中英对照：中国科学家推动小学科学教育

　　[BEIJING] A group of leading Chinese scientists has submitted a letter to the country's education authorities, urging an increase in science education among primary school pupils.

　　这个信息是教育部前任副部长、著名的电子工程专家韦钰院士在4月26日在北京举行的一次纪念中国科协成立50周年系列研讨会上透露的。她在会上表示，“尽管全国上下都在呼吁提高公众科学素养，促进创新，但是小学的科学教育却在后退，有很严重的问题。”

　　"Contrary to the national call to increase public scientific literacy and boost innovation, science education in primary schools is declining and experiencing serious problems," said former vice education minister and leading electronic engineer Wei Yu at a seminar held in Beijing last week (26 April).

　　韦钰现在是中国科协的副主席，她说超过10名两院院士签署了这份报告，在4月1日报告被送交到教育主管部门。

　　Wei, now vice-chairman of China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), says that the letter, signed by more than ten top Chinese academics, was received by the education authorities on 1 April.

　　2001年，随着一份新的教学大纲的实施，小学一、二年级――这在中国通常是7岁和8岁的年龄段――取消了科学课，而同时，欧美的教育者正在研究把科学教育扩展到5岁年龄段的儿童。

　　In 2001, science courses were withdrawn from grade one and two curriculums ― for children aged seven and eight ― when new curriculum guidelines were implemented, although at the time, European and US educators were looking at extending science education to five-year-old students.

　　韦钰说：“高年级的小学生的科学教育情况也不好。”科学课被看作副科中的副科，比美术和体育课的情况更差。

　　"Science education for the higher primary grade students is no better," said Wei, adding that science is seen as less important than other 'auxiliary' subjects such as art and sport.

　　她对本网络记者表示，科学教育被忽视的原因是教育科研工作者和主管官员缺乏科学方面的知识。

　　Behind the marginalisation of science education is the poor knowledge of education researchers and officials, Wei told SciDev.Net.

　　“在中国，教育学被划分为文科，所以教育学者对科学的知识和意识都很差。他们想当然地认为科学对不足10岁的儿童太难了。”

　　"Education is classified as a social discipline in China, so educators have poor knowledge and awareness of science. They simply think science is too difficult for lower-grade students younger than ten years old."

　　韦钰透露，除了呼吁恢复小学一二年级的科学教育外，这份科学家的联名报告还呼吁更好地培养科学课教师，在资助自然科学基础研究的国家自然科学基金中设立教育奖，鼓励科学家在中小学生中普及科学，并提高对科学教育的研究和评估。

　　According to Wei, the petition also appeals for better training for science teachers and the establishment of education awards by the National Natural Science Foundation ― which funds basic research in the natural sciences ― to encourage scientists to popularise science among school children. It also calls for increased research and evaluation of science education.

　　在中国科协和国际科联的支持下，韦钰还在组织一个项目，与科学家一起研究设计低年级科学教育课程。她认为，低年级的学生是发展科学思维的“关键年龄段。”

　　With the support of CAST and the International Council for Science, Wei is also organising a scheme where education researchers work with scientists to design science education courses for lower grade students, a stage that she says is a "crucial period" in the development of scientific thinking.

　　中科院研究生院科学传播教授李大光认为韦钰的工作非常重要。但是他也指出，在小学对科学重视不够也是因为许多中国人认为科学是一门“有用的”课程而不是进行理性思维的方式，而人们认为，只有当学生们到了大学年龄段才能实现这种用处。

　　Li Daguang, a professor of science communication at the Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, welcomes Wei's plans.

　　But he adds that less attention is paid to primary school science education also because many Chinese people consider science as a "useful" discipline rather than a way of rational thinking, and believe that this usefulness can be realised only when pupils are at university age.

　　本文由科学与发展网络(SciDev.Net)独家提供。