ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************

Dave,

From my perspective we not only have a lack of effective teaching about
evolution but a lack of setting up situations where students learn "how the
world works" through age-appropriate reasoning about experiences in the
natural world.   A part of the evolution problem could be solved if we just
created all science learning in ways that kids began to know things of value
because of the way they approach the natural world.  At its best, this kind
of learning helps kids develop a sense that nature is a reliable source of
information that can be trusted to help explain how the world works.  Maybe
then we would start to produce citizens that have enough understanding that
they would start to be able to recognize unreasonable explanations.

Thus anything we teach and learn about in science can eventually contribute
to all science literacy that supports any of the big ideas in science.  That
is, of course, if we teach rather than preach.

So a big question I have for all of us is: What is it about an exhibit that
explores weather or a demonstration to explore electricity that will help
kids be able to reason about evolution?

Bill Schmitt 

-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Smith
Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2007 5:51 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Storytelling, creationism, evolution and museums

ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
****************************************************************************
*

Diana,

In my work with teachers in both urban, suburban, and rural districts alike,
here in PA, I find that the problem is not the teaching of creationism as
much as it is the lack of effective teaching of anything about evolution.

Teaching creationism in public schools is illegal.  The Supreme Court has
said so and the lower courts have not backed off in the face of the recent
ID challenge.  If your school district is actually teaching creationism, you
don't need a storyteller, you need a good lawyer.

What creationists have succeeded at, however, is creating a climate of fear
among teachers so that many teachers teach a highly descriptive form of
biology, largely devoid of the unifying coherence of evolution.  Since some
of the major concepts of evolution easily succumb to misconception, a lack
of coherent and deep teaching about them does mean that the population holds
many views that align with creationist doctrine, even if they wouldn't
consider themselves biblical literalists.  They are the ones susceptible to
the "teach the controversy" argument, which seems so reasonable to them as
they see their own science background saying nothing at odds with their own
misconceptions or the distortions of the creationists.

Dave Smith, Da Vinci Science Center, Allentown, PA


On 5/29/07, Diana Issidorides <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology 
> Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and 
> related institutions.
>
> **********************************************************************
> *******
>
> While agreeing with the comments of both Nina Simon and Alan Friedman 
> on storytelling and the need for our institutions to promote 
> fascinating narratives on evolution, I can't help but feel this is 
> fighting the symptoms instead of  the disease.  As long as creationism 
> is sanctioned by  the formal educational system and spoon- fed to 
> children at school, attempts  to counterbalance this brainwashing via 
> our exhibitions are but a drop in the ocean, however commendable. 
> Children taught from a young age to see the world through the eyes of 
> creationism will not see the light because they visited our 
> exhibition, project, or programme on evolution. Our energy must 
> primarily be aimed at  the root of the problem: lobbying both congress 
> and senate to stop endorsing creationism as an alternative to the 
> teaching of evolution in schools.
>
> Diana Issidorides
>
> - -
> Dr. Diana C. Issidorides
> Senior Scientist & Exhibition Developer Science Center NEMO P.O. Box 
> 421 1000 AK Amsterdam The Netherlands
> T: +31205313201
> [log in to unmask] / [log in to unmask] www.e-nemo.nl
>
> **********************************************************************
> * For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers 
> and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
>
> Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at 
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--
David L. Smith
Allentown, PA
[log in to unmask]

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For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.

Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.

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