Relaunch of Save Science Education blog

I have decided to relaunch this blog as a way of recording my own thoughts on the state of science education over the course of this academic year. So much is happening that it seems important to at least record the erosion of science education as it happens lest we forget how quickly things are changing.

Comments are welcome.

David Perks

The UK's role in fundamental research diminishing

Britain pulls the plug on particle physics research. With the STFC confirmation that we are pulling out of the International Linear Collider project which will replace the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, we could be watching the demise of physics in the UK.

This is a sad time for physics and like the demise of supersonic passenger transport, we seem to be watching our ambitions as a nation curtailed in the field of science and technology. The withdrawal form the Gemini telescope project is a blow to astronomers in the UK and leaves astronomy in a perilous position in the near future facing a 25% reduction in post-doc grants.

It is time to fight our corner before fundamental physics research becomes a distant memory.

A bit of good news

Two bits of news that have left me rather happy, although I don't for one second expect this to be the last we hear on either topic.

1)Tunbridge Wells Homeopathic Hospital to close following withdrawal of NHS funding.

2)The government finally put an end to this "Intellegent Design" nonsence (which was getting to the point of insanity with the Vardy group of schools teaching creationism in science classes.) by issuing the following guidelines...

"Creationism and intelligent design are not part of the science National Curriculum programmes of study and should not be taught as science.....Creationism and intelligent design are sometimes claimed to be scientific theories. This is not the case as they have no underpinning scientific principles, or explanations, and are not accepted by the science community as a whole."

New science A-Level

Just in case anyone fancies a peek at the A-Level course designed to follow on from the new science GSCE's, allow me to present Science in Society.

I was asked to reply to the National Science Learning Centres report Now Science Works by Professor John Holman the Director. Here is a link to my less than favourable review of the progress made to deconstruct science education at Key Stage 3

http://www.instituteofideas.com/sciedproject.html

I welcome the chance to debate this as the Key Stage 3 review is a continuation of the same philosophy underlying the new GCSE science courses. Upto now there has been only a smattering of coverage on this issue.

Easy Science is a Poor Formula

comments on the Times article about easier science exams.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/debate/letters/article2357752.ece

Measles on the rise

"Health experts are issuing a warning about measles after an unexpectedly high number of cases this summer."

Well just in case anyone is wondering what the effects of a dumbed down science curriculum that favours uninformed debate over peer-reviewed evidence is, we have an "unexpected" rise in measles cases. Colour me surprised.
I'm sorry OCR, but science is not about opinion based debate because not everyone's opinion is equal. There has been enough evidence post-Wakefield to dismiss the initial Lancelet paper as nonsense and to allow doubt about the safety of MMR to creep into the curriculum is irresponsible at best.
We can expect future media scare stories on issues such as MMR and WiFi as long as this kind of "don't worry about the actual evidence, there is no right or wrong answer" style of debate continues. Whatever happened to evidence based science?