduate students need to succeed in an increasingly scientifically and technologically rich world? S&T do not only bring benefits. They may also have negative consequences. It is important, therefore, that students see S&T as disciplines with important benefits and burdens and as endeavours that have positive and negative implications for the world beyond the school.