Science education at the upper secondary level presents an extremely diverse image. In some education systems, it is possible for students to abandon the discipline altogether; in others, program specialization may involve students' being enrolled in science-intensive tracks. In the latter case, the links between secondary and higher science education tend to be strong, especially for competitive-entry, science-based programs in subjects such as engineering and biomedical sciences. In this capacity, upper secondary science may be said to have created a new academic elitism.
This edited volume adopts a comparative approach to upper secondary science as it occurs in sixteen countries, focusing on such key topics as links with basic science education, issues in assessment, and the secondary/tertiary education interface. With contributions from a wide cross-section of countries, including Australia, Malaysia, Brazil, Nigeria, and Pakistan, Issues in Upper Secondary Science Education provides an unparalleled resource for understanding upper secondary science education systems around the world.

Upper secondary science is the bridge to science-related careers and thereby to human capital formation in science and technology. Quality rather than quantity is what counts at this level and teacher quality is a major determinant. This book looks at upper secondary science teacher quality in eighteen countries from affluent Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development members to very poor countries. The yardsticks applied to teacher quality are academic and professional education and training, professional practice including the resource base, continuing professional development, and science teacher associations. All country case studies are written to facilitate internal cross-referencing, thereby accentuating the comparative nature of the volume. The book ends with an 'investment guide' that focuses on where and how money is best spent in relation to building up and maintaining a quality upper secondary science teaching force.

This book provides a comparative look at key issues that characterize and contextualize upper secondary science education in sixteen countries in Oceania, South America, Asia, Europe, North America, Africa, and the Middle East, incluing links with elementary and early science, final assessment, and the secondary/tertiary education interface.