Document Type
Article
Abstract
On 25 September 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution, which took effect 1 January 2016, totransform the world to better meet human needs and the requirements of economic transformation, whileprotecting the environment, ensuring peace and realizing human rights. Since 1987, there have been several globalinitiatives oriented toward sustainable development, yet science educators have often remained silent with respectto ensuring the goals of science education are linked intrinsically to the central tenets of sustainable development.Why such silence? Where are the voices of science educators?In this position statement, I offer a rationale for expanding our views of science education to address sustainabledevelopment, empowerment, and social transformation. Science education ought to be a primary vehicle foraddressing the current and emerging global challenges facing humanity. All too often, science educators merelyfocus upon fostering awareness and concern for global challenges. Such an orientation falls short of the educationdiscourse that ought to be oriented toward addressing the goals, aspirations, desires, and needs of youth, whopresently number 1.8 billion and represent the largest segment of the global population being underserved. Theactive engagement of youth in sustainable development efforts is imperative to achieve the goals of the 2030Agenda. Youth are not mere beneficiaries of the 2030 Agenda; they have a critical role in the implementation ofthe Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).I offer a rationale for why science educators ought to become active agents in facilitating the engagement ofyouth in addressing global challenges facing humanity. Youth are demanding action; science educators ought toenable learners and communities to transform and reinvent the world they are inheriting
Publication Date
January 2020
Publication Title
Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Science Education Research
Volume
2
Issue
2
First Page
1
Last Page
9
DOI
10.1186/s43031-019-0018-5
Recommended Citation
Kyle, William, "Expanding Our Views of Science Education to Address Sustainable Development, Empowerment, and Social Transformation" (2020). Educator Preparation & Leadership Faculty Works. 41.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s43031-019-0018-5
Available at:
https://irl.umsl.edu/epir/41