Agriculture and the Undergraduate (1992) / Chapter Skim
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11 Scientific Literacy: The Enemy is Us
11 Scientific Literacy: The Enemy is Us
Pages 95-103
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From page 95... ...
, I will first describe my perceptions of the nature and origins of the national scientific literacy problem and then propose a solution that U.S. science educators can implement with reasonable ease and with a sense of optimism.
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From page 96... ...
I did an informal survey among two dozen of my colleagues in the earth sciences. Each was asked a very basic question in biology: "In simple qualitative terms, what is the difference in function be 96
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And even working scientists are often scientifically illiterate outside their own narrow specialty. What is going on7 Why has the system failed so many peopled My colleague Jim Trefil and I believe the answer boils down to the misdirected priorities of scientists ourselves.
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From page 98... ...
Second, science courses rarely integrate physics, chemistry, biology, and geology. Students must take courses in at least four different science departments to gain even a basic level of literacy in all the sciences.
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The unlversity~s science core curriculum committee has recommended that all nonscience mayors take this course In their first year; that course should be followed by a two-semester laboratory course in physics, chemistry, geology, or biology. In this way, every student receives an introductory overview that is followed by a specific science course that gives them some experimental rigor, that introduces laboratory technique, and that examines the analytical process in doing specific scientific experiments.
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From page 100... ...
This core knowledge changes only gradually with time, In contrast to the constantly shifting events In the news. If students can take a newspaper article about genetic engineering, the ozone hole, or chemical waste and put those In a meaningful context if they can treat science in the same way that they treat any of the other pieces of Information, like sports, business, or economics, that comes their way-then they are scientifically literate.
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From page 101... ...
In astronomy, for example, students learn that stars and planets form and move according to Newtons laws, that stars eventually burn up according to the laws of thermodynamics, that nuclear reactions fuel stars by the conversion of mass into energy, and that stars produce light as a consequence of electromagnetism. Two basic ideas plate tectonics and earth cycles (rock, water, and atmosphere~unify the earth sciences.
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From page 102... ...
Newtonts laws can be used to illustrate such practical examples as why people should wear seat belts, the launch of a space shuttle, or even the difference between football linemen and quarterbacks. Newton also provides an excellent starting point to discuss the relationship between science and technology, the importance of experimentation in science, and the scientific methodall key concepts that are not covered In most science courses.
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From page 103... ...
By returning to general science courses for all students, colleges can, In some measure, reverse the trend. Our goal must be to produce college graduates who can see that scientific understanding is one of the crowning achievements of the human mind, that the physical universe is a place of magnificent order, and that science provides the most powerful means for discovering knowledge that can help us to understand and shape our world.
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