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] |
If you want people to see what science knows, have them read an actual scientific report prepared by actual scientists. Start with the 12 enumerated points in this appendix:
http://ncadac.globalchange.gov/download/NCAJan11-2013-publicreviewdraft-appendix2-climateprimer.pdf
It's less than two pages in a big font -- about 500 words -- written in plan English. Reading at this level is an admission requirement at every college I've ever heard of.
And even if it weren't, you ought to make it a requirement for passing the gen-ed course. The report doesn't have the glitzy production values of a well-made propaganda video ... but IMHO part of growing up is learning that the right answer doesn't always come in a glitzy package. If they want to know what we know /and/ something about how we know it, they can read the rest of the appendix (77 pages) or the rest of the report (1200 pages).
Last but not least, if you want them to know how science is done, start by setting a good example of logical reasoning. That does not include watching N propaganda videos and splitting the difference. That also does not include finding some guy whose "tone" you don't like and doing the opposite of whatever he says. Again: the right answer doesn't always come in an attractive package. _______________________________________________ Forum for Physics Educators Phys-l@phys-l.org http://www.phys-l.org/mailman/listinfo/phys-l