Browsing Through the Journals
Thomas D. Rossing
Like the Millennium Dome in London, a network of science centers
built as part of the millennium celebration in Britain are in financial
trouble, according to a news item in the 13 June issue of Nature.
A dozen or so science centers, intended to boost the public understanding
of science, educate children, and help to revitalize depressed urban
areas, were financed largely with $360 million from Britain's national
lottery. But with no lottery money available to maintain them, many
of them, such as the Glasgow Science Centre, are in financial difficulty. "Without
support from government, the future of science centers that do not
have income streams other than visitors spending is bleak," the CEO
of a science center in Newcastle is quoted as saying. Observers fear
that many centers will be forced to replace educational activities
with more commercial alternatives.
A conference called Physics on Stage 2 brought 420 teachers
and educational experts from 24 European countries to Noordwijk April
2-6, according to a report in the June issue of Physics World. The
conference, held at the European Space Agency's Space and Technology
Center, included performances, presentations, and workshops. Most of
the countries reported a common problem: a shortage of physics teachers.
A third conference, Physics on Stage 3, will be held at CERN
in Geneva, in November 2003. Information is available at www.physicsonstage.net.
A thoughtful editorial "Science for Citizens" by the editor, Lester
Paldy, appears in the May issue of Journal of College Science Teaching. "It's
remarkable," Paldy comments, "that nearly 50 years after the post-Sputnik
reforms in pre-college and undergraduate science education and after
the expenditure of many billions by NSF and other federal agencies,
we're still struggling to figure out how we should approach the problem
of science education for citizens." He suggests that local school boards
would do well to hire science teachers who can share with their students
at least one scientific hobby. Most schools would never hire music
or art teachers who did not practice some aspect of those subjects.
Why should science be different?
A call for more physics education research in the United Kingdom
is the theme of an editorial "Looking at how we teach physics" in the
May issue of Physics World. Although the UK is one of Europe's
most active centers for developmental work in university physics teaching,
more research on physics education is needed, the author argues. He
cites groups at the Universities of Washington and Maryland in the
US as examples.
A resource letter on risk analysis in the May issue of American
Journal of Physics is intended to provide an introduction to
the literature on risk analysis. It includes a discussion of how
risks are calculated with roughly decreasing reliability: from historical
data; new risks calculated by an understanding of engineering processes;
and new risks calculated by analogies with other processes. Like
all resource letters in the series, it lists books and journal articles
useful in teaching about the subject, risk analysis.
The May 3rd issue of Physics Education includes
two special features: Physics for Citizenship, which includes papers
on "Citizenship and science" and "A citizenship dimension to physics
education." The other special feature is on Teaching Quantum Physics,
which includes four papers on various aspects of the subject. It is
interesting to note that the March issue of American Journal of
Physics also had a special focus on teaching quantum mechanics.
"Concern continues over K-12 Math, Science education despite R&D
reforms" is the title of an article in the May/JUNE issue of NSTA Reports.
The article discusses Science and Engineering Indicators 2002,
a report from the National Science Board released in April. America's
high school students continue to fall behind in international achievement
measures in science and mathematics. Though more students are taking
advanced academic courses in high school, many students need remedial
work in college. A persistent issue in science and mathematics education
is the size and adequacy of the teaching force, the report said. Teacher
pay scales in the United States tend to be lower than those in a number
of other countries, including Germany, Japan, South Korea, and the
Netherlands. In addition, teachers in American schools tend to work
longer hours. The full text of the report can be read at www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/seind02/start.cfm.
Politicians understand the kind of stories that journalists are looking
for. If more scientists did, too, they would be better equipped to
get their message across, argues an editorial in the April 4 issue
of Nature. Many scientists are quick to attack the media when
they believe they have been misrepresented, whereas politicians realize
that attacking journalists is short-sighted strategy. Instead they
have become experts in rebutting inaccurate stories and imparting their
own message. Some grant-awarding bodies now promote media training
for scientists. Britain's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research
Council, for example, announced plans to include $720 for media training
in each grant it awards.
A strategy to tackle the declining popularity of the physical sciences
in Ireland has been unveiled in a report by a government task force,
according to a story in the June issue of Physics World. The
strategy includes plans to upgrade undergraduate laboratories and the
creation of "access" courses that can ease students' transition from
school to university. Other recommendations include the creation of
the post of chief science adviser, the setting up of a national science-awareness
program, and the construction of a national hands-on science center.
"Improving Science Education for All Children" is the title of a
guest editorial in the April issue of The Physics Teacher by
Representative Vernon Ehlers (R. Mich). Dr. Ehlers, who is one of two
physicists in Congress, reminds us that during the trying times last
fall, Congress passed the President's education reform bill. This new
law requires science testing for the first time in 2007-2008, giving
states time to set the standards and prepare the tests. While these
reforms will do much to improve our nation's schools, there is more
to be done. Clearly the traditional "Three R's" of childhood education
no longer offer sufficient preparation for an age where virtually every
job requires basic problem-solving skills and technical competence.
He urges the physics education community to participate in science
education reform efforts by impressing upon local, state, and federal
educators and policy-makers the need for such reform and the numerous
contributions that science and technology make toward knowledge and
our way of life.
Tom Rossing is Professor Emeritus of Physics at Northern Illinois
University, DeKalb, IL. He has for 6 years served as editor of the
Forum on Education Newsletter.
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