Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Using the ‘Beauties of Physics’ to Conquer Science Illiteracy

I mentioned earlier that in dealing with politicians and the general public, a scientist has to be shallow, perky, and superficial to capture the public's attention. A presentation full of facts and content alone will not cut it.

This interview describes Eric Mazur at Harvard in his attempt at tackling the physics illiteracy, especially among none-science students. His method is trying to convey the "beauty" that is inherent in physics.

Still, after reading this, I'm not sure if the way it has been described involves the appreciation of the "beauty" in physics, or more of simply presenting physics in ways that students can actually see the applications and relevance in their lives. I think many instructors and high school teachers have tried doing that. So, not sure if this has anything to do with the "beauty" of the subject matter.

Zz.

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