The Goals of Science Education Should Be Linked to the Central Tenets of Sustainable Development, Equity, and Social Justice

Abstract

In this chapter, we offer a rationale for why science educators ought to become active agents in facilitating the engagement of youth as they acquire the knowledge and skills to address global challenges facing humanity. The youth of today are demanding action. Science educators have a responsibility to facilitate learners - and their communities - as they transform and reinvent the world they are inheriting. Science education is a primary means of investing in human resources. The youth of today must be able to address complex everyday issues that are yet unforeseen. This is not a modest goal, but it must be accomplished. All learners must have access to an equitable education. We must bridge the divide and facilitate dialog between formal and informal/free-choice educators, as well as disciplinary and interdisciplinary science educators. Today’s youth recognize the consequence of failing to transform towards a more sustainable, equitable, and socially just future is profound.