ABSTRACT

A collection of chapters such as those above, from authors with established track records in science education, hardly needs a pretentious epilogue from me. In many ways the end of this book should be deliberately left hanging because, quite simply, we have posed questions more often than we have given answers. It is hoped that this book will add something to the debate on the future of practical work and, more specifically, its place in a statutory national curriculum. Part of the common ground between authors here is that there should be curriculum change, not least to reflect technological change. In this section I plan to be provocative and suggest, partly as a result of the process of studying and getting to grips with the chapters in this book, certain recommendations for a future science curriculum. What should it, and what should it not, include, given a statutory curriculum and the considerable constraints (of resources, of time and of space) imposed by the nature of schooling? Below are my personal views, stated roughly and as briefly as possible. They have not been fully worked out. However, any comment on them is most welcome—but please address it to me as the points below are not a joint statement.