Display:
Important diary indeed. There's a big issue in schools as well. The universities want science candidates soaked in all sorts of tools, but someone who is going to end up studying something else is not only turned off by the constant harping on boring tools, but is not given any education that would lead to an understanding of science that could help them in modern life.

I personally feel that universities need to rethink some of their "tool obsession" at the student selection stage because it leads in part to scientists (especially in the UK) who lack appreciation of the "non-scientific" parts of society.

But, even if we say we have to retain a hyper-specialist stream in schools to educate future physicists etc. it's time we recognised that future "artists/politicians/whatever" need a different curriculum to help them relate to science.

At one silly level, my glib statement about this is always "we should be teaching statistics instead of calculus." That's true in that some sense of risk analysis and understanding expression of polling etc. would be useful, but it's still rather a tool oriented response.

Really, in a way, it would be best to ask some artists etc. who managed to develop a good relationship with science not just how to spark their interest, but about the pathway that education could take that would work for them.

I don't say this will solve everything for everybody, but I am sure that the way we do things now really isn't the best way.

by Metatone (metatone [a|t] gmail (dot) com) on Thu Jul 19th, 2007 at 03:56:40 AM EST
we should be teaching statistics instead of calculus

That statement is spot-on.  

by ATinNM on Thu Jul 19th, 2007 at 10:20:11 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Display:
Login
. Make a new account
. Reset password
Recommended Diaries
Clipping the wings of a judge
by Migeru - Feb 10
34 comments

Sarkozy: Enemies Ahoy!
by afew - Feb 10
20 comments

Hunger March wins PR battle
by DoDo - Feb 9
3 comments

Romania: protests change government
by DoDo - Feb 8
6 comments

Murdoch - Outsourcing and Hubris
by ceebs - Feb 3
18 comments

Obama wins GOP Primaries (to date)
by Frank Schnittger - Feb 8
9 comments

LQD: Unsustainable irrigation
by Melanchthon - Feb 9

Bristol Pound
by ChrisCook - Feb 7
14 comments

Recent Diaries
Sarkozy: Enemies Ahoy!
by afew - Feb 10
20 comments

Clipping the wings of a judge
by Migeru - Feb 10
34 comments

LQD: Unsustainable irrigation
by Melanchthon - Feb 9

Hunger March wins PR battle
by DoDo - Feb 9
3 comments

Obama wins GOP Primaries (to date)
by Frank Schnittger - Feb 8
9 comments

Romania: protests change government
by DoDo - Feb 8
6 comments

Answers to the Renewable Energy Consultation
by Luis de Sousa - Feb 7

Bristol Pound
by ChrisCook - Feb 7
14 comments

The Imitation Of Germany
by afew - Feb 4
31 comments

Strange Fruit
by Frank Schnittger - Feb 4
14 comments

Murdoch - Outsourcing and Hubris
by ceebs - Feb 3
18 comments

Mismatch with the Natural Gas Market
by Luis de Sousa - Feb 3
22 comments

The Future of Economics
by ARGeezer - Feb 2
191 comments

Desert Island Discs - Helen's distortions
by Helen - Jan 31
48 comments

Gorila
by DoDo - Jan 29
14 comments

Rail News Blogging #7
by DoDo - Jan 29
15 comments

Obama's State Of The Union: LQD
by Crazy Horse - Jan 25
74 comments

Democracy Technology
by gmoke - Jan 24
1 comment

The Hydrogen dream
by Luis de Sousa - Jan 24
49 comments

ET Paris Meet-Up 2012 (2 UPDATE)
by afew - Jan 23
113 comments

More Diaries...
Occasional Series