While this shift led to far more effective medical treatments, it did not come quickly or naturally to people. Even today, a large number of people are willing to reject medical science in favor of home remedies supported only by an anecdote offered by a neighbor or relative.
There is little reason to think that the adoption of a more scientific approach to science education will be much easier. Yet it has begun, and completing it offers the hope of moving from the educational equivalent of bloodletting to vaccines and antibiotics. With continued research and effective implementation of new findings about science education, it will be possible to achieve far more meaningful science learning for all university students.
Giving students a deeper understanding of the world around them is inherently enriching. It will also enable them to make wiser decisions on critically important matters of public policy, and to be far more creative and effective members of the workforce.
Carl Wieman, a Nobel laureate, is director of the Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative at the University of British Columbia and distinguished professor of physics at the University of Colorado. Copyright: Project Syndicate
RSS