The Implications of Science and Mathematics in Australian Classrooms

There has been significant media coverage of the apparent decline of Year 12 Science and Mathematics enrolments over the last few years, though the evidence presented has often appeared confusing and at times even contradictory. A study commissioned by Australia's Chief Scientist concluded that all the main high school sciences were experiencing continuing and dramatic declines (Goodrum, Druhan, & Abbs, 2011). However, the scale of those reported declines has since been questioned (Ferrari, 2011) leading to confusion over the actual figures. At the senior high school level a number of historic reports (e.g. Ainley, Kos, & Nicholas, 2008; Dekkers & de Laeter, 2001; Hackling, Goodrum, & Rennie, 2001; Hassan & Treagust, 2003) point to either a decline in science education enrolments in Australia or, at best, zero growth over the long term. Studies into the state of mathematics (Barrington, 2006; Mack & Walsh, 2013; Thomson, 2009) have reported similar levels of decline in participation.