Physics Nobel Laureate Leon Lederman speaks at DCU conference
27 September 2004

Professor Leon Lederman

Professor Leon Lederman and Ireland's Chief Science Adviser Dr Barry McSweeney spoke today at the plenary session of the Science and Mathematics Education Conference at DCU (SMEC). This international conference was attended by leading science and maths practitioners from around the world who all play their part in making the subjects relevant for young audiences, compare the best practice worldwide and apply this to the specific constraints and opportunities offered by the Irish educational system.

The conference was organised by the Centre for the Advancement of Science Teaching and Learning (CASTeL) at DCU which was set up to examine the ways in which science is taught in Irish schools. It aims to play a leading role in influencing policy changes to bring about an improvement in science education, particularly in the second-level sector.

The theme of the conference was "Securing the foundations of Ireland's knowledge-based economy - Science and Mathematics Education for the new century". The guest speakers at the conference were Nobel Laureate, Professor Leon Lederman from the University of Chicago, Professor Peter Fensham from Monash University, Australia and Professor Dimitris Psillos of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.

Ireland was represented by Dr Barry McSweeney, Ireland's Chief Science Adviser, who, in one of his first public engagements, gave a talk specifically addressing the teaching of science and mathematics in Ireland. He said that we should not over-simplify science to a mundane or banal level but rather we should communicate the complexity of science in a way that is accessible to students. He also recommended that science be seen as a path to multiple careers, one of which could be science research. As Chief Science Advisor, he was in a position to bring science issues to all departments where appropriate and make recommendations to bring about change. One tangible way forward was to examine the potential of parallel work/study models for gaining third level qualifications rather than current full time study practice.

In his talk, Professor Lederman raised a number of issues which would have an impact on the teaching of science in the classroom in the future, particularly in an Irish context. He firstly stressed the need to include topics in the school curriculum that are of actual interest to students such as the big bang, how the universe evolved and the spread of diseases. However, for the coming decade or so, pupils will need the three sciences, and mathematics, and they should be placed in the curriculum with physics (atoms), then chemistry (molecules) and then biology (living systems).

Within the education system, there are a number of barriers which need to be overcome. One such barrier is the fact that education systems are highly resistant to change. He suggested that an important way forward is for developments in psychology and neuroscience to inform how those involved in the teaching of science approach education at all levels, and recommended a much wider appreciation and imaginative use of technology for teaching, learning and assessment. He also recommended that teachers spend 20% of their work-time on professional development which could be carried out in partnership with universities and scientists working in industry.