When I read articles like this one, I also get tired and dispirited.
Am I the only person who notices the similarities between the debates of
"Science Community" and those of the Church of England? We have the purists
who are after truth and beauty and believe that this is what science has to
offer the masses. And then we have the realists who say that the masses just
aren't interested in truth and beauty. They can only focus on things that have
an impact on their own little world. Scientists may be after enlightenment
but lots of people just want their prayers answered. They want prosperity,
friendships, success in love and healthy children.
Is the purpose of science teaching in schools to make everyone a priest or
priestess? Or is it to give them a little faith that Science is on their
side? Or is it to give them the opportunity to participate intelligently in
the debate? Or is it lots of other things? I can't think this early on a
Sunday morning.
Lesley Newson
>===== Original Message From "psci-com: on the public understanding of
science" <[log in to unmask]> =====
>i have just looked through this article and am, at the
>moment, too tired and dispirited to be bothered to respond.
>not too long ago, a posting like this would have caused an
>exciting little flurry of exchanges. none of them changed
>the world, but at least we had a chance to sharpen our
>faculties on something substantive.
>
>i have spent quite a bit of time in schools recently;
>talking to pupils and teachers about the issues touched on
>(danced over?) in this article. there are some very
>profound issues at stake here, and it seems to me that we
>may be seeing the first really concentrated conflict
>between the pre and post jenkin report paradigms breaking
>out. im sure that many people on this list have stronger
>views than mine on this issue, and are better positioned to
>make the arguments either way.
>
>i hope that some of those individuals will start posting in
>the wake of this piece. the innovation in science
>education being considered here is nothing less than an
>attempt to redefine (or possibly clarify?) the relationship
>between science as a set of corporate practices and its
>audiences. (i use the words corporate and audience in their
>broadest possible sense - look them up if you're not sure).
>this is not some trivial tinkering with the system, and in
>a national curriculum driven environment may have some
>profound consequences.
>
>what do we think about this? are we surprised? delighted?
>depressed? i would really like to hear from the list on
>this one.
>
>----------------------------------------
>Ben Johnson
>Graphic Science
>Faculty of Applied Sciences
>University of the West of England
>Coldharbour Lane
>Bristol
>BS16 1QY
>
>E-mail: [log in to unmask]
>Phone +44 (0)117 344 3756
>Mobile 07813 580 397
>http://www.uwe.ac.uk/fas/graphicscience
>
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