Becoming Scientific: Developing Science across the Life-Course

What does it mean to be ‘sciencey’? Why do some people of all ages engage avidly with space and astronauts, birds and butterflies, chemicals and equations, while others detest and ‘hate’ the very ideas? This book develops in-depth analyses of the ‘science identities’ of very different people-young and old of diverse backgrounds-in order to explore their immersion in, and entanglement with, the processes of learning science. At the centre of the book lies a collection of their ‘science life’ stories, detailing their engagement with both formal education in schools and colleges, and informal science learning in the culture of everyday life. The text highlights how science educators, teachers, parents and science communicators more generally can foster and support the formation and transformation of people’s science identities, providing strategies to support the learning journey of children, adolescents and adults within a broad range of learning environments.