• Question: Do you think science is taught and portrayed as best as it can currently to school aged kids? If not what can we do to change this?

    Asked by spacenut1982 to Christina, Colin, Jess, Samaneh, Steve on 18 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Christina Pagel

      Christina Pagel answered on 18 Jun 2013:

      Hi spacenut,

      I don’t know about science teaching right now, but when i was at school, no i don’t think it was… i found a lot of school science boring and pointless and only kept going with it ebcause my older brother would tell me cool stuff about physics and maths and space… that made me read popular science books about the universe and stuff and they really inspired me.

      I think things are better now (like i would have loved something like this when i was at school) and there’s the internet which makes it much eaasier to find out about science outside of school… the problem with science and maths is that there are some things you just have to learn firs – there are no short cuts – and those aren’t the most interesting things. I think about it a lot and I wish tehre was an easy way to show people how great science is but still teach all the techniques and theories you just have to know and understand….

    • Photo: Jess Bean

      Jess Bean answered on 18 Jun 2013:

      The thing that often sparks my interest in a science topic is how it relates to me and my life. The curriculum has to exist but I think if teachers could pick current science news stories and cover these in class it could seem much more relevant. I also think relating science to to industry and current research is pretty cool. I’m a ‘STEM Ambassador’ so I sometimes go into schools and talk about my research work and I think people like hearing about it from a real person. I think it’s a shame lots of people think that if you’re good at science you have to study medicine!

Comments

  • Photo: spacenut1982

    spacenut1982 commented on :

    That’s interesting! I was just curious to hear it from a scientists point of view! Though I do disagree with the its better now!! I deffinatley agree with the whole scientist in schools thing! Just a pity we don’t have the same!!

    • Photo: Christina

      Christina commented on :

      Yeah I agree with jess that having working scientists go into schools is a great thing (even if just to show it’s not all bearded old men!)… I give quite a few talk at schools as well but i’ve also come across some schools who just aren’t that interested! Do you think it would be good idea to have a sort “ask a question” thing on our work website similar to this Spacenut? that way students from any school could have some interaction?

      • Photo: spacenut1982

        spacenut1982 commented on :

        Yes! Totally, speaking from personal experiences, I find science lessons quite boring and prefer having a bit of freedom if you know what I mean? But also, some teachers at our place don’t really have the time to do things like I’m a scientist (hence the reason why I’m under my mums class) so it’s totally a good idea for people who want to learn more, but yet aren’t really provided with the right resources? If you get what I mean?