Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Re: [Phys-l] The percentage of Americans who....



I haven't done the research, but I hypothesize that this lack of knowledge is not limited to physics, or even to science. The list contained many illustration of deficiencies of knowledge of political science and history. Literature could probably be added to it.

I think most people in general are resistant to learning unless it immediately affects them directly or stimulates their pleasure center. Even the stimulation is quickly forgotten because it served its purpose.

Basically, I'm thinking that most people don't care to have a broad range of knowledge (not simply information, but a sense of the integration of different topics). That makes our occupation of education extremely difficult. The audience simply wants to know "How do I survive this course?" (whether it be physics or history) because they don't see (or expect) an immediate return on investment. I saw a sad illustration of this on the Today Show this morning. The topic was the proposed new warnings on cigarette packaging, and the story included sound bites from teenage smokers. One eighteen-year-old smoker made a statement something like this [words are not exact, but the idea is clear]: "I've been smoking for 6 years and it hasn't hurt me yet." I screamed at the idiot. Another teen: "I guess when I start coughing up blood, I'll quit." Yeah.

BTW, what difference does it make whether I know how long a meter is if all my tools are marked with the sizes? :!

College girl in Earth & space class: "Last night I was telling my friends that the moon was a waxing crescent and they started making fun of me."
Professor: "So what do your friends expect you to talk about?"
Girl: "Boys and clothes."

-----Original Message-----
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu [mailto:phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of Marty Weiss
Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 9:23 PM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] The percentage of Americans who....


extent of physics knowledge in King Arthur's time....

Sir Bedevere: ...and that, my liege, is how we know the Earth to be banana shaped.
King Arthur: This new learning amazes me, Sir Bedevere. Explain again how sheep's bladders may be employed to prevent earthquakes.

extent of physics knowledge in modern times....

Sir Bedevere: What makes you think she's a witch?
Peasant 3: Well, she turned me into a newt!
Sir Bedevere: A newt?
Peasant 3: [meekly after a long pause] ... I got better.
Crowd: [shouts] Burn her anyway!

(Monty Python and the Holy Grail)

The percentage of Americans who....


21%: Adults who think the sun revolves around the earth

30%: Adults who believe they've made contact with the dead

50%: Adults who believe in UFOs & space aliens on earth

53%: Adults who don't know it takes a year for the earth to revolve around
the
sun
56%: Adults who do not believe Darwin's Theory of Evolution

56%: Adults who think an electron is larger than an atom

63%: Adults who believe earliest humans co-existed with dinosaurs

66%: Adults who don't know how long a meter is

91%: Adults who cannot explain what a molecule is

The movie was meant to be funny.... these facts are just plain sad.




_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l