Education Section

[Pyrrho]

By request, we've opened this section for discussion of various ways to promote science and critical thinking in education. This will probably mostly focus on pre-college-level education, but discussion of critical thinking at the collegiate level is certainly appropriate.

[Tsukasa Buddha]

(Do I post my question here?)
To clarify, as I am a high school, do I post dubious topics presented in my school curriculum?

[Pyrrho]

(Do I post my question here?)
To clarify, as I am a high school, do I post dubious topics presented in my school curriculum?

I think that would qualify, yes.

[Tsukasa Buddha]

Thank you !

[Matthew Ellard]

By request, we've opened this section for discussion of various ways to promote science and critical thinking in education. This will probably mostly focus on pre-college-level education, but discussion of critical thinking at the collegiate level is certainly appropriate.

Are you looking for some sort of standardised package that the Society can offer school students or their teachers, if requested? If so, is your gut feeling that that this will be either paper or computer based rather than sending out a human being to give a talk?

Is the Society considering a mass campaign or simply "testing the water" with innovative ideas of promoting science?

Will this be a venture of the Society alone or a joint venture with similar minded activists? (Too early to say yet?)

Would the Society enter into agreements with popular media distributors if a popular youth celebrity were asked to co-host a "fun" magazine column syndicated for free?

Are there any successful "promoting science campaigns" that exist that the Society can "piggyback" on to in exchange for editorial? Does the Society's management have any example of a "promoting science campaign" or similar campaign that reflects the style or content that they want to achieve?

Has the Society's management trawled through similar campaigns in the UK, Germany, France etc. Would it help if I looked into these markets and wrote a summary?

I do not know how educational grants work in the USA. Do you have a person who looks into this or is it done on an ad hoc basis in the office? Is there a state grant for educational media projects produced in the state the Society operates from? (wherever that is)

( I worked on Beyond 2000 the science show as a production accountant. I also worked on a extremely popular Aussie charity show called the Challenge. For "The Challenge" a pre-existing current affairs TV show gave us five 48minute slots a year if I provided the popular talent. The Current affairs show then reduced this "gift" to single segments in their normal five stories a night after three years I have often wondered that, if we got a high profile celebrity talent, devised six or so, three minute entertaining scripts detailing examples of critical thinking ( I don't know what yet) then couldn't we approach a pre-existing PBS or similar educational current affairs show and offer them content, popularity and also meet their educational charters?

As for popular talent...that's a hard one. Not all actors, sportspersons and popstars are dimwits. Unfortunately the people who are not dimwits want money. I guess we need every member to trawl through popular magazines (or Mensa, cough cough) and come up with a short list of celebrities to approach who said something like "I like science" and then work on that person. Scientific American Frontiers used the actors from Star Trek and the prosecutor from Law & Order as they were "on screen authority figures". We sort of need to do the same....but with a popstar....I said this was hard.... )

I would very much like to help if I can.

[Donnageddon]

Wholly Krap, Matthew! Are you a time traveler?

[Gord]

How did I get back here?

[Pyrrho]

By request, we've opened this section for discussion of various ways to promote science and critical thinking in education. This will probably mostly focus on pre-college-level education, but discussion of critical thinking at the collegiate level is certainly appropriate.

Are you looking for some sort of standardised package that the Society can offer school students or their teachers, if requested? If so, is your gut feeling that that this will be either paper or computer based rather than sending out a human being to give a talk?

Is the Society considering a mass campaign or simply "testing the water" with innovative ideas of promoting science?

Will this be a venture of the Society alone or a joint venture with similar minded activists? (Too early to say yet?)

Would the Society enter into agreements with popular media distributors if a popular youth celebrity were asked to co-host a "fun" magazine column syndicated for free?

Are there any successful "promoting science campaigns" that exist that the Society can "piggyback" on to in exchange for editorial? Does the Society's management have any example of a "promoting science campaign" or similar campaign that reflects the style or content that they want to achieve?

Has the Society's management trawled through similar campaigns in the UK, Germany, France etc. Would it help if I looked into these markets and wrote a summary?

I do not know how educational grants work in the USA. Do you have a person who looks into this or is it done on an ad hoc basis in the office? Is there a state grant for educational media projects produced in the state the Society operates from? (wherever that is)

( I worked on Beyond 2000 the science show as a production accountant. I also worked on a extremely popular Aussie charity show called the Challenge. For "The Challenge" a pre-existing current affairs TV show gave us five 48minute slots a year if I provided the popular talent. The Current affairs show then reduced this "gift" to single segments in their normal five stories a night after three years I have often wondered that, if we got a high profile celebrity talent, devised six or so, three minute entertaining scripts detailing examples of critical thinking ( I don't know what yet) then couldn't we approach a pre-existing PBS or similar educational current affairs show and offer them content, popularity and also meet their educational charters?

As for popular talent...that's a hard one. Not all actors, sportspersons and popstars are dimwits. Unfortunately the people who are not dimwits want money. I guess we need every member to trawl through popular magazines (or Mensa, cough cough) and come up with a short list of celebrities to approach who said something like "I like science" and then work on that person. Scientific American Frontiers used the actors from Star Trek and the prosecutor from Law & Order as they were "on screen authority figures". We sort of need to do the same....but with a popstar....I said this was hard.... )

I would very much like to help if I can.

I suggest sending those questions and suggestions directly to the Skeptics Society via their contact page. I'm not in a position to answer for them.

http://www.skeptic.com/about_us/contact_us.html

[Shenonymous]

Something serious has been published in the NYTimes, September 26, 2013

Creationists on Texas Panel for Biology Textbooks
BY MOTOKO RICH

The panel reviewing publishers' submissions has stirred controversy because some of its members do not accept evolution and climate change as scientific truth.

Check out the article at http://nyti.ms/18AgWzO I think this highlights the crucial need for a spectacular public discussion about the difference between faith on no evidence and justified non-belief. It is particularly important since what happens in Texas will set a model for Creationists everywhere to try to invade the education systems in every state!