On Scientific Literacy and Curriculum Reform

Since the first use of ‘scientific literacy’ in the late 1950s, numerous science educators and
policy makers have reconceptualised the term to such an extent that it has been described
as being ‘ill-defined and diffuse’. Despite this lack of clarity, the term is the focus of curriculum
standards in many countries and is at the heart of international comparisons of
student attainment including the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s
(OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study. Uncritical
use of the term masks the existence of deep-seated philosophical clashes that hinder
reform of science education in many countries throughout the world.