Science education

creationism nor evolution should be taught as factual science and should not be indoctrinated into students, but can be taught as a theory and philosophy that should be viewed with scrutiny. Teaching evolution or creationism as fact imposes specific beliefs onto an individual, only teaching them what to think, not how. According to the Discovery Institute, evolution should not be taught as fact, but as a theory open to judgement. Creationism is not science, as it deals with unexplainable…

In Vannevar Bush 's article, Research Agency Planned, Bush urges for an increase in government funding toward the sciences to develop solutions to several problems the U.S. faces. Bush does this by focusing on three problems. The first is to fund basic research in medicine. Bush points out that currently seven million people are suffering from mental illnesses of which there is no cure and additional funding should aid the basic research in medicine so that progress can be made toward a solution…

Bateson, an English anthropologist, once said “Science, like art, religion, commerce, warfare, and even sleep, is based on presuppositions.” In a place and time where many individuals take the word of scientists as law, we must be careful to remember this fact. We cannot assume that because a teacher or scientist or uses the statement “science has proven” that they are unquestionably correct; it is our duty to teach this generation and the next that science is fallible and preserve them from…

The world today is increasingly dependent on science and technology (S&T) and the question of gender and S&T becomes even more pertinent. We not only require people to contribute to the growth of S&T, we require that they understand the impact of S&T on our lives and use its products effectively. That worldwide there is a trend of fewer women participating in the growth of S&T is worrisome, as it prevents inclusive perspectives. Education is viewed as a panacea for the imbalances and a…

Throughout history, education and what is taught to future generations has been a hot topic of debate. It should go without saying that preparing young children for the future, and how to operate in and become a functioning member of society should be paramount ideals when considering how to go about educating future generations. In recent history, there has been a sizable push to establish a specific viewpoint into public school curriculum—the science curriculum, to be more specific—around…

What does science mean to you? To me, science is everything. Not only is it the normal biology or psychology, it is everything that surrounds us, or is in us, even the things we ourselves do not know about. The Webster definition is “a system or method reconciling practical ends with scientific laws” which for me that definition encompasses everything we know and learn every day. You can look around and find things that are there; a pencil, a wall, a tree. You can find things that you don’t even…

Whereas the heavy majority of big-budget space adventures set in present day or the near future pay little attention to scientific accuracy in the name of entertainment, The Martian is, at its core, about science. It is about the triumph of the scientific method and the value of education. Trapped alone on Mars, astronaut Mark Watney has to conduct what are essentially a series of real-world scientific experiments to survive. He has to figure out how to make water, how to grow food, how to…

the U.S. Department of Education, “…few American students pursue expertise in STEM fields—and we have an inadequate pipeline of teachers skilled in those subjects.” This lack of teachers that are equipped to teach STEM subjects can be seen as one of the main reasons that there is a lack of students that enter college as a STEM major. Furthermore, using the idea that the lack of STEM majors was contributed by the lack of STEM teachers, I was able to then see how early education essentially…

French physicist Emilie Du Chatelet, descendant of nobility, was involved in science to a degree that was unmatched by the vast majority of eighteenth century women. Du Chatelet was well-educated and well-connected, using the opportunities her privilege presented her with to gain knowledge and produce original contributions to the field of science. In the early eighteenth century, working in science was considered outside of a woman's social sphere of influence, although women were allowed some…

they pursued their education and careers in scientific research. I was born in Shanghai, as my parents finished their post-bacs degrees, and moved to Japan at the age of two to accompany them as they obtained their PhDs. When I was seven, my family finally settled down in Seattle. These experiences growing up in the different countries and different cultures have broadened my perspective. Having gone to school in three different countries, I have seen the differences in education styles, and…