1. How Our Culture Keeps Students Out of Science

Comment #226007 by Funnyguts on August 7, 2008 at 3:22 pm

This article is a mess and I'm glad PZ went after it. Unfortunately, there isn't much about even the first part of the article to agree with beyond the obvious "more people should be in science jobs."

2. The Return of Religion

Comment #211748 by Funnyguts on July 16, 2008 at 9:33 am

The first part appears to be the "they're not talking about MY god" thing.

Yes, actually, we are talking about your god and every god.

3. Science is thrilling - except in our schools

Comment #203789 by Funnyguts on July 3, 2008 at 3:25 pm

@Saraswati: That hands-on stuff you mention does sound pretty boring. Projects where the outcome is already guaranteed are lousy. There are definitely plenty of hands-on activities that would be both more fun and more educational. I personally recommend (especially in the higher levels) that students be encouraged to create their own experiments, which a)gives them autonomy, b)helps them master the scientific method and the way real scientists think as the actual facts are reinforced, and c)requires them to be creative and thoughtful as they design their experiments.

@Diocletian: I agree with you on not starting with Newtonian physics. I would personally start in the earlier grades (and at home) by trying to identify what the students find puzzling about the world and using that to launch into scientific inquiry.

4. Science is thrilling - except in our schools

Comment #203709 by Funnyguts on July 3, 2008 at 12:07 pm

Why does no one in school administration (as well as the legislators that keep pushing the obsessive checklist system) read these kinds of things? The sentiments expressed about science can just as easily be applied to the rest of the subjects schools fail to make exciting and worthwhile.