Editing Science education (section)

=== Australia ===
As in England and Wales, science education in Australia is compulsory up until year 11, where students can choose to study one or more of the branches mentioned above. If they wish to no longer study science, they can choose none of the branches. The science stream is one course up until year 11, meaning students learn in all of the branches giving them a broad idea of what science is all about. [[Australian Curriculum|The National Curriculum Board of Australia]] (2009) stated that "The science curriculum will be organised around three interrelated strands: science understanding; science inquiry skills; and science as a human endeavour."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/australian_curriculum_-_science.pdf|title=Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Science|last=National Curriculum Board|date=2009|publisher=ACARA|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160528111727/http://www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/australian_curriculum_-_science.pdf|archive-date=28 May 2016}}</ref> These strands give teachers and educators the framework of how they should be instructing their students.

In 2011, it was reported that a major problem that has befallen science education in Australia over the last decade is a falling interest in science. Fewer year 10 students are choosing to study science for year 11, which is problematic as these are the years where students form attitudes to pursue science careers.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Hassan|first=Ghali|date=2011|title=Students' views of science: A comparison between tertiary and secondary school students|url=http://bv8ja7kw5x.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF-8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Students%27+Views+of+Science%3A+A+Comparison+between+Tertiary+and+Secondary+School+Students&rft.jtitle=Science+Educator&rft.au=Ghali+Hassan&rft.date=2011-10-01&rft.pub=National+Science+Education+Leadership+Association&rft.issn=1094-3277&rft.volume=20&rft.issue=2&rft.spage=54&rft.externalDocID=2674689111&paramdict=en-AU|journal=Science Educator}}</ref> This issue is not unique in Australia, but is happening in countries all over the world.