Issues in Upper Secondary Science Education ─ Comparative Perspectives

Science education at the upper secondary level presents an extremely diverse image. In some education systems, it is possible for students to abandon the discipline altogether; in others, program specialization may involve students' being enrolled in science-intensive tracks. In the latter case, the links between secondary and higher science education tend to be strong, especially for competitive-entry, science-based programs in subjects such as engineering and biomedical sciences. In this capacity, upper secondary science may be said to have created a new academic elitism.

This edited volume adopts a comparative approach to upper secondary science as it occurs in sixteen countries, focusing on such key topics as links with basic science education, issues in assessment, and the secondary/tertiary education interface. With contributions from a wide cross-section of countries, including Australia, Malaysia, Brazil, Nigeria, and Pakistan, Issues in Upper Secondary Science Education provides an unparalleled resource for understanding upper secondary science education systems around the world.

Barend Vlaardingerbroek is Associate Professor of Education at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. He has published papers in various academic journals, including the International Journal of Educational Development and the International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, and has edited volumes on secondary school external examination systems and the transition to university.

Neil Taylor is Professor of Science and Technology Education in the School of Education of the University of New England, Australia. He has been a secondary science teacher in Jamaica and the UK and has taught science education at the University of the South Pacific, Fiji, and the University of Leicester, UK.