What everyone should know about science and technology: a study on the applicablility of the Canon of Science in primary education

A book on 50 major topics in science and technology, with the subtitle ‘what everyone should know about the natural sciences’ was recently published in the Netherlands. In this research project it is questioned whether the topics addressed in this book could be used in primary education as the guiding framework for science and technology education. In the Netherlands, primary school teachers’ knowledge base of science and technology education is generally poor and a prescribed framework of the learning domain is lacking. This study investigates what (prospective) primary school teachers and teacher trainers know about the 50 major topics in the book. Also what (prospective) teachers and teacher trainers think about this book as a guiding framework for science and technology education is examined. In addition, it is explored how the topics in the book could be implemented in the current curriculum. Besides, the Dutch curriculum of primary science and technology education is compared to curricula in surrounding countries.