A group of internationally regarded science education experts are calling for a revamp of the science curriculum to prevent young people falling behind on the skills their future depends on.
In a new report, the Australasian Science Education Research Association (ASERA) make a number of practical recommendations including incorporating AI into the science curriculum, having dedicated science specialist teachers in early childhood and primary school settings, and improved professional learning so generalist classroom teachers are better equipped to teach science.
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The Science Education: Fit for the Future White Paper provides direction for the development of a new ‘National Science Education Strategy’ in Australia and New Zealand across all levels of schooling. The recommendations cover policy, practice and research.
Deakin University’s Professor Linda Hobbs, President and Managing Director of ASERA, said the recommendations seek to future-proof science education by helping students connect science to their personal lives and the wider world.
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‘We know that prospering nations are those whose citizens understand and value scientific knowledge and can apply it in community decision-making and in pursuing science-related careers,’ Professor Hobbs said.
‘That’s why we need to address the continued decline in student interest and enrolment in senior secondary science subjects and university science.
‘The flow-on effect is a decline in the number of students pursuing careers in science teaching, which in turn affects the overall quality and availability of science education.’
The recommendations for science learning and teaching aim to address the 21st century challenges facing Australia and New Zealand including the rise of AI, climate change, global health crises, biodiversity loss, energy transition, changing perspectives on indigenous knowledges, and the concerning rise in misinformation about science, especially on social media.
Auckland University of Technology senior lecturer Carrie Swanson, the New Zealand co-author of the report, said it was important that science education served all learners.
“The ideas in this white paper are not radical, but they provide a way for New Zealand school students to care about science.
“Most of the young people taking science at school will not become scientists. But we need them to love science, to be innovators, to be critical thinkers and citizens that can make sense of the world around them.
“The white paper draws upon current research and expert knowledge in the field to outline the key ideas that students need to know in science, and a way to navigate global issues like climate change and AI.
“It provides a pathway for some students to move into STEM careers, and provides information to enhance teachers’ knowledge and practice. It offers recommendations for policy and research in science education.”
The report comes at an important policy moment, with the 2026 expiration of both Australia’s National STEM Schools Education Strategy and New Zealand’s A nation of curious minds: He Whenua Hihiri I te Maha (national strategic plan for science education and engagement).
Research shows that as many as one in five teachers of science in secondary schools have limited formal background and are not qualified to teach science (teach out-of-field).
Dr Carol Aldous, from Flinders University and Chair of the ASERA working group producing the report said the report stresses the need to foster and grow a ‘science identity’ within the community from early childhood through to adulthood.
‘We need science curricula, resources and teachers that effectively prepare young people as both science-informed citizens and future professionals who can engage authentically with contemporary scientific thinking, practices and values,’ Dr Aldous said.
