SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY
Causes and Effects of Scientific Illiteracy Defined and Explored ν ν τ y ith a lack of scientific literacy roughly what a gene is, that a mention To describe how educators might % j l · / afflicting a large proportion of of genes is appropriate in a discussion of build on this difference between scien Τ • the U.S. population, the very marriage, and that there has been a legal tists' and students' apprehension of sci survival of democracy may be at stake. and ethical controversy over applying ence, Trefil draws an analogy from me dieval European society. At that time, he That is a problem that worries James for patents on genes. S. Trefil, Clarence Robinson Professor Trefil's use of magazine cartoons has says, society was divided among schol of Physics at George Mason University, another point. Public debates on issues to ars who were literate in Latin, merchants Fairfax, Va. He voiced this concern to day occur in print, he says. So to take part, and others who were literate in a vernac an audience at a plenary session of the a citizen must understand a daily news ular language, and the rest of the people, Pittsburgh Conference & Exposition on paper. Universities, he says, have not who were illiterate in any language. Analytical Chemistry & Applied Spec done a good job of educating people to Thus, the science literacy that educa troscopy—Pittcon '94—held early this understand a newspaper. Trefil also says, tors want to give the lay citizen may be month in Chicago. though, that reading a newspaper with different from, but not inferior to, that of a practicing scientist. "The emphasis Trefil, who has won acclaim for sever understanding is not a trifling task. al books explaining science to a lay pub Part of Trefil's explanation of how the should be on what the student needs to know," Trefil says, "not what the lic, cited the many controversies, faculty wants to teach." public debates, and political deci sions that go on in the U.S. today Trefil then raises the questions involving scientific and techno of what science should be in The idea of a citizenry ignorant of logical questions. 'The idea of a cluded in the curriculum for re citizenry ignorant of science is science is scary. Can a public, lacking sponsible citizenship and who scary/7 he says. "Can a public, should teach it. He presents his scientific literacy, go on voting on lacking scientific literacy, go on own list of some two dozen con voting on these questions, or will cepts that he thinks might be in these questions? there be a 'priesthood' established cluded, such as causality, order, to decide these matters?" — and Newtonian physics, as well as energy and entropy. Energy is Science literacy can be recog nized when the public knows enough U.S. public has evolved into a largely sci a thread that runs through all the sci science to understand the changes occur entifically illiterate group involves the dif ences—physics, chemistry, biology. ring daily in the world. Trefil says it is ference between how the student sees sci But there may not be enough time to similar to cultural literacy, in which "ev ence and how science sees itself. Scientists cover all concepts in a long list complete ery educated person assumes a certain see science as self-referential, something ly. For example, at the end of Trefil's list is body of knowledge that every other edu that is preferred according to scientists' relativity. Does the lay citizen need to cated person knows. If you don't know it, own disciplines, and as something that know about relativity? Some physicists you're out of the loop." might answer yes. But some topics in people do. That is, science is what scientists do. such a long list must be thrown out. He illustrates this point in regard to sci Trefil suggests that the solution is a ence with two cartoons from the New Also, scientists see science according to Yorker magazine. In the first, a woman their own fields such as chemistry or "zero-based curriculum." Beginning with tells her husband, 'Tour favorite sweater physics. And the emphasis is on doing. a clean slate, the educator adds topics in isn't here. I sent it out to be dry-cleaned Trefil compares the situation with a order of decreasing importance until the and carbon-dated." In the second, a man ticket taker denying a person admis time limit is reached. Trefil says that George Mason Univer entreats a woman seated on a couch with sion to a concert unless the person sity is setting up such a curriculum, but him, "Marry me, Virginia! My genes are demonstrates virtuosity on a violin. excellent and as vet unpatented!" To a student, however, science is prob skeptics ask who is qualified to teach The cartoonist doesn't expect the reader lem oriented. Greenhouse gases are one transdisciplinary courses. They question to know the nuts and bolts of carbon such problem. To a student, science is whether a physicist like Trefil is quali dating or the exact half-life of carbon-14, transdisciplinary. The division of univer fied to teach biological concepts. Trefil's Trefil explains. But the reader must sity science among traditional depart answer is yes. "You just have to accept know that there is such a technique, and ments doesn't make sense to a student that you won't be able to answer every that it is applied to objects thousands of today. And the student's approach is ap question," he says. Stephen Stinson years old. The reader must also know preciation rather than performance. 26
MARCH 14,1994 C&EN
