I'm quite excited by this book. The underlying thesis in my PhD work in science education is that narrative should be a primary tool in teaching science. The barebones "fact" approach used in most textbooks leads to public misunderstanding of the processes of science. Moreover, it alienates the average citizen, causing them to eschew all things science. Trump has really taken advantage of these misunderstandings and attitudes to trounce on all things science.
This book has this wonderful narrative chapter on all the evidence-gathering, arguing, and consensus-building that has ensued in the so-called "fact-building" on the causes of the extinction of the dinosaurs. This narrative accurately portrays how science is done, including the acrimonious disagreements. It could be such a powerful tool if used in the secondary classroom. Citizens would come to understand that each fact captured in a textbook has a narrative past that entailed discovery, argument, and consensus building. Science is more than a collection of memes that can be countered by the latest Trumpism!
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.In my classes this is the method I used, plus personalized examples. I ran a math lab at one college that was designed to aid students having difficulties. The college expanded it to take in High School level students as well. I used a "sandbox" method wherein students having problems with geometry/trigonometry were given hands on instruction with physical models they would construct to illustrate theorems and solutions. We also spent considerable time reinventing the wheel by going through the logic process employed by the early mathematicians. The students learned and I had a lot of fun. Win -- win.
evidentialist
Level 8
Nov 18, 2018
1
this works for many subjects -- even math, i'll wager! in high school history we got wars and dates, dates and wars. i hated history. when i got out of school i discovered that i loved history. barbara tuchman, lewis mumford, a whole gang more, some of the lawyers who've written books (not the ghost-written ones lol), wow, why don't schools use their books?
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genessa
Level 8
Nov 18, 2018
1
Gmak:
Education departments are very insular; they don't heed the work of other disciplines, even the work of cognitive scientists and anthropologists. I find the education literature almost unreadable!
@Gmak i did in school. it was sometimes better in college, sometimes not. when i taught, i used all sorts of materials, but only dry textbooks when not able to make my own syllabus (i was teaching in japan, and some schools offered more freedom to teachers than others). i used a lot of video. i taught with the book subliminal seduction in one class. those students were lively!
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@Gmak thanks! i have a backlog, a hell of a backlog, because of my deteriorating eyesite. i can read stuff on the computer because it's back;lit. being broke, i can't do the kindle thing, not unless the books are free and available on the computer as well, but guttenberg and the like are useful. this probably isn't on that, eh? alas.
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@Gmak hmm, reminds me of desmond morris, who may have been an influence or jumping-off point. interesting. i'd love to read it. i haven't even finished getting my guy to read lawrence o'donnell's book about 1968 to me. we may have to start over as he has alzheimer's (and is a slow and bad reader) and will have forgotten the chapters we have already read/heard. i need EYES!
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