New trends in physics teaching, v.4; The ... - unesdoc - Unesco

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, HEALTH EDUCATION AND OTHER DISCIPLINES
Science in society
It is not only economics which might be brought into our science teaching. Much development
work has been done in recent years on Environmental Studies, on Rural Studies, on Health
Education. An examination of such courses reveals how much worthwhile material has been
produced. The environment and society are closely linked, and it is vitally important that young
people should be aware that the use of scientific knowledge can be either beneficial or detrimental
to the environment. It is sad that a large majority of school children do not study
Environmental Science; most schools offer physics, chemistry and biology in some form, but to
add Environmental Science as though it were a separate subject is just not feasible. It seems far
more logical to incorporate much of the environmental science material into existing science
courses.
The same applies to health education, as also to nutritional science or engineering studies.
In some countries, health education is provided as an alternative to physics, chemistry or biology
for the academically weak students. This seems fundamentally wrong: we are all concerned with
health, and education about it should be provided for all children. A place therefore should be
found within existing science courses.
WHAT MIGHT BE TAUGHT
Of course, there is as great a need as ever to study Newton’s laws, to handle electromagnetic kits
and to appreciate the evidence for energy levels, but perhaps the image of science would be
improved if a little of the time spent on physics teaching could be given to examples of the ways
in which physics has bettered the lot of mankind. Reference has already been made to health
education, but the application of science to health and medicine over the centuries is such a
powerful contribution to society that it must inevitably impress school children.
It is not just a matter of showing the practical application of scientific principles, important
as this is. Students have always studied Hooke’s Law for the stretching of materials and no doubt
they should not cease to do so. But in society what matters is not the working of Hooke’s Law,
but the point at which it breaks down, for this is what decides when a building or bridge will
collapse. A slight but subtle change of approach is needed. Wires should still be stretched, but
students should not be restricted to ‘verifying Hooke’s Law’ and told not to overload the wire
‘for fear of damaging it’: the limitations of Hooke’s Law are as important as the law itself. This
idea can be extended further from a special wire to materials in general. Pupils should be concerned
with the materials which society needs and with their properties, for these are the daily
business of the manufacturing and construction industries.
However, the answer to what might be taught probably lies in Professor Vitta’s list quoted
above. Most of the items in his list have links with physics and if only this were made apparent
to school children it would show how powerful can be the contribution of physics to development
throughout the world. It is, for example, energy which decides the level of productivity
possible from land resources; energy requirements also influence both mining and industry.
Aspects of communication and of transport could all be means of showing the relevance of
physics to society and the environment. There is also the social impact of the electronics revolution,
and no doubt electronics wil come to play an even larger part in science courses in the
future.
But it is not only the large scale issues that might be incorporated into the teaching. Mention
might be made of Aunt Georgina, who decides to save energy by going to bed by torch light
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