The shame of science education

Abstract

Public understanding of science is appalling. The major contributor to society's stunning ignorance of science has been our educational system. The inability of students to appreciate the scope, meaning, and limitations of science reflects our conventional lecture-oriented curriculum with its emphasis on passive learning. The student's traditional role is that of a passive note-taker and regurgitator of factual information. What is urgently needed is an educational program in which the students become interested in actively knowing, rather than passively believing. The use of problem-based learning provides a rich vehicle for making our students active participants in the learning process. One of the most effective ways of implementing problem-based learning is to organize the students in small discussion groups. The potential of small, carefully structured learning groups in higher education has yet to be realized. © 1984 by the American Society of Zoologists.