Scientific Literacy

Scientific Literacy

 

Two scientists from Lawrence Livermore Labs (LLL) excitedly called James Randi (James Randi Educational Foundation) and said that he would have to forfeit the one million dollar prize money that he offers for proof of any psychic phenomenon.  In this case the scientists had “verified” an instance of telekinesis using only the power of the mind.  Randi listened to their description and was immediately able to duplicate the trick that had fooled the PhD physicists.  That video is available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbwWL5ezA4g.

 

LLL is chock full of the best scientists on earth.  It is the poster child for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education which is currently emphasized in our school system.  The scientists who were fooled by the magicians trick are outstanding engineers, chemists and physicists in their particular fields of study.

 

But isn’t there something very wrong with this situation: PhD level scientists who can’t tell the difference between an astounding brain function discovery and a simple magic trick?  My 13 year old students would have known immediately that they were observing a trick.  They might not have known how to explain the trick but they would have known that it was a trick by simply asking the, “What’s more likely?” question.  What am I more likely observing, a new superpower of the mind or a magicians trick?

 

I can only conclude that being awarded a PhD in a scientific field of study is no guarantee of scientific literacy.  I can only fault myself and other science educators for producing PhD level scientists who are not able to distinguish between scientific and non-scientific processes.  This is a blatant lapse of basic science education.

“It is possible for a student to accumulate a fairly sizable science knowledge base without learning how to properly distinguish between reputable science and pseudoscience”. (“Science Education Is No Guarantee of Skepticism”, Walker, Hoekstra, Vogel), http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/12-03-07/#feature

Instead of being taught a broad understanding of the use of scientific thinking in everyday life, these scientists are the product of an educational system that focuses on the narrow application of laboratory skills.  Experimental laboratory skills are certainly very important but not at the expense of ignoring the application of scientific thinking in all areas of life.  What is needed is an appreciation and an in depth understanding of Scientific Literacy.

 

Scientific literacy is a functional competency in the methodology of science.  In a practical sense, it is comprised of:

 

  • Awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the basic tool used to gather scientific information: your brain. Includes common cognitive mistakes and fallacies which influence the gathering of scientific evidence.
  • Ability to recognize the difference between scientific and non-scientific processes.
  • Ability to apply the scientific process in the observation and examination of evidence.
  • Ability to evaluate the quality of scientific information on the basis of its source and methods.

Ask any science teacher about the most important and critical skill in science and each and every one of us would definitively say, “experimentation”.  As this rationale became incorporated into our educational system over the last forty years, experimentation became the be all, end all, must do all, hands-on splinter skill.  Sacrificed on the altar of “laboratory experimentation” was the rich history, development and the how and why of scientific thinking in everyday life that is, scientific literacy.  “Science education, in its current form, seems to do little to offset pseudoscientific beliefs, and may in fact give students reason to accept science fiction as science fact”, (Walker, et. al, 2012).

Every science course at every educational level should be teaching scientific literacy.  Even   coursework in non-science courses like English, history and social studies should include a generalized scientific methodology that can be applied to any question, investigation and the gathering of evidence in any field of study.  Questions like: “How do historians gather evidence?”; “What are the hypotheses surrounding the writings of Shakespeare?”; “How do psychologists gather evidence given that people feel, believe and misperceive?”.

In sciences courses, after being exposed to the specific experimental methodology in that field, students should learn the developmental history of that science, how mistakes were made and how scientific methodology kept pointing scientists to a more accurate understanding of our world.

The next stage of a deep and robust science education should include how the brain processes information and the strengths and weaknesses of this incredible tool.  Understanding the limits of perception, memory and common cognitive fallacies produces a student less likely to fool themselves and confuse their beliefs and emotions with evidence.

Throughout every science class, students should learn how to examine the quality of evidence that they see every day on TV, computer and social media in the form of advertising that makes unsupportable claims.

Let’s give everyone a good “Baloney Detection Kit”, originally penned by Carl Sagan in his book, “The Demon-Haunted World” and refined here by Michael Shermer:

http://www.michaelshermer.com/2009/06/baloney-detection-kit/

  1. How reliable is the source of the claim?
  2. Does the source make similar claims?
  3. Have the claims been verified by someone else?
  4. Does this fit with the way the world works?
  5. Has anyone tried to disprove the claim?
  6. Where does the preponderance of evidence point?
  7. Is the claimant playing by the rules of science?
  8. Is the claimant providing positive evidence?
  9. Does the new theory account for as many phenomena as the old theory?
  10. Are personal beliefs driving the claim?

 

There is so much lack of scientific literacy in our world today.  Sheer nonsense is given such credibility on the Discovery Channel, the History Channel and even National Geographic TV.  Everything from ghosts, witchcraft, Bigfoot, space aliens, drinkable sunscreen, magical alternative medicine, crop circles, astrology, psychic readings, pyramid powers, crystals and energy auras are given pseudoscientific plausibility.

Let’s start changing this situation by teaching our children sense from nonsense.  Let’s teach our children Scientific Literacy at every age and at every opportunity.

 

Victor Dominocielo, M.A.  7/18/14

Victor Dominocielo, M.A., a California-credentialed teacher for 37 years, is the Human Biology and Health teacher at a local middle school. He earned his Master of Arts degree in Education from UCSB. The opinions expressed are his own.

 

Scientific Literacy Definition from Wikipedia

“According to the United States National Center for Education Statistics, “scientific literacy is the knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and processes required for personal decision making, participation in civic and cultural affairs, and economic productivity”.[1] A scientifically literate person is defined as one who has the capacity to:

  • understandexperiment and reasoning as well as basic scientific facts and their meaning
  • ask, find, or determine answers to questions derived from curiosity about everyday experiences
  • describe, explain, and predictnatural phenomena
  • read with understanding articles about science in thepopular press and to engage in social conversation about the validity of the conclusions
  • identify scientific issues underlying national and local decisions and express positions that are scientifically and technologically informed
  • evaluate the quality of scientific information on the basis of its source and the methods used to generate it
  • pose and evaluatearguments based on evidence and to apply conclusions from such arguments appropriately[2]

The OECD PISA Framework (2015) defines scientific literacy as “the ability to engage with science-related issues, and with the ideas of science, as a reflective citizen.”[3] A scientifically literate person, therefore, is willing to engage in reasoned discourse about science and technology which requires the competencies to:

  • Explain phenomena scientifically – recognize, offer and evaluate explanations for a range of natural and technological phenomena
  • Evaluate and design scientific inquiry – describe and appraise scientific investigations and propose ways of addressing questions scientifically.
  • Interpret data and evidence scientifically – analyze and evaluate data, claims and arguments in a variety of representations and draw appropriate scientific conclusions.

Scientific literacy may also be defined in language similar to the definitions of ocean literacy,[4]Earth science literacy[5] and Climate Literacy.[6] Thus a scientifically literate person can:

  • understand the science relevant to environmental and social issues
  • communicate clearly about the science
  • make informed decisions about these issues

Finally, scientific literacy may involve particular attitudes toward learning and using science. A scientifically-literate citizen feels concerned about environmental and social issues, responsible to act on these issues, and empowered to use science as a tool in addressing these issues.”

 

This entry was posted in Classroom on by .

About Victor Dominocielo

I graduated from Fordham University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Experimental Psychology. After college, I worked as a social work assistant for the Visiting Nurse Service for two years in Harlem and the South Bronx. I came to California and got a BA in Physical Education, a teaching credential and a specialist credential in Adapted Physical Education. I worked in Special Education at Alpha Training Center for 10 years during which time I got credentials in Biology, History, Health Education and Severely Handicapped Education. I moved on to Devereux School for 12 years during which time I earned my MA in Education. Sixteen years ago, after my son graduated from Santa Barbara Middle School, I became the 8th grade Science teacher there and the Medical Coordinator for the school and their extensive Outdoor Education Program. While I was in NYC, I was part of the first class of EMT’s, working for 5 years at Lenox Hill Hospital on their 911 ambulance and in their emergency room. When I came to SB, I worked in the Cottage ER for a year and I volunteered on the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team as an EMT and Rescue Technician for 12 years. I have been an EMT, in and out of certification, for over 40 years. Along with teaching Human Biology and Health, this is another reason why I write about medical and health issues.