U.S. Scientists Predict Pace Of Discovery To Accelerate In The 21st Century, Survey Says

NEW YORK, April 28, 1998 - Today's students who will come of age in the coming decades can expect more and greater scientific advances to affect their lives. That is according to American scientists, who predict more discoveries will be made in the 21st century than in the 20th, in a new national survey released today by Bayer and the National Science Foundation (NSF) for National Science & Technology Week 1998.

Scientists' assessments of current science education, however, may signal that we are not adequately preparing students to face future challenges in a world that increasingly demands its citizens be scientifically literate.

The Bayer Facts of Science Education IV: Scientists on Science for the 21st Century, a Bayer/NSF survey conducted by Roper Starch, polled more than 1,400 male and female Ph.D. scientists who are members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. It asked them, on behalf of today's children, to look back on their own experiences, assess the current state of science education, and forecast trends in science literacy and scientific advances in the new millennium.

Roughly 75 percent of the scientists surveyed expect the pace of discovery to pick up and believe the impact on society of those discoveries, as well as new understandings and new applications of science to health, medicine and technology, will be greater in the next 100 years.

Three to one, the scientists surveyed believe that the focus of researchers in the 21st century should be on science and how it can address societal and global problems.

"Scientists are looking beyond their fields of specialty and clearly are concerned about the big picture and their contribution to the health and well-being of humanity and the planet," said Dr. Mae C. Jemison, former astronaut and Bayer Corporation's science literacy advocate for its Making Science Make Sense initiative.

For example, preventing and curing cancer and other diseases, developing new methods of clean and alternative energy resources, and dealing with global environmental and ecological issues are the research problems most often mentioned by scientists as those they would like to see solved in the future.

Because these issues affect everyone, science literacy and associated skills, such as critical thinking and problem-solving, will become more important than ever. Three-quarters of the scientists say that it is very important for adults today to be science literate, yet few scientists believe that is the case. In fact, 91 percent say it is not the case.

And, in the future, scientists say (80 percent) it is likely that most entry-level jobs will require science literacy - something confirmed by business executives and elementary school principals in 1996's Bayer Facts II survey.

"Science literacy is not just for biogeneticists, it's for everyone," said Dr. Jemison. "It means being able to read an article in a magazine or newspaper on an environmental issue, for example, understand it, evaluate it and decide how to apply it to your everyday life."

Will Today's Students Be Science Literate?
Scientists voice considerable concern over the quality of both elementary and high school science education. In fact, they give today's science programs lower marks than they do their own science education. Across the board, scientists assign today's elementary and high school science education a "C-" and "C," respectively, compared to an average "C" and "B" they gave to the elementary and high schools they attended.

Should Science Be The Fourth "R"?
Few scientists (25 percent) believe science is given enough emphasis in elementary school, though 74 percent think it should be given the same priority as reading, writing and arithmetic. More than half say both elementary and high schools place too little emphasis on science compared with other subjects.

As a result, few scientists believe the U.S. is doing well in reaching its goal of becoming first in the world in math and science education by 2000, despite the fact that most agree with the goal.

"We now have agreement among all stakeholders that science must become a greater priority in our schools," said Dr. Jemison, citing as well l995's Bayer Facts I where elementary school teachers confirmed this, and 1996's Bayer Facts II, in which elementary school principals said that, if given the funds, they would allocate more money to strengthen their science programs than any other subject.

What's The Answer? What Can Educators Do?
Contrary to what many people may think, scientists are not elitist when it comes to science education. They believe schools should provide a quality science education to every student and not just the promising ones most likely to make science a career.

"Today's students are the ones who will be making, using and benefiting from the new scientific advances, so it's up to us to ensure that they're getting the best, most meaningful science education possible," explained Julia Moore, director of the Office of Legislative and Public Affairs, NSF.

If they were to design such a science curriculum for elementary schools, scientists say they would utilize virtually all of the components encompassed by hands-on, inquiry-based science education - a teaching and learning approach advocated by science education reformers, Bayer and the National Science Foundation. Interestingly, few of the scientists surveyed are aware of the specifics of the reform movement or the national documents that are the so-called "bibles" of reform, such as the National Science Education Standards, Benchmarks for Science Literacy and Science for All Americans.

Based on their own experiences, scientists say they favor reform changes and would encourage students to think critically, test assumptions, and question common opinion (81 percent); have students work cooperatively in groups (58 percent), and carry out science experiments and formulate their own results (70 percent); and, have teachers act as guides and mentors to students (73 percent), rather than just lecturers (34 percent).

In addition, most scientists (85 percent) say that, if asked, it is likely they would agree to spend time in the classroom helping students learn and teachers teach science.

"With this kind of approach, students learn science the way scientists do - by doing it," said Sande Deitch, executive director, Bayer USA Foundation. "And, more important, the skills they learn will prepare them for the 21st century workplace."

What Can Parents Do?
Overwhelmingly, interest in science began at an early age and parents appear to be the biggest single positive factor in stimulating that childhood interest. Some 80 percent of scientists report first becoming interested in science before they entered high school and half say that their elementary school years, between the ages of 5 and l0, were the most fertile for fascination.

What else sparked their interest? Teachers were as influential as parents. And, apart from formal science classes (82 percent), a variety of informal activities had an effect. More than 80 percent said science toys and equipment like chemistry sets and telescopes; 78 percent reported newspapers, magazines and other media that covered science; 76 percent said science museum visits; and, 69 percent felt that doing science experiments at home was influential.

Advising today's parents, "encouraging children to do well in school" was the number one recommendation, rated by 85 percent of scientists as very important. They also suggest parents "encourage children to learn about science on their own through books and other materials" (68 percent); "emphasize science as an important subject for them to be learning" (66 percent); "encourage them to learn about science on their own through hands-on science experiences" (65 percent); and, "teach them about science informally at home" (49 percent).

"The message to parents is clear: you don't have to be a science expert to help your children love the subject, or all learning, for that matter," said Dr. Jemison. "You just need to encourage and support them as they pursue their interests."

To help parents and teachers keep science alive for children, Bayer offers its Making Science Make Sense Experiment Guide, which features easy and fun experiments that are also educational. For a free copy of the guide, individuals may visit Bayer's web site at www.BayerUS.com or send a $.32-cent stamped, self-addressed business size envelope to:

Making Science Make Sense
Bayer
100 Bayer Road, Building #4
Pittsburgh, PA 15205-9741

Copies of The Bayer Facts of Science Education IV executive summary and full report are available upon request from Bayer.


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