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Wow - very interesting thread! I genuinely don't know what to think - and it's not often I'm agnostic on a science communication or science education topic! -----Original Message----- From: psci-com: on public engagement with science [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Nicola Hannam Sent: 17 July 2007 13:10 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Whatever happened to school physics? If you want to see both sides of the argument (and variations in between) try the TES forum "Staffroom" under the science section "Downing St e-petition" thread: http://www.tes.co.uk/section/staffroom/thread.aspx?story_id=2395465& path =/science/&threadPage=2 Nicola Hannam Education Officer Project Manager, Careers from Science The Science Council 32 -36 Loman Street Southwark London SE1 0EE tel: 020 7922 7889 fax: 020 7922 7879 email: [log in to unmask] www.sciencecouncil.org -----Original Message----- From: psci-com: on public engagement with science [mailto:PSCI- [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Richard Reeve Sent: 17 July 2007 11:51 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [PSCI-COM] Whatever happened to school physics? Science communicators may be interested in an open letter from a young physics teacher called Wellington Grey to the DoE and AQA - 'A physics teacher begs for his subject back'. He says: "Over the past year the UK Department for Education and the AQA board changed the subject. They took the physics out of physics and replaced it with... something else, something nebulous and ill defined." Looks like the 'science communication' tail is now well and truly wagging the education dog: <http://www.wellingtongrey.net/articles/archive/2007-06-07--open-letter- aqa.html> How did this come about? There is the 'let's save our subject and make it more fun' argument but isn't this merely symptomatic of a much deeper long term cultural shift in the UK? On a science communication course back in the early nineties, we had a session with a sociologist who patiently explained that science was nothing but smoke and mirrors. He spoke as you might to a child who should know better but insists on believing in Father Christmas. A lot of us thought he was deluded and should get out more. It seems that he did and took all his mates along to the DoE and AQA where they are now completing the cultural devaluation in the UK of scientific understanding, rigour and practical ability. They just don't get science. To hear some of them you'd think it was a form of child cruelty. This hits not just the economy and our sense of reality but also the prospects and self-esteem of those individuals with the desire and potential to do science and not just talk about it. Perhaps science communication will become a sort of Cargo Cult of people swapping fragmented shards of deconstructed science that no-one understands. My I'm feeling grumpy. There is a petition for what it's worth: <http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/physicsedu/> ********************************************************************** 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. 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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 ********************************************************************** ********************************************************************** 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 ********************************************************************** This communication is intended for the addressee(s) only. If you are not the addressee please inform the sender and delete the email from your system. The statements and opinions expressed in this message are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of National Museums Scotland. This message is subject to the Data Protection Act 1998 and Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. No liability is accepted for any harm that may be caused to your systems or data by this message. ********************************************************************** 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 **********************************************************************