Transforming Science Education by Fostering Students’ Creativity and Critical Thinking

Session Type: Invited Speaker Session

Abstract

The global pandemic has created a massive challenge for education worldwide — and renewed resolve to address educational equity. In this urgent call to action on behalf of students and their future, innovative approaches to transform education must be considered and discuss, contributing to the reimagining of education. Science education is a key pathway to career readiness for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. At the same time, high level skills such as creativity and critical thinking are key to tomorrow’s economy and contribute to people’s wellbeing and to democratic societies. As part of the research and science policy forum, this session aims to discuss how science education and education of other subjects could be transformed to be more engaging for students, more conducive to those key skills on the top of employers’ priority lists. This international panel will show how this can be done in practice in the United States, Thailand and building on other international examples. It will address both the classroom and policy-maker’s levels.

Sub Unit

• AERA Sessions

Chair

• Kathryn B. Chval, University of Illinois at Chicago

Papers

• Engaging Students to Learn Science: Transforming Teaching and Learning - Joseph S. Krajcik, Michigan State University; Barbara Schneider, Michigan State University

• Fostering and Assessing Creativity and Critical Thinking in Science Education: What Can District Leaders and Policy Makers Do? - Stephan Vincent-Lancrin, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

• Supporting Teachers and Students to Improve Their Schools and Learning - Kraiyos Patrawat, Education Equity Fund

Discussant

• Okhee Lee, New York University