Teaching Science Badly – and Well

[[[In older times the idiocy of the “aamils”, pirs, and mullahs and assorted soothsayers was accepted by just the ignorant and illiterate. But today college graduates, as well as the rich and powerful, now calmly accept this as high wisdom.

Good science education alone can change this.]]]

Dear writer

Sorry, I do not agree with your ideology at all. Rather your ideology is quite disturbing for me.

Yes, I admit to learn science is a good tool for human progress propectivel, but, to be good and fine humans science is not the answer to all problems or their solution.

To accept aamir, pirs or mullahs is absolutely not related to lack of scientific education.

My brother in law has done his phd in nuclear physics from Oxford and from Finland with two years fellowship from USA Pittsburg............he is teaching in Punjab university and has been promoted as associate professor of Physics @ just a very young age of 32 years..........

He has recently converted in to exremist mullah...........and I have seen so many people with scientific backgrounds and ended up being mullahs...............

So, my whole point is your concept is totally flawed about science and being mullahs.

Science is good for human progress, but, it doesn`t change the dogmas. If, they are out to be mullahs they`ll remain mullahs. If, they believe in pirs or aamils they will definitely do that with science or with out science............................Thanks

``In contrast, a recent survey in India revealed that a majority of school students see science as the most glamorous and interesting career to pursue. Many go on to becoming the world’s top scientists. This is a key factor in the emergence of India as a major world power, in scientific as well as economic terms. ``

The key factor its(indias) large population with potential of 200 million middle class families potential for Americas Wal mart to move in .....

practical answer: zero error

Agreed. Course books should be revived, (a lot of good images- mentioning of online sites- laborities having `complete` equippments, etc) Teaching method should be improved but a more emphasis should be given to reviving Course Books, atleast where the teaching is not good a student would be able to get it right all by himself. I was interested in science, somehow I lost my interest, I`d blame myself but I`d also blame the course-books and teaching method. Today in good colleges,student go to Medical/eng universities not because of good teaching/n/course/ but because of their own rattafication qualities and hard-work, as they are supposed to be the cream of that city,so the cream goes to these faculties and the remaining nuts end up being like me!

Forget about science, they tell a student in pak-studies about the ideology of pakistan that it was made in the name of religion and that it was a genuine fear that after the britishers leave , we`d not be given fair chance in country`s politics and prosperity

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to our youth`s utter surprise, today President of India is a Muslim and Prime-Minister is a Sikh, so when our youth sees the reality, he gets confused. So all the muslims of india do exactly what we here do

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?? -- wandering around

no offense, by the way www.kidsastronomy.com ( a must see)

[what are good science teachers actually supposed to do in class?]

1. Survive the onslaught from Mullahs

2. Survive the onslaught from the Khakis

3. Survive the onslaught from the masses

4. Conduct a balancing act between teaching students skepticism without offending those who demand unquestioning obedience (i.e., teach a new mindset without appearing to)

5. Do all of the above on very limited salary and with no support from the administration
6. Teach the students how to accomplish all of the above on their own