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Science Education Myths

The Top Ten Myths of Science Education*

MYTH #1: Kids hate taking science in school these days.
REALITY: Not! Half--50 percent--of 10-17 year olds put science... at the top or near the top of their list...of favorite subjects.

MYTH #2: Kids think that science is dull and boring.
REALITY: Not! 42 percent of 10-17 year olds say science is the subject (they) are most curious about. Science was ranked as boring by only 14 percent of the students.

MYTH #3: Kids think science class doesn't relate to the real world.
REALITY: Not! 94 percent of 10-17 year olds say that science isn't just in the classroom; it's part of everyday life in the world around you.

MYTH #4: Kids think learning science is mostly about memorizing facts.
REALITY: Not! 89 percent of 10-17 year olds say science lets (them) be very creative. And 89 percent also say the best way they can learn science is to observe things and do experiments (themselves).

MYTH #5: Kids grow up believing that science is more for boys and not for girls.
REALITY: Not! 89 percent of all 10-17 year olds say no to Science is more for boys than girls.

MYTH #6: Kids think science is for nerds.
REALITY: Not! 93 percent of all 10-17 year olds say no to Science is for nerds. And, of all subjects, science ranked the coolest.

MYTH #7: Most kids are turned off to science in school.
REALITY: Not! When 10-17 year olds were asked for positive and negative things about science, things they like best about science won hands down (91 percent) over things they don't like about science (32 percent).

MYTH #8: Most kids don't have access to computers at home.
REALITY: Not! 68 percent of 10-17 year olds say they have a computer in (their) home.

MYTH #9: All kids do with computers is play games.
REALITY: Not! Of those 10-17 year olds who have and use computers, 75 percent do school work, 64 percent learn things on their own, and 41 percent get information on science topics on their computers.

MYTH #10: Minority kids don't have access to computers at home.
REALITY: Partly not! While slightly more than half of African-American and Hispanic 10-17 year olds don't, 46 percent of African-Americans and Hispanic kids say they have a computer in (their) home.

*Source: The Bayer Facts of Science Education III: A U.S. Student Report Card on Science Education" (1997)

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