science a la carte? shirley m. malcom wheres the beef?
TRANSCRIPT
Science a la Carte?
Shirley M. Malcom
Where’s the Beef?
SCIENCE A LA CARTE? WHERE’S THE BEEF?
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Low levels of public science literacy
• What people know
• What people believe
SCIENCE A LA CARTE? WHERE’S THE BEEF?
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Science and Public Policy
• Global warming
• Stem cell research
• HIV / AIDS
Science and Politics?
SCIENCE A LA CARTE? WHERE’S THE BEEF?
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Is there a place for science-based decision-making in today’s political environment?
SCIENCE A LA CARTE? WHERE’S THE BEEF?
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The danger of false dichotomies
• Environment vs. economy
• Public health vs. sexual permissiveness
• Religion vs. science
SCIENCE A LA CARTE? WHERE’S THE BEEF?
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When science is necessary
• Economic development
• National security
• Quality of life
SCIENCE A LA CARTE? WHERE’S THE BEEF?
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When science is “inconvenient”
• Clash of values
• Implications are politically unpalatable
SCIENCE A LA CARTE? WHERE’S THE BEEF?
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When science is confusing
• Tentative nature
• “There’s theory and then there’s theory”
• When “experts” disagree
SCIENCE A LA CARTE? WHERE’S THE BEEF?
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Culture wars?
• A response to uncertainty?
• Slowing the pace of change?
SCIENCE A LA CARTE? WHERE’S THE BEEF?
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What opportunity to understand the nature of science?
• The role of formal education
• The role of informal education
SCIENCE A LA CARTE? WHERE’S THE BEEF?
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Early education in science is essential foradult literacy
SCIENCE A LA CARTE? WHERE’S THE BEEF?
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What happens in school?
• Sense making
• Science as a dynamic body of knowledge
• Nature of science
SCIENCE A LA CARTE? WHERE’S THE BEEF?
13Source: Horizon Research, Inc.
Mean Ratings of Indicators of Quality of Mathematics/Science Content: K-12
SCIENCE A LA CARTE? WHERE’S THE BEEF?
14 Source: Horizon Research, Inc.
Mathematics / Science Is Portrayed as Dynamic Body of Knowledge
SCIENCE A LA CARTE? WHERE’S THE BEEF?
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Source: Horizon Research, Inc.
Content Focus of Observed Lessons: Science
SCIENCE A LA CARTE? WHERE’S THE BEEF?
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The View from College
SCIENCE A LA CARTE? WHERE’S THE BEEF?
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The Nature of Science
Health as a CompellingPersonal Topic
SCIENCE A LA CARTE? WHERE’S THE BEEF?
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What to do?