editorially /peaking Chemistry for Everyman The results of Jon Miller's studies on scientific literacy, discussed on this page last month, have implications beyond the formal system of education. Recall Miller's general conclusion that taking one college course is the single variable that predicts for scientific literacy, even for people who did not finish college or who were students in two-year institutions. and that obtainine a baccalaureate added onlv marginally to the likelihood that a person would be scientkcally literature. These conclusions are based on the results of efforts that have been made within the structure of the svstem of formal education. Clearlv. the verv laree fraction 01the population that is outside that system of education, for whatever reason, is not likely to become scientificallv literate. This shouldbe a disturbing conclusion for a democratic society that depends upon technology and its precursor science. Everyone, formally educated oi~not,still has one vote. The logical extension of Miller's conclusions in that we need t o develop an approach to science education, outside of the formal education system, that will bring about the same effect as "a college science course". Interestingly enough, a number of initiatives with such characteristics have sprung up recently. The very successful national attempt t o inform and instruct the public about chemistrv which occurred on 6 November, 1987, is being repeatedihis year and extended to a week. This year e at ional Chemistry Week is 29 October through 4 November, 1989. Among the projects planned for 1989, ;he most ambitious is the production of 7-10 million copies of a 12-16-page Kationnl Chemi~trvWeek newsnaner to he inserr~din rheSunday editions oinewspapers'a&oss the nation. The NCW newsoaver will contain brief articles vertainine to the benefits df chemistry t o the general publie.. What could be the most significant effort to popularize science is the television course entitled "The World of Chemistrv". a series of 26 half-hour vromams scheduled to air on p&lk television channels in-,1951. "The World of Chemistrv" was created a t the Universitv of Marvland bv a team of chemists and chemical educators: The host for these promams is Nobel Laureate Roald Hoffmann. Although this series is designed as a course, and hence addresses the issue of providing a college-level course for wide distribution, it may lead to less formal, educationally oriented efforts to popularize chemistry for the citizens. For example, Hoffman's newest TV involvement, "The Molecular World", is reported to consist of three, one-hour specials that could ,conceivably appear a t prime-time. At this level, the propo-
-
nents of "science for citizens" truely have a chance to influence the thinking of citizens who are outside of the formal system of education. Attempts to popularize chemistry are being made in other countries too. For example, the Japanese regularly produce "science fairs" for the general public. These are designed primarily for school children who are brought in during the school day on outings hut anyone may attend; the venue of these fairs is often a vublic aatherinnvlace, such as a devartment store or shopiing m&. The Japanese-style fairs-consist of vassive disdavs, hands-on exhibits, and take-away items. The fairs &e organized by the Chemical Society i f Japan but presented on a regional basis. The French have produced an exhibit entitled "Molecules and Society" to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution and the Declaration of the Rights of Man. The exhibit uses computer-controlled lasers, strobe liehts. - . hundreds of trans~arencies.videota~es.obiects, and music and other high-fidelity sound to compose a i3-minute tour throueh the vast 200 vears of chemistry, beginning with ~avoisier's-fundamentalwork that establghedthe modern science of chemistry and ending with a glimpse of future applications of chemistry. The exhibit looks a t the producta of chemistry and how they affect our daily lives as well as confronting the darker sihe of chemistry-environmental risks and chemical weapons-while encouraging individuals to learn the facts and to formulate balanced o~inions.The exhibit will tour the United States and ~ a n a i under a the sponsorship of the ACS and Thone-Poulenc, the large French chemical company. All of this mav not seem germaine to the educational community or td "working crhemists". However, Percival Lowell, discoverer of the "canals" of Mars and predictor of the existence of a ninth planet in our solar system (Pluto), had adifferent opinion when he wrote"to set forthscience in a popular, that is generally understandable, form is as obligatory as to present i t in a more technical manner. If men are to benefit by it, i t must be expressed to their comprehension.. . .The whole object of science is to synthesize, and so sim~lifv.. .!' ~ialiconcernedwould seize every opportunity available to "synthesize and simplify", collectively, we might be able to provide a level of knowledge to the millions of Americans who are outside of our formal svstem of education that will have an effect equivalent to "a Eol~egelevel science course". JJL
Volume 66 Number 6 August 1989
619
