PISA & Greek Curriculum of science for last two classes of primary school: comparative analysis and assessment

Abstract

The analysis of PISA, in the context of the analysis implement we used, seems to designate important suggestions for writing science curriculum in compulsory education. These proposals aim at the obtainment of basic knowledge and at the culture of abilities (abilities-keywords) for everyday life: communication, collection and processing of information (data), cooperation and collectivity, problem solving, critical thinking and reflection, creativity and culture of citizenship. In the same context the analysis of (a) general part of Greek Curriculum, (b) the Greek Curriculum of Science for all levels of compulsory  education, and (c) the Curriculum “Explore the natural world” for the two last classes of primary school are attempted, which apply today in the obligatory education of our country. The results showed that the general part of the Greek Curriculum and the Greek Curriculum of science for compulsory education, theoretically talking, coincide with the PISA proposals. However, it seems that the curriculum “Explore the natural world” of the two last classes of primary school deviates from the philosophy and the suggestions of PISA, having characteristics of traditional knowledge-based curricula.