Science in Schools

[wurzel]

I was at a wedding the other day and had a quite illuminating conversation with a guy who taught science at GCSE / A level standard.

I was talking about how certain sections of the media go on about how easy science is compared to say 10- 20 years ago and how today's students wouldn't stand a chance of being able to pass any of the papers from those days.

Amazingly, he completely agreed with this view and also thought it was a very good thing. His view was that it is a job of a teacher to stimulate interest in a subject and you won't stimulate interest by subjecting your students to lots of dry formulae and equations. Those who are interested in science and want to take it to a higher level will have the opportunity to learn the nitty gritty at a later stage.

I know absolutely nothing about present day education but couldn't help feel that those kids will have a pretty steep learning curve if they want to take it to the next level - unless the uni courses are similarly dumbed down of course.

[Moose423956]

Funnily enough, my daughter was telling me yesterday about some of the things they do in Science. It sounds well in advance of what I was doing 30+ years ago. They've even covered quantum physics. But then, she is a bit of a swot.

[threaded]

A lot like mathematics. Why bother learning those boring rules of addition, and multiplication tables. Just get those felt tips out and colour in to make some pretty patterns on the work sheets. Learn all about tessellations, and group theory. Them that gets their interest piqued can learn all that boring stuff later.

[swamp]

In a maths degree you will re-learn everything in the A-Level.

[threaded]

In a maths degree you will re-learn everything in the A-Level.

I must've missed a good few classes on my A levels then...

[wurzel]

They've even covered quantum physics.

Ah, that's how Peaches Geldof knows all about it then.

[Moscow Mule]

I think it's important for kids to be taught the basics of scientific method and the difference between causation and correlation. If the learning of equations (which are easy to look up) has to be dropped from the syllabus to accommodate that teaching then I'm all for it...

[TimberWolf]

It must be difficult for the brightest (or at least the most academically switched on) at university, unless classes are streamed. A decade or two only the top 10% or so went to university, and now it's just about everyone. The kind of people that got O levels. Although saying that, it's bollux, the brightest students ignore lectures anyway.

[SueEllen]

Students self-select.

Look at the percentage of those doing Maths and Science A levels compared to years ago and other subjects, then look at the number of those who go on to do Maths, Physical Science and Engineering Degrees compared to years ago and other subjects.

Less students are doing them, and a lot of those who are doing them want to be Doctors or thanks to CIS want to do Biological Science degrees.