Relevant science curriculum: what do children regard as relevant?

Abstract

This article attempts to find out what children regard as relevant science. As the research was located within the framework of social constructivism, emphasis was placed on the context where learners came from and within which they were learning science. Data were collected to determine how learners responded to a relevant science curriculum. Analysis of the data suggests that learners respond in different ways. Some saw relevance in improving their understanding of science concepts, while others experienced the curriculum as relevant because it satisfied their personal and emotional needs. The findings show that the essence of a relevant science curriculum lies in a particular design. A relevant curriculum acknowledges that science education is more than only science. This has implications for the development of a science curriculum.