成立背景
儿童青少年科学素养水平关系他们的未来。中国于上世纪末、本世纪初发动的基础教育改革，首次构建了以学生发展为本的科学教育课程结构体系，在课程建设、教材改革、教学创新等方面都取得了重大进展，同时仍有诸多问题需要破解。
根据国务院教育督导委员会办公室2015年4月颁布的《国家义务教育质量监测方案》（国教督办[2015]4号）而实施的2017年国家义务教育阶段科学教育质量监测，以及相关中小学科学教育现状调查研究结果，都不同程度地揭示了学校科学教育仍存在的弊端，包括：学生动手实验、实践调查的机会较少，这势必影响学生科学能力与科学情感态度价值观的培养；学生适应终身学习和社会发展所需的综合应用能力薄弱，急需提升创新与综合实践能力。需要特别指出的是，由于中小学科学学科师资队伍，尤其是小学科学师资队伍，还存在一定比例的非专职非专业现象，开展探究教学的能力有待提升，影响着中小学科学教育质量，影响着我国未来人才的素养与质量。
而信息技术推波助澜的21世纪科技发展，也促使现代人所应具备的科学素养的内涵发生演变。由此，中国人，尤其是儿童青少年，不仅应该“理解科学概念、原理与规律”，更应该“具备对科学的兴趣、对科学探究方法的认同及环境意识，能科学解释现象、评价和设计科学探究，并科学解释数据和证据”（PISA, 2015）。中国中小学科学教师的专业素养及其课堂教学能否应对这与时俱进的人才科学素养需求，关系儿童青少年是否能成长为高素养的现代人。
为此，成立中小学生科学素养提升联盟（Alliance of Improving Scientific Literacy for all, AISL），联合国际高水平科学教育专家，协同我国高水平科学教育研究者，根据学生科学素养发展需求，以遵循脑、技术增强和数据驱动的系统性变革来推进科学教育质量提升、学生科学素养发展。
Background
The quality of the scientific literacy of the younger generation impacts their overall welfare and future working potential. Reforms in basic education for mainland China started in the late part of the twentieth century and significantly increased at the turn of this century. Many significant achievements have arisen from this important work. For example, new science curricula have been constructed, textbook reforms have begun to occur, and innovations in teaching have begun to develop. Despite all of these positive advancements, many reforms still remain to be implemented.
The China “National Compulsory Education Quality Monitoring Program”, carried out by the Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality under the auspices of the Bureau of Education Supervision Committee of the State Council (April, 2017), examined the current state of science education in primary and secondary schools in mainland China. The examination identified several areas in need of reform within schools related to science education. These reforms included the need to increase opportunities for students to experiment and engage in authentic science investigations which inevitably affect the development of students’ scientific ability, socioemotional attitudes, and their appreciation of the cultural value of science. Also, the need to improve students’ ability in applying knowledge in real-world contexts was identified, a crucial skill in promoting lifelong learning and social development. An important consideration arising from the examination of science education in mainland China is that many Chinese science teachers in primary and secondary schools lack a significant background in both science and science education, this is particularly true of primary school teachers. This detrimentally affects the quality of science teaching in primary and secondary schools, as well as the quality and literacy of future talents in China.
As the scientific developments of the 21st century have rapidly evolved, often boosted by Information Technology, a shift in the focus of scientific literacy for modern citizens has occurred. Therefore, Chinese citizens and, in particular youth, should not only “understand science concepts, principles and patterns of science”, but be interested in science, appreciate and understand scientific research methods, and have contextual awareness in order to be able to make good decisions. In other words, they should have the ability to make sense of scientific phenomena, evaluate the design of scientific investigations, and interpret data and evidence scientifically (PISA, 2015). If the professional quality of science teachers in primary and secondary improves, these improvements will lead to science teaching that meets the needs of a modern scientific society in which scientific literacy is vital.
To meet this critical need, the Alliance for Improving Scientific Literacy for all (AISL) is being established to connect international science education experts with their Chinese counterparts and to facilitate collaboration between them. In accordance with the demand for high quality science education for all students, AISL advocates for systemic reform in science education driven by the evolution of scientific literacy through brain-based, data-driven, and technology-enhanced approaches.