Tall poppies...no worries

By Dr. Sean PERERA

It seems that the popular Aussie cultural outlook is not compatible with the rigorous nature of science. In fact, it would seem that "tall poppies" need to be taller, and that" no worries" is indeed a worry, because she (i.e. science) mayn't be alright after all!

Many high level documents, like the 2007 report to the Australian Council of Deans of Science, lament the less than satisfactory science aptitude of Australian school teachers and students. Science scores for the Programme for International Student Assessment show Australian students struggling to maintain their present raking while being overtaken by their peers in other OECD countries including Japan, New Zealand and Canada, just to name a few. The most recent review of science education in Australia, also in 2007, stated that the underlying reason for poor scientific literacy is the significant shortage of qualified and suitably trained science teachers in many Australian schools. The review highlighted the need to re-image science education in order to engage students in science for Australia's future.

Together, the findings of these reports do paint a gloomy picture in terms of the scientific capabilities of future Australians. No-one could argue the pivotal role teachers play in providing engaging science education to students. But qualified and professionally competent teachers alone are insufficient to address this challenge - which I believe is one of the most significant challenges, if not the greatest challenge, confronting Australia as a developed Nation.

Everything to gain

Australians, as a culture, need to recognise the importance of education, including science education, if it's to move alongside other so-called "knowledge economies" internationally.

According to the Powering Ideas budget paper issued by the Federal Government in 2009, Australia as a competing economy needs to face social, economic and environmental challenges mediated by global change. Consultation documents that ensued earlier this year to inform the Government's Inspiring Australia initiative argue that strong links between the constituent parts of the national innovation system are crucial to maintain and improve Australia's current economic climate.

This can only be achieved through greater scientific and technological contribution to innovation from all groups of Australian society. Australians, sooner rather than later, need to engage rigorously and effectively with scientific research and technological developments.

I believe, however, that many young Australians' attitude to education - in particular science education - is questionable.

Social trends

The Social Trends reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2009 state that "For Year 8, a significantly lower proportion of Australian students had a positive attitude towards maths and science than was the case, on average, internationally". One international comparative study documenting the Relevance of Science Education also found that Australian school students dislike science - a view further confirmed by a research study in the State of Victoria which found high school teachers reporting more than three quarters of their students were openly unenthusiastic about science.

Young Australians' dislike for science is further evidenced by the declining numbers opting to study science at high school and fewer still who go on to study science at university level, which was reported in the 2001 Status and Quality of Teaching and Learning of Science in Australian Schools.

Could it be that the popular Aussie cultural outlook is a mismatch for the demanding nature of science? I have selected two popular Australian ideologies to, perhaps, offer some insight to this statement.

Tall poppies

• Tall poppies need to be cut down. This popular ideology, entrenched in Australian society, implies those who strive to stand apart need to be brought down a peg or two.

Unfortunately, this ideology does not complement the process of scientific achievement, which essentially calls for distinction both on the part of scientists and their findings. In essence, a new scientific discovery is a paradigm shift, because it changes the way things have been done, and sometimes the way we think about their world.

The scientists who make such discoveries have to think outside the conventional mindset. It's not possible to expect someone to excel in science and not to stand out. Therein lays the conflict, as I see it, between scientific achievement and the popular Australian mindset. Cutting down tall poppies encourages mediocrity.

• No worries... she'll be right, mate. This popular expression is used by Australians to emphasise a laidback attitude to life.

The vernacular of this expression holds its roots in Australia's geographic isolation from the North Atlantic and is reiterated through popular culture. In fact, "no worries, she'll be right" is used to characterise Australians internationally (even extra-terrestrially).

Episode

I remember as a young child watching the TV series Space: 1999, which was telecast in Sri Lanka on Sunday afternoons some years back. In one particular episode, the space station - Moonbase Alpha - was experiencing one of its many calamities. Nick Tate, who played the role of Chief Pilot Alan Carter, explained to an alien that he was not unduly distressed by the problems they were experiencing because he came "from a place on Earth known as Australia".

Science, however, means serious business, at least in the context of developed economies competing to stay ahead of each other in the presence of global change.

Science demands dedication in those who engage in it and rigour in its processes. It's simply not possible to be laidback and engage fully, nor is it possible to reap the full benefits of science by hoping the problem will simply go away.

Whether Australia aims to achieve scientific excellence comparable to other developed Nations, as my fellow authors and I have summarised to the Federal Government in the Expert Working Group Report to Develop and Evidence Base for Science Engagement in Australia, or if Australia's intention is mediocre participation with science on a daily basis, are questions that need to be addressed.

Rigorous approach

If the vote is for a more rigorous approach to scientific literacy, then Australia will need to decide how much of its popular cultural ideology, which essentially forms its national identify, should change.

Most importantly, this would mean revising the popular cultural attitude towards education in general. If these and similar actions are possible, "she'll (i.e. science) be right mate".

This article was originally published in The Conversations (theconversation.edu.au), which is an independent source of information, analysis and commentary from acknowledged experts in the Australian university and research sector. The author of the article, Dr Sean Perera is an Associate Researcher at the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science at The Australian National University in Canberra.