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Asia-Pacific Forum on Science
Learning and Teaching, Volume 5, Issue 2, Article 5 (Aug., 2004) Isaac Pak Hoi TSE, Winston Kwok Kuen LEUNG and Shing Yi CHAN Science, Technology and Society - An authentic exploration on IR thermometers application in schools
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Introduction
The strand "Science, Technology and Society" has been identified as a vital link to justify the importance of science education in a modern knowledge, information and technology driven society. There are at least two evident purposes of learning science that could be transferred to other disciplines:
1. to acquire skills for informed and data-driven decision making.
2. to bridge rational thinking between scientific knowledge, development of technology and application in society.Within this ambit, critical thinking, realization of prospective projections and constraints, systematic problem solving, creative model for understanding, etc. are the successful products. Traditional science is particularly good at reducing the problem space to simple linear relationships that could be expressed in mathematical equations. New science deal with complexity (Wheatley, 1999) and dynamical systems; something too complicated for linear equations and is better expressed in the form of landscapes and metaphors. Unfortunately, in the real world, most students learn traditional science primarily for good grades in public examinations and live intuitively independent of their scientific training.
Real world is always complex. Layers of cause and effects are embedded and intertwined in the details. Words and promises in advertisements of the commercial world could be deceptive. Myths and traditional thinking mask rational scientific thoughts. As a result, real life situations often lead to surprises. That is why there is always room for the next generation to explore. Those who get themselves equipped fast gain more in the new information age.
The deadly viral pneumonia Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic attacked Hong Kong by surprise in 2003, followed by another deadly H5N1 Avian flu viral epidemics. Early detection and isolation of patients with fever was deemed an effective measure in preventing the spread of these epidemic diseases. Different solutions for body temperature measurement were marketed in a shrift bloom within a month. We have been busy screening new products and establishing new procedures in combat with the disease. We have forgotten about turning this into an open ended learning opportunity to train students on the goal of applying science and technology. Technology application has to fit the needs of the society. We were misled by fads until we realized the shortcoming of the products we adopted.
Copyright (C) 2004 HKIEd APFSLT. Volume 5, Issue 2, Article 5 (Aug., 2004). All Rights Reserved.
