ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions. ***************************************************************************** I would suggest that folks take a look at the article I circulated a fews days back and that Martin followed up with a no subscription reference. It gets to the heart of human nature and social constructs, learning is a layer on top of these basic constructs. There are suggestions in the literature indicating that people do make adjustments for first hand observation, i.e. the path of an object out of a curving tube be it solid or liquid. But people generally tend to believe the accepted and condoned version reality whether it's fact or fiction, and I would add particularly if it has little effect on their immediate existence, e.g. disease, germs and health. Common wisdom is something like, people tend get exercised and attentive about dangers of little relevance if the consequences are large, or disinterested in stuff that generally doesn't matter to their daily lives, e.g., global warming, evolution, and this is particularly true if there's no social/cultural support, or compelling need for action. Museums and exhibits can support and foster knowledge and enlightenment, but they ain't going to revolutionize. So change at the top and beckons of light are what's needed. The Creation Museum is a pathetic example of the power of ignorance––one of many. On May 29, 2007, at 3:03 PM, Diana Issidorides 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 > www.exhibitfiles.org. > > The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L- > Soft. To learn more, visit > http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html. > > To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the > message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to > [log in to unmask] Charles Carlson Director of Life Sciences exploratorium 3601 Lyon St. San Francisco, CA 94123 [log in to unmask] Tel: 415-561-0319 Fax: 415-561-0370 *********************************************************************** 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. The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-Soft. To learn more, visit http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html. To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to [log in to unmask]