As we grow to rely more on technology every day, the importance of science education becomes more evident. However, the role of technology in our lives is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the importance of a good science education. The more your child knows about science, the better he or she will be able to succeed in a changing world.
When it comes to the importance of a good science education, jobs are an essential component. A 2011 article in US News and World Reports (http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2011/09/27/why-math-and-science-education-means-more-jobs) on the relationship between science education and job creation makes this link clear, “As the nation shifts into a new, non-industrial economy, we will need a well-trained, technically competent workforce to manage and staff the science and technology businesses that create the high-paying jobs.”
Of course, the job market is not the only place where a good science education comes in handy. The website Try Science offers a useful explanation (http://www.tryscience.org/parents/wsm_2.html) as to how a good science education builds useful life skills:
- Science helps kids understand and appreciate our world.
- Science provides a healthy dose of skepticism.
- Science promotes strong communication skills and teaches about conflict management and collaboration.
- Science teaches strong research skills.
The importance of a good science education even goes beyond job opportunities and other critical life skills. A good science education makes us better citizens. The president of Science Service in Washington D.C., Elizabeth Marincola explains in an article for the National Center for Biotechnology Information (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1395333/), “Some of the country’s most complicated and urgent public policy debates have at their center been questions of science. It is imperative that the public is engaged in science issues which have an impact on their lives, in their own self-interest, to best thrive in modern society.”
A good science education will go a long way in preparing your child for a better future. From opening up more job opportunities to providing children with the basic knowledge they need to be responsible civic guardians, science is an essential component for the well-rounded education of any child and important foundation for the success of all adults.