New Books in Science, Technology, and Society John L. Rudolph, "Why We Teach Science (and Why We Should)" (Oxford UP, 2023)
Jan 31, 2026
John L. Rudolph, Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor and former high-school science teacher, explores why we teach science. He traces historical purposes like economic growth and national security. He questions content-heavy instruction and urges teaching how science produces knowledge. He discusses civic uses of science, trust in scientific practices, and rethinking scientific literacy.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
From High School Teacher To Education Scholar
- John L. Rudolph began his career as a high school teacher in biology, physics, and chemistry before moving into history of science and curriculum studies.
- His classroom experience with pre-service teachers inspired the book's focus on asking why we teach science and to what ends.
Three Historical Purposes Of Science Education
- Science education has historically been framed as utilitarian: personal utility, national security, and economic growth.
- These shifting purposes explain why curricula and policy emphases change across historical periods.
Content Alone Fails To Build Reasoning
- Teaching facts and formulas does not reliably translate into retained knowledge or everyday problem solving.
- Cognitive research shows scientific reasoning skills are hard to teach and don't develop naturally through typical school labs.
