editorially /peaking
The Promise of the Future Within the past few years we have been deluged with detailed accounts of the perceived problem areas in secondary education. We are told that the number and anditv " of science teachers a t the secondary level is decreasing a t an alarming rate, primarily because the effects of natural attrition are being exacerbated by a steadily diminishing number of reolacements who. nerhans. do not have optimal hackerounds ;or the task at hand. ~ t ' t h same e time the absence ofgcceptably useful methods to improve secondary teachers' uuderstanding of the modern principles of their science intensifies the general malaise of science instruction at the secondary school level. Thus, it is not surprising a prevalence of poorly trained science students (among - others) is associated with this general environment. Numerous initiatives have been described which attempt to deal with some of the questions associated with the demonstrated diminished capacity of the secondary school system to teach college-hound students the skills necessary to deal successfully with college-level course work. Among the most recent is the College Board's effort to develop and implement a national standard for academic achievement in secondary education. These suggestions are intended to serve as guidelines for high schools to use in evaluating and revising their academic standards. The College Board's recommendation is a broadly-based, comprehensive statement of the desired outcomes of colleee nrenaration in hieh school-what students e do in orier to succeed in college. should know a n l h e a d ~ to Bv focusine on the ex~ectedoutcomes of secondarv education. the college Board iopes to affect the expectations of the schools as well as of the students attendine them. The Board's recommendations attemptto deal with seco n d school ~ outcomes in an even-handed manner hv "eivine equalweight to the humanistic aspects of educatiod" &d to mathematics and science a t a time when enthusiasm for science and technology "seems to he paramount in the minds of so many educators." Regarding science in general, and chemistry in particular, the report has much to recommend. Thus, in the field of science, the College Board expresses the view that "collegehound students will need sufficient scientific knowledge to be aware of themselves as biological organisms in a physical
.
world" and "to be able to function in a technical societv." Students are urged to develop a detailed knowledge in dne scientific field, and bv. implication, schools are urged . to fa. cilitate that prwess. Mathematics is called the "indispensable language" of science, technology, and business. Accordingly, secondary school students are urged to acquire a "general proficiency plus specific abilities in algebra, geometry, functions, statistin, and computing." In the Board's opinion, college-hound students will need preparation in laboratory and field work. Specifically they will need to have:
.
The ability to distinguish between scientific evidence and personal opinion by inquiring and questioning. The ability to recognize the role of observation and experimentation in the devela~mentof scientific theories. 5utlwwnr inrn~l~nrlr) ulth Inhuratoq and field \ r d to a3k appn,prlnrc rlpnr~fl~.,ltle.lr
