America flunking science

[Yumie]

Well, after having (almost) failed high school Physics, I would have said good riddance to science after I graduated.

But after realizing the importance of such a subject in college and in my major, it prompted me to take three semesters on the very subject I had nearly flunked earlier. It doesn't really hit you until you realize that science and math will always be there, even if you manage to never look back.

Yep. Might as well work hard at it now as opposed to having to work much harder to make up lost time later.

Not only that, but when you don't work hard at science because you THINK you'll never need it, you narrow down loads of possibilities of things that you can do with your future. And it'll be just your luck that you'll figure out that what you reeeeeally want to do involves it. So, buckle down and dig in, people, it'll never get any easier than it is now.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

So, buckle down and dig in, people, it'll never get any easier than it is now.

You could always like.... never take it again...

[Yumie]

You could always like.... never take it again...

Uh, only if you don't want to do anything that even remotely involves science at all. Which makes my point: that doing poorly in science narrows down the possibilities of your future. (Which is what I was trying to say in the first place, XD.)

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Uh, only if you don't want to do anything that even remotely involves science at all. Which makes my point: that doing poorly in science narrows down the possibilities of your future. (Which is what I was trying to say in the first place, XD.)

Quite true >_> Darn you... uh... way-the-world-goes! Always incorporating science into things... I guess it cannot be helped

[Yumie]

Quite true >_> Darn you... uh... way-the-world-goes! Always incorporating science into things... I guess it cannot be helped

XD, unfortunately, it cannot.

[ssj2gohan61]

gosh everyone it was just a joke when i said "science who needs it..." lol i guess it as just an open invitation to flame me for some people

[Allegro]

Yep. Might as well work hard at it now as opposed to having to work much harder to make up lost time later.

Definately. Remember to always have the perspective that science may not only be there just to fufill a general ed requirement in college.

A lot of good paying professions will require a whole range of science courses, both life and physical. Just as one example, for one to become a nutritionist, he or she will need to take both biology (how our metabolism functions), physiology (how the food affects certain parts of our body) and chemistry (the chemical make-up of certain foods).

There still might need to take something that is totally unrelated to your major, which might include a few science courses. Part of the reason is that whatever field you're interested in, there is always a chance where you might bump into a biologist or mathematician who will work with you on certain projects. You'll need to understand their ''lingo' in order to work cooperatively, so it's no surprise that you have to take certain science\math classes just so that you can communicate with such people.

For example, some computer science major requirements will have you learn about circuitry, which requires physics and has little to do with the bulk of the major. Learning about circuits is more in tune for an electrical engineer, but the computer scientist will need to learn the material and take the classes because both professions often work together in the field.

So do as Yumie says and dig in while you still can!

[Technomancer]

Here's a *mod snip* of a good article on this very subject. It appeared in today's 'Pharyngula'.

MOD EDIT: Watch the language.

[Shepherdmoon]

Part of the problem could be that we no longer have the Soviets around to push us on.When Sputnik went up in the '50s it spurred American science education.But now that we no longer have a Soviet Union to worry about what's to keep pushing us to improve our science education?We need to have someone to compete against.

You hit the nail right on the head!

[Puritan]

Firstly, people should know that the comments at the end of the article contain profanity, but the article makes a really good point. Sure, we can go through life withoug knowing algebra or science, and by ourselves we may be able to do ok. However, we are missing out on knowledge and opportunities if we neglect math or science. Many citizens are ill-informed about science and end up having pretty silly opinions about things because they haven't learned enough to understand what's going on.

Take a subject that's really important to me: energy resources. I'm a nuclear engineer, so the subject of how we get the electricity and fuel which powers our economy is vital to the work I will be doing in the future. I get sick and tired of hearing people talk about using hydrogen as a fuel as if it will be the solution to all of our energy needs, when in reality Hydrogen is simply a method of energy storage, and honestly not the greatest method of energy storage we have now. Informed citizens would know that much of the hydrogen produced today comes from Natural Gas, so converting cars to use Hydrogen won't solve our dependance on fossile fuels unless we begin using methods of producing hydrogen without using fossile fuels. If citizens are well informed about science they can demand reasonable solutions to problems rather than believing in ideas which won't work.

[Flying Tigers]

Firstly, people should know that the comments at the end of the article contain profanity, but the article makes a really good point. Sure, we can go through life withoug knowing algebra or science, and by ourselves we may be able to do ok. However, we are missing out on knowledge and opportunities if we neglect math or science. Many citizens are ill-informed about science and end up having pretty silly opinions about things because they haven't learned enough to understand what's going on.

Take a subject that's really important to me: energy resources. I'm a nuclear engineer, so the subject of how we get the electricity and fuel which powers our economy is vital to the work I will be doing in the future. I get sick and tired of hearing people talk about using hydrogen as a fuel as if it will be the solution to all of our energy needs, when in reality Hydrogen is simply a method of energy storage, and honestly not the greatest method of energy storage we have now. Informed citizens would know that much of the hydrogen produced today comes from Natural Gas, so converting cars to use Hydrogen won't solve our dependance on fossile fuels unless we begin using methods of producing hydrogen without using fossile fuels. If citizens are well informed about science they can demand reasonable solutions to problems rather than believing in ideas which won't work.

Yes I agree with you, if more people had a want to learn science they will"demand reasonable solutions to problems rather than believing in ideas which won't work". Public schools do not give people the want to learn, they actually do the opposite by deriving all the knowledge they gain from one source(a textbook) that the government chose for them making them negative toward school. Without the freedom to learn what they want learn how they want learn, young man and woman care less to learn anything at all, furthermore teachers don't learn how to teach in the Education departments though only from experience.

[Technomancer]

Public schools do not give people the want to learn, they actually do the opposite by deriving all the knowledge they gain from one source(a textbook) that the government chose for them making them negative toward school.

I both agree and disagree with you. Schools sometimes do not motivate students, and may indeed do the opposite. I feel though that there is more than one reason for this. Teachers themselves may be at fault for simply being bad at their jobs, either through lack of knowledge, poor technique, or simply having an objectionable personality. The local culture may also play a role, a lot of people have noted that among some teens there is a feeling of pressure not to to do well, not to be seen as a geek or a nerd. Learning and effort are somehow seen as uncool.

As far as the textbooks go, I'm afraid that a well-chosen text is often essential. And yes, the relevant authorities should be doing this, because people educated in the field and with at least some pedagogical training should be deciding the structure of the curriculum. In your states though, there seems to be a distressing politicization of the process of textbook selection.

Without the freedom to learn what they want learn how they want learn, young man and woman care less to learn anything at all,

Freedom to explore is important, but there is also a demand for structure and discipline. Without these, it is altogether too easy to slack off or to forgo essential (but difficult) preparation for more advanced subjects. You should look into the "Open Concept" experiment that took place here in Ontario during the 1970's to see what a disaster total freedom can be.

[Mave]

Hmm...I would like to think that art and science are both legitimate tools of exploring and appreciating the gifts of God given to mankind. I wouldn't necessarily reject scientific findings outrightly. At the same time, I wouldn't place complete faith on science to explain everything.

I have little to comment on the U.S. high school education system since I never grew up in it except for part of the tertiary level. I have this mentality that it's not what the system can offer you but rather, what you do with what is offered to you. You can be in the top school and do poorly in life, while someone else can be brilliant and achieve great things despite being in a not-so-well established school. IMHO, it's all about having the right attitude. I guess I'm just saying that I don't think the best education system is going to necessarily fix someone's attitude.

The high school education system I grew up in is surely not the best in the world (it's mostly hampered critical thinking/creativity and offered little motivation to learn) but I'm not going to use that as an excuse for mediocrity. I'm just grateful for the academic blessings God has already given me and my family for trying their best to foster a positive attitude towards education.

[mitsuki lover]

Good science education always has to begin with being a bit curious about the world around us and how things work and why they're there and what caused them to be in the first place.If students don't have a sense of curiosity they won't be as highly motivated to explore the sciences.