CONASTA 56 • ICASE2007

The Perth Declaration on
Science and Technology Education

We, the participants at the 2007 World Conference on Science and Technology Education, held in Perth, Western Australia, 9 - 12 July 2007, and comprising more than 1000 science and technology educators from 50 nations worldwide; believing in the importance of science and technology for sustainable, responsible, global development, and in the need to bridge the gap between science and technology and the public.

Express concern at the lack of recognition of science education as a vehicle for meeting national educational goals, and social and economic needs;

Observe a widespread lack of student interest in current school science and technology education and of its relevance to them;

Note the shortage in many countries of specialist teachers of science and technology;

And consider that the rapid changes taking place in science and technology and their
applications must be reflected in the planning, teaching and learning of science and technology.

Resolved to recommend to Governments:

• To promote critical awareness of the contribution of science and technology to personal, social, economic and environmental wellbeing through building partnerships with national stakeholders and the media;

• To initiate revisions of the curriculum for school science and technology that will increase student interest in and recognition of the roles of science and technology in society;

• To promote from the primary years onwards the career opportunities that stem from the study of science and technology;

• To recruit graduates into science and technology teaching and to value, support and retain them with appropriate rewards;

• To resource and promote continuous, effective professional development for science and technology teachers in order to meet changing student needs and societal aspirations;

• To recognise and support the significant role of teacher associations in building a quality professional learning community for science and technology;

• To resource the development of relevant and effective assessment processes so that learners achieve essential life skills, meet academic and vocational standards and personal aspirations;

• To engage in greater international cooperation to ensure the provision of well-trained science and technology teachers to meet current and future challenges;

• To call on UNESCO to integrate its science and technology education endeavour as fundamental to achieving educational, environmental, cultural, social and sustainable development goals.

We, the participants, are committed to ensuring that students are scientifically and technologically literate and able to contribute to sustainable, responsible, global development in their respective nations.