I have just published a science fiction novel, Traveling in Space, and there is a bit of an irony in that. When I was in high school and college I was lucky to achieve even a D in science courses, and to this day any math beyond the four basics -- addition, subtraction, multiplication and division -- puts me into a cold sweat. Even the four basics would bother me if some kind strangers had not invented the hand-held electronic calculator.
Granted, there is no hard science in my novel and the only math is the word count, but still -- a science fiction novel? I mean, any dummy can write a mystery. You just create an amateur sleuth who has the same profession you have (so you can "write what you know") and throw a dead body in their path. But science fiction? Shouldn't the writer at least know how to do an equation?
Not necessarily, I have to say in self-defense, because although science in my formative years would often make me sick to my stomach (and not just because I was dissecting a frog), in my adult years the idea of science and its rational method, and the history of science and its incredible achievements in pushing upward the Homo sapiens species, have been the most delightful and important memes to meander joyfully in my mind. I date this conversion from watching Jacob Bronowski's 1973 BBC series, The Ascent of Man (broadcast in America over PBS). In this 13-part documentary series, Dr. Bronowski presented his personal view of the flowering of human intelligence, especially through science, in an engaging and compelling manner that must have made his lectures in classrooms standing room only -- as opposed to my science classes which were sleeping room only.
The Ascent of Man excited me about where humankind had come from and, more importantly, about where it might go. I began to understand the value of science and its method, not just in leading to technological toys we all enjoy and benefit from, but leading to an expansion of what we know and a maturation of our shared self. After Bronowski, I discovered Carl Sagan, especially his early books such as The Cosmic Connection, and went on from there to enjoy the great science writing we've had for the past 40 years by such authors as Francis Crick, Paul Churchland, Robert Wright, Jonathan Weiner, Steven Pinker, Brian Green, Natalie Angier, Edward O. Wilson, Antonio Damasio and, of course, Richard Dawkins, among others. Although The Ascent of Man and these books certainly include specific facts and data, what they really convey is the general personality of science, the overall thrust of what its method of inquiry can achieve, and the sense of wonder that the exploration and growing awareness of the universe around us -- and within us -- can engender.
I've been thinking about all this recently while listening to conversations about public school education, especially two of the more interesting ones. One is cultural centering on the teaching of evolution and the proposed teaching of what I can only refer to as counter-evolution. The other concerns the pragmatic push to turn around our country's poor performance in high school science and math scores, so we will have the required scientists, engineers, mathematicians and technocrats to keep America competitive in the future.
Certain participants in the first conversation seem to propose that we teach little or no science to anyone, as it may offend someone; contributors to the second feel we should require more science for everyone in the hope that we can create many someones who will brilliantly make America economically strong again. Neither, it seems to me, is ideal. The first, not teaching science or teaching all theoretical comers -- as if science was a democracy -- is too absurd and silly a debate to need a comment from me. The second -- required intense, heavy-on-the-details math and science courses -- sounds fine but I believe such requirements turn more students off than on, because, let's face it, learning just the dry facts and details of science is hard going and many students, indeed most, might spend their time in class experiencing the same cold sweats I did, or, worse, a hateful indifference.
And yet, science education in this country needs improvement, not just so we can leap ahead of Europe and Asia in money-making technology, but so we can have an informed population who, like it or not and for some time to come, will face ballot measures asking them to make general decisions on such subjects as abortion, stem cell research, sexual orientation and the rights desired or denied in such orientations, genetic modification, climate and energy issues, and other subjects that are best considered by an electorate with some science literacy. They will also be asked to elect candidates who will be tasked to make many specific decisions requiring more than a basic understanding of science. But how can the electorate judge a candidate's level of understanding if they have little or none of their own?
I would like to propose an idea. This idea comes not only from my own history of cold sweats in science classes, but from the warm glow I felt in classes in the arts. First, we should stop requiring for high school graduation courses in several of the major sciences, rigorously testing students on their understanding of very specific details and minutia of biology, physics, geology, etc. These classes should be elective and only for those students who truly want to study a particular science. I suggest this, though, only if what is required for graduation are two other courses: Science Appreciation and the History of Science. These should be taken within the first two years of high school, and maybe previewed in middle school. For what is the use of leaning facts and data and details of individual sciences, and never learning what science, at its essence, truly is? Is it a philosophy, a modern religion, something only geeks care for, a mystic understanding of the fabric of the universe, or just a very boring set of dull and deadly facts?
Science should not be treated like a frog in formaldehyde -- it should be understood and appreciated before you pull its guts out.
I have obviously taken this idea from long-established art and music appreciation and history courses. Just as not everyone can draw or play music, not everyone is going to become a scientist, engineer or mathematician -- no matter how badly the country might need them. And just as life is richer if you have an appreciation for art and music, our country and society would be richer if everyone had an appreciation of science -- what it is and does and how it has spurred on, in Bronowski's wonderful phrase, the Ascent of Man.
Science scares people. A knowledgeable understanding that science is simply a well-honed method of inquiry into, and discovery of, the laws of nature that discourages in its conclusions prejudices, biases, and subjectivity, and thus can better reveal, and revel in, the true awe and wonder of the universe, is the best way to alleviate the fear, far better than the thud-thud-thud of facts to be memorized. Good science appreciation and history courses taught by enthusiastic instructors will open and inform minds among the majority of students, and inspire some of those students -- maybe more than one might think -- to pursue with vigor careers in science and its related fields. Those are the students for the specific science classes of details and facts, and, well motivated, they will not sit in those classes suffering cold sweats.
Anthony Kayruz: A Defense of History
James A. Shapiro: Does Natural Selection Really Explain What Makes Evolution Succeed?
Eva Glettner: Do You Think Girls Hate Math? Think Again!
and then they went, and then they went, and then they went, and then they went, and then they went, and then they went, and then they went, and then they went, and then they went, and then they went, and then they went, and then they went, and then they went, and then they went,
I think moving the core science classes to electives is a bad idea. They're hard - you actually have to do work to succeed and that sounds disastrous for getting students to actually take the classes. I wouldn't have taken biology had it not been required.
Secondly, with fewer people taking these classes, fewer people understand it. We need an educated electorate which occasionally means we need science. For example, students need to have taken biology to know about meiosis and mitosis and how humans reproduce on the cellular level - vital to an informed voter with regards to abortion. As is the knowledge that we just don't know what gives us the spark of life. Also important when contemplating death penalties, war, etc.
Finally on this point - if these classes were electives then we would miss out on students who may not find science all that interesting until they're actually doing it. There's only so much wonder to be gained and shared while talking and learning ABOUT science. The real moments come from actually doing it and seeing science working first hand.
What I wanted to say in my original response (but did not have room for), is that while I may not think having the core classes be an elective is a great idea, having an introductory science history/appreciation class is. I love it. Not only would it give students a feel of what science is all about, how it came to be, and where it might go, it would show that science isn't something to be feared or demonized -it's a portal to wonder and awe, to discovery and invention, and one possible avenue for bettering humanity.
And as a side note, despite what non-scientists and even some scientists (Dawkins) say, science and faith do not have to be mutually exclusive. I think this is an unfortunate hurdle that science has been losing ground to in recent years.
About your proposal, I dunno. Science appreciation & history are great ideas, but again, if taught in a dry way they can be as off-putting as badly taught science. Maybe these aspects can be integrated withing regular science courses.
As you well said, a key aspect is the development of the sense of wonder; good popular science nurtures this. Science is so much more than dissecting a frog, but again, you know that. There is much more to say, but I want to finish by saying that when you are interested enough on something, you find a way to make it work. I speak from experience, do not sell yourselves short (I am also talking to some of the commenters)! You do not have to be a PhD to love have an understanding of science.
BTW, I intend to check your novel out…
And thanks for checking out "Traveling in Space." Hope you find it of interest.
You don't really need anything complex to do science. For me, science is playing. Science is seeing something awesome then trying to repeat it or explain what happened. Science is having a question about nature and then trying to answer it. Like, why is it when you mix equal volumes of alcohol and water together the total volume isn't the volume of each added together.
One thing I do think it's very important to cover in education is what makes science unique. I don't recall much coverage in my (admittedly ancient) grade school science classes about the scientific method, empirical evidence, observation, experimentation, or repeatability. I do recall reading an occasional bland, terse, definition of the scientific method but nothing extensive. I don't recall being tested on it to any substantive degree and I definitely don't recall anything about how to distinguish science from non-science.
I teach teachers in grades PK-3, and kids at the beginning of this span are still passionately curious about life, although factory-style schooling rapidly dims the gleam in most of their eyes. I teach curriculum courses the most, and teach teachers that curriculum at those grades should mostly begin with kids questions about the natural world (science) and social world (social studies). Young children are passionately curious about sharks and volcanoes and fairness. Keep this curiosity alive, and plenty of high school kids will choose to go further with science--we just need to make the upper grades more like a good preschool.
P.S. Although people have crying wolf about an impending scientist shortage for decades, there is no broad shortage of scientists, and many trained scientists can't find good jobs upon graduation and simply find jobs in other fields. Thus, your proposal doesn't create a problem and might solve some of our scientific illiteracy.
I love dinosaurs. Absolutely. But once we get into the specifics of biomechanical analy... zzzzzzzZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz. *Snort*... *mumble*... huh? T-rex? ROOOOAR! Dinosaurs cool!