Michael Reiss
Encyclopedia
Michael Reiss, MA
PhD
PGCE
MBA FIBiol FRSA (born 1960) is a British
bioethicist, educator, and journalist
. He is also an Anglican priest. Reiss is Professor of Science Education at the Institute of Education
, University of London
, where he is Assistant Director, Research and Development.
He began his career as a schoolteacher at Hills Road Sixth Form College, Cambridge in 1983. In 1989, he became a Lecturer and Tutor in the Department of Education at the University of Cambridge
. At the age of 29, Reiss began training to be a priest in the Church of England
and was ordained in 1991. For many years, he led the Sunday service in his local village near Cambridge. He was a Senior Lecturer at Cambridge until 1998, then Reader in Education and Bioethics until 2000. From 2003, he was chief executive of the Science Learning Centre in London. From 2006 to 2008, he was Director of Education at the Royal Society
, a position he resigned on 16 September 2008, following protests about his views on tackling creationism
when teaching evolution
in schools despite these protests being at complete misrepresentations of what he said that were published in newspapers at the time.
Reiss works in the fields of science education
, bioethics
, and sex education
. He has a special interest in the ethical implications of genetic engineering
. He was formerly Head of the School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology at the Institute of Education, University of London
. In science education, he currently directs projects funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families
, including a longitudinal
, ethnographic
study of pupils' learning, currently in its eleventh year.
Reiss is a frequent consultant to the Royal Society, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
, the Training and Development Agency for Schools (formerly known as the Teacher Training Agency or the TTA
) and other organisations. He serves on the editorial board of the International Journal of Science Education. He was a specialist adviser to the House of Lords Select Committee on Animals in Scientific Procedures, 2001–02, and is a member of the Farm Animal Welfare Council.
As early as November 2006, Reiss suggested that, rather than dismissing creationism
as a "misconception," teachers should take the time to explain why creationism had no scientific basis. In September 2008, his views were presented in some media reports as lending support to teaching creationism as a legitimate point of view; however both he and the Royal Society later stated that this was a misrepresentation. Reiss stressed that the topic should not be taught as science
, but rather should be construed as a cultural "worldview." Reiss argued that it was more effective to engage with pupils' ideas about creationism, rather than to obstruct discussion with those who do not accept the scientific version of the evolution of species
.
In July 2009, he led a number of the UK's most senior scientists in writing to the Schools Secretary Ed Balls to complain that Ofsted's proposed new curriculum for primary schools did not mention evolution.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
PGCE
PGCE
PGCE can stand for:* Postgraduate Certificate in Education, an English, Welsh and Northern Irish teacher-training qualification that includes master's credits...
MBA FIBiol FRSA (born 1960) is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
bioethicist, educator, and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. He is also an Anglican priest. Reiss is Professor of Science Education at the Institute of Education
Institute of Education
The Institute of Education is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom specialised in postgraduate study and research in the field of education and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It is the largest education research body in the United Kingdom, with...
, University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, where he is Assistant Director, Research and Development.
Career
Reiss's father was an obstetrician; his mother, a midwife. His father was Jewish; his mother, an agnostic. Reiss had a secular upbringing in north London.He began his career as a schoolteacher at Hills Road Sixth Form College, Cambridge in 1983. In 1989, he became a Lecturer and Tutor in the Department of Education at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. At the age of 29, Reiss began training to be a priest in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
and was ordained in 1991. For many years, he led the Sunday service in his local village near Cambridge. He was a Senior Lecturer at Cambridge until 1998, then Reader in Education and Bioethics until 2000. From 2003, he was chief executive of the Science Learning Centre in London. From 2006 to 2008, he was Director of Education at the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, a position he resigned on 16 September 2008, following protests about his views on tackling creationism
Creationism
Creationism is the religious beliefthat humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe are the creation of a supernatural being, most often referring to the Abrahamic god. As science developed from the 18th century onwards, various views developed which aimed to reconcile science with the Genesis...
when teaching evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
in schools despite these protests being at complete misrepresentations of what he said that were published in newspapers at the time.
Reiss works in the fields of science education
Science education
Science education is the field concerned with sharing science content and process with individuals not traditionally considered part of the scientific community. The target individuals may be children, college students, or adults within the general public. The field of science education comprises...
, bioethics
Bioethics
Bioethics is the study of controversial ethics brought about by advances in biology and medicine. Bioethicists are concerned with the ethical questions that arise in the relationships among life sciences, biotechnology, medicine, politics, law, and philosophy....
, and sex education
Sex education
Sex education refers to formal programs of instruction on a wide range of issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and...
. He has a special interest in the ethical implications of genetic engineering
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
. He was formerly Head of the School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology at the Institute of Education, University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. In science education, he currently directs projects funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families
Department for Children, Schools and Families
The Department for Children, Schools and Families was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education...
, including a longitudinal
Longitudinal study
A longitudinal study is a correlational research study that involves repeated observations of the same variables over long periods of time — often many decades. It is a type of observational study. Longitudinal studies are often used in psychology to study developmental trends across the...
, ethnographic
Ethnography
Ethnography is a qualitative method aimed to learn and understand cultural phenomena which reflect the knowledge and system of meanings guiding the life of a cultural group...
study of pupils' learning, currently in its eleventh year.
Reiss is a frequent consultant to the Royal Society, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
The Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency is an exempt charity, and an executive non-departmental public body of the Department for Children, Schools and Families...
, the Training and Development Agency for Schools (formerly known as the Teacher Training Agency or the TTA
TTA
TTA may refer to*Tan Tan Airport - IATA code for Moroccan airport*Teacher Training Agency - former name of the Training and Development Agency for Schools*Telecommunications Technology Association in Korea*Telefon Tel Aviv, an IDM band from the United States...
) and other organisations. He serves on the editorial board of the International Journal of Science Education. He was a specialist adviser to the House of Lords Select Committee on Animals in Scientific Procedures, 2001–02, and is a member of the Farm Animal Welfare Council.
As early as November 2006, Reiss suggested that, rather than dismissing creationism
Creationism
Creationism is the religious beliefthat humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe are the creation of a supernatural being, most often referring to the Abrahamic god. As science developed from the 18th century onwards, various views developed which aimed to reconcile science with the Genesis...
as a "misconception," teachers should take the time to explain why creationism had no scientific basis. In September 2008, his views were presented in some media reports as lending support to teaching creationism as a legitimate point of view; however both he and the Royal Society later stated that this was a misrepresentation. Reiss stressed that the topic should not be taught as science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, but rather should be construed as a cultural "worldview." Reiss argued that it was more effective to engage with pupils' ideas about creationism, rather than to obstruct discussion with those who do not accept the scientific version of the evolution of species
Evolutionism
Evolutionism refers to the biological concept of evolution, specifically to a widely held 19th century belief that organisms are intrinsically bound to increase in complexity. The belief was extended to include cultural evolution and social evolution...
.
In July 2009, he led a number of the UK's most senior scientists in writing to the Schools Secretary Ed Balls to complain that Ofsted's proposed new curriculum for primary schools did not mention evolution.