Just a quick note today... off to lovely Rotorua to share some science, work in classrooms and generally wreak havoc!
I've been thinking a little bit about the role of science within our lives. The NZC states that science plays a significant role (p. 17) so with this in mind, it should be a bit of a priority in classrooms. Of course we already have plenty of other priorities including growing vege gardens, teaching the children to swim and possibly squeezing in literacy and mathematics too!
If science is to play, or is indeed playing a 'significant role', how do we citizens respond? The other night I watched a news article about an upcoming 1080 drop with people from both sides arguing the case. It seems, as a nation (in fact, as a planet), we're losing the ability to discuss. We simply shout louder a particular view with absolutely no interest in any other point of view. Could we be supporting our students to develop communication skills? Again, the NZC on p.28 discusses the need for communication right through all components of the Nature of Science! Can children share their views, listen to other points of views and possibly change their mind? When I watch videos, particularly of the US and their political protests, I do wonder whether this could happen!
My job does tune me in, but I do wonder about this "significant role" science plays. It seems some areas are seeing a drop in science being taken at higher NCEA levels and universities are finding the same. One scientific research centre I spoke to told me they had to hire from overseas as we just didn't have the uni courses to grow the needed skills and there were few graduates anyway. So how do we start 'making' science important again?
Science definitely makes the news: 1080 drops, medical breakthroughs, new solar systems discovered were just over the weekend that I saw. Last week, I was reading about the Canterbury river system with its braided rivers which are quite unique and the issues with farmers needing water and the system possibly degrading. I come across science articles and comments through Facebook, although not sure that reflects "science"! I wonder how people respond. Do they read through or glance through or ignore? Do they accept whatever they read, hear or watch, whether it be NZ Herald, television news, a documentary, National Radio, etc? Do people critique? Do they know how? And more importantly, do we need to know how?
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| From Fake Science, Facebook |
I would hope as children become more tuned to science playing a significant role, they will start to think that they too have a significant role in society!
And to finish... saw a duck eating an acorn the other day so shared my findings with a colleague like this "Did you know ducks eat acorns?... Well one duck did... Well I saw her eat one acorn, I don't know if she eats lots... I'll start again. I saw a duck eating an acorn!" The joys of scientific observation!
Have a great sciency day
Paul
Thanks Paul, for your provocative post- the comment about discussion is such an important thing to consider. Discussion is a great tool for learning as students are asked for their opinions, so they need to think, process, inquire into their own thinking. So taking 1080, the aim is to reduce the predators so that birds can thrive in their absence. If the 1080 kills the birds that we are trying to protect, it seems counter-intuitive, however ongoing monitoring 12 months and more down the track shows huge gains for our native birds- so how do we encourage our students to think with breadth and depth, to look beyond the first response. There is a challenge..
ReplyDeleteThe other part of this equation is developing understanding of how science works- that nature of science stuff that Paul rabbits on about- if scientists are promoting the use of 1080, what actions, what evidence, what data underpins their decisions, because the same decision is continuing to be made, so what information is this 1080 decision based on?