What is science education for?

The purpose of science education has been the subject of continuing debate over a long period. This article attempts to make explicit the recurrent tensions in that debate and to consider past frameworks for the aims of science education, arguing that no one element of the range of aims for science education should be over-emphasized at the expense of others. A varied ‘menu’ of aims is required, partly in order to make science attractive to a range of learners. In reasserting the importance of a diversity of aims, the paper ends by bringing out some of its classroom implications. © 2001 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.