In reply to the first part of Stephen's email:
On Wed, 15 Nov 2006, Foulger Stephen wrote:
> Some kids will study science anyway, seeking out stimulation from various
> sources and mentors along the way.
True.
> Many of the memories that stick with
> me from my science education are from some of my most venerable teachers
> and lecturers.
Agree entirely, but...
> I suspect that many of the people who subscribe to this
> list also would have studied science anyway - they did not need to be
> 'persuaded' into it.
I think this is a little idealistic. Now more than ever school children
are offered a bewildering array of potential careers and directions for
further study. Able students may be as enthusiastic about other
fields as they are about science - they have a love of learning. I think
it is very intelligent to have doubts, especially at age 16.
Pretty useful in science as well. Therefore science still has to sell
itself to an individual as a worthwhile subject for long term study
unless you argue the brightest 16 year olds (for example!) should all
naturally conclude that the study of science is somehow inherently
superior.
To turn this on its head (and with a nod to another ongoing thread on
PSCI-COM), I believe we can discourage potential science students if we
appear to give any impression that the science community holds a rather
fundamentalist attitude that you are probably in the wrong place if you do
not fit into the already convinced (at times determinist at all costs?)
category who *knows* they will always work in science?
Similarly I also would not assume all of our best professional scientists
would only have studied science. Personally I was lucky enough to be
inspired by teachers and mentors in more than one area - I was inspired to
learn and appreciate the arts and humanities as much as sciences. I then
found it genuinely difficult to decide in which direction to specialise
at 16. Discussions with parents, teachers and friends all played a role
together with the perception that I might never have the chance again
to study science (and eventually astronomy in my case) to a higher level,
rightly or wrongly. I could happily have studied a variety of other
subject areas, e.g. English, music, geography at A level and I'm sure I'm
not alone.
Professional scientists can be a surprisingly diverse bunch and science
would be weaker and narrower if we didn't persuade the undecided and
unsure to join in as well! We can appear too narrow to too many people.
It can be very off-putting.
Cheers,
Jonathan
PS - Regarding the second part of your email, I think the British Museums
are playing a vital role in the important area of increasing general
knowledge and appreciation of science in the whole population.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr Jonathan Tedds, Tel: +44 (0)116 252 3502
XMM-Newton Surveys & AstroGrid Science,
Department of Physics and Astronomy,
University of Leicester, Email: [log in to unmask]
Leicester LE1 7RH, UK http://xmmssc-www.star.le.ac.uk/~jat
--------------------------------------------------------------------
**********************************************************************
1. To suspend yourself from the list, whilst on leave, for example,
send an email to [log in to unmask] with the following message:
set psci-com nomail
2. To resume email from the list, send the following message:
set psci-com mail
3. To leave psci-com, send an email to [log in to unmask] with the message:
leave psci-com
4. Further information about the psci-com discussion list, including list archive,
can be found at the list web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/psci-com.html
5. The psci-com gateway to internet resources on science communication and science
and society can be found at http://psci-com.ac.uk
**********************************************************************
|