We don't do this in any of our science courses, as far as I know. But
we do have a "values" course that all seniors take. There is a segment
of this course in which teams of students examine a "sticky" issue and
present their conclusions/recommendations to the rest of the class. It
appears to me it is very common for the group to come to the wrong
conclusion and then convince the whole class to come to the wrong
conclusion. When this happens, the professor seems powerless to swing
it back the right way.
My involvement is typically when environmental issues are studied in
this class. Since I serve on a county environmental committee that is
part of the county health department, students know they can come to me
for "one take" on an environmental issue. Of course my "opinion" is
based on science, and on my monthly meetings with the health department
and Ohio EPA, etc. But the students treat it just as I stated, as "one
take" on the issue, and/or just Professor Edmiston's opinion. For the
other take they usually go to websites of environmental alarmist groups.
It seems to be an epidemic that students find the alarmist views more
compelling that good science. In the end I fear that this aspect of the
values course does more harm than good.
Michael D. Edmiston, Ph.D.
Professor of Physics and Chemistry
Chair of Sciences
Bluffton College
Bluffton, OH 45817
(419)-358-3270
edmiston@bluffton.edu