In classrooms across the nation, literacy and numeracy proficiency is declining, prompting Australia’s former Chief Scientist to call for an improved approach to science and maths education as a matter of urgency.
A stubborn obstacle to this, however, is the significant teacher shortages that continues to plague the country.
Alan Finkel, who was Australia’s Chief Scientist between 2016-2020, is now the Chair of Stile Education, special Adviser to the Australian Government on Low Emissions Technologies, and Chair of Australia’s Low Emissions Technology Investment Advisory Council.
Finkel says Australia’s teachers are in need of better support to provide students with the best learning opportunities.
“With current burnout rates and a record number of teachers leaving the field, Australia is expected to have a shortfall of 4,000 teachers by 2025,” Finkel told The Educator. “This will have a negative impact on students and their ability to excel in key subjects like science and maths.”
Finkel says there must be more investment into high-quality instructional materials that provide teachers with relevant and clear education resources fully aligned to the curriculum standards.
“This will ensure that less time is spent on resource creation and more time is spent on planning and teaching optimised for each teacher’s students.”
‘We mustn’t trade excellence for equity’
Finkel says the most critical gap in Australia’s education policy is “a tendency to trade excellence for equity.”
“There is no reason to do so. Excellence demands that we encourage students to have high aspirations and help them achieve their best,” Finkel said.
“Equity demands that every student is provided with opportunities, regardless of socio-economic status, and that every teacher has access to high-quality resources that support them in providing appropriate guidance to every student in the class.”
Finkel said strong investment in well-trained teachers and high-quality instructional materials is key to improving education in Australia as a whole, and particularly for science and maths.
“The resources must be designed to align with education standards and meet the needs of students at all levels so that no one is left behind,” he said. “A commitment to raising excellence and equity of access for all students is how Australia will improve its education sector and better prepare our learners for the future.”
‘The promise of AI is yet to be realised in education’
Finkel noted the increased use of AI in Australian school classrooms, saying that if used correctly, AI’s impact on the secondary school curriculum will be overwhelmingly positive, especially when used in lesson planning and assessment.
“Currently, nearly half of Australian teachers spend more than five hours per week on marking outside of the classroom, in addition to their regular workload,” Finkel said. “Proper implementation of AI tools offers teachers valuable time-saving benefits by assisting with tasks like marking, as well as providing feedback and lesson planning.”
Finkel said reducing the burden of these tasks means teachers can be more present and engaged in the classroom, ultimately benefiting students.
It’s essential, however, that AI is seen as the teacher’s ultimate assistant rather than a replacement, he noted.
“That is, the teacher should always be in the loop so that, for example, written formative feedback drafted by AI is reviewed and edited by the teacher before it is released. The promise of AI is yet to be realised in education,” he said.
“It will never be a substitute for great teachers, but it can help to ease the administrative load that often takes away from deep learning time.”
Similarly, says Finkel, ensuring students know how to effectively use AI will be a critical skill for the future.
“There is a fine balance between using AI as an assistive tool and relying on it as a knowledge crutch; students must be taught how to use it to complement their work.”
Building foundational skills remains critical
Finkel said that as the world continues to be shaped by rapid technological change, science and maths education is becoming more important for the workforce of the future.
“As such, it is essential that schools focus on building strong foundational skills and developing students’ abilities in core subjects,” he said. “Science and maths are our ‘muscle memory’ subjects — that is, while technology is always evolving, science and maths at their core stay the same.”
Finkel said that if students are to be successful in their chosen fields, they must understand the fundamentals of these subjects.
“High-quality instructional materials with real world applications help teachers to capture the attention of students in science and maths, and positions the students to acquire the deep knowledge base they need to be successful in their tertiary studies and future careers.”