Boston.
ED1TOR'SNOTE:Back in 1981, Bill Marshall published an article in "Chemical Bonds" arguing b t science be required of all shrdents (not just futuremajors) because it is part of our culture and that the course itself should reflect this broader perspective. In the brief note below. Bill brim ou readerrhip up to date on sane of b responses his article generated and suggestssome more noisemaking on our part when we have something to say to those outside the science-education community.
On Publicizing Viewpoints on Science Education Willlam L. Marshall Chemistvy Division Oak Ridge National Lsboretq' Oak Rldga. TN 37830
Recently, a paper of mine, which discussed conditions of science education a t the high school level and proposed an approach for improving scientific literacy, was published in THTS JOURNAL.^ The paper was aimed not only a t scientists h u t also a t the general public-especially those who had the administrative Dower to i m ~ l e m e n decisions t on science education with respect to financial support and iipinim shaping. I sent out reprints of the paper in .March 1982, tu colleagues in chrmistry and others. The other> ~ncludtdnational congressmen, prrsons at the National Science Foundatim, high school teachers and administrators, and smne meml~ersuf thr President's Science Advisory Commission. 1 inrluded a cover
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Operated by Union Carbide Corporation under contract W-7405eng-26 tor the US. Department of Energy. Marshall. W. L.. "Implementing Cultural Science in the High SCh00ls." J. CHEM. F O U L 58. 770 (1981).
edited by: ALBERTKIRSCH Boston University M855achu~eN802215
letter, a brief statement of the problems, and a proposed solution. Although I had not requested a reply, almost everyone responded. The replies generally were detailed letters containing their agreements or criticisms of the proposed approach. Letters from several, including congressmen, indicated that I had touched a sensitive point, and that many of them were not aware (at that time) of the situations in the high schools with respect to science education. That March, there still was not much publicity emanatinn from the press and television on the conditions i f high school science. However, a t the first of the summer, numerous articles henan to a m e a r in newspapers and magazines, and special pkgrams bnd intewiews on hothradioand televisiun that vuhlicized thesituations in science, many essentially pleading that the country move strongly toward improvement if only. .iust to "catch up" with the o&r advancedcountries. I would like to feel that the article and distributed reprints may have helped, in part, to reaching an apparent "kindling point." T o achieve broad awareness, it has taken several years of effurt hy numerous people concerned, and this is cert&l? the goal that many mrmbrrs uf the A('5 Divaion uf (:hemicill Education and hirh " schml twchers h w e heen dedicated to reach. One way to speed up implementation through greater awareness is for authors of articles on the suhiect to mail reprints with a cover letter to those outside their held who might he able to aid in furthering the effort.
This column explores ail sorts of connections with chemishy-bands
wim other sciences; wim society,enwgy, and the environment;and w h
philosophy and literature.
Volume GO
Number 9
S e ~ t e m b e r1983
761
