Arthur Eisenkraft, science educator, professor of science education and physics, and director of the Center of Science and Math in Context (COSMIC) at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, was in Bengaluru for a talk at the Azim Premji university recently. In an interview, Prof Eisenkraft spoke about the use of technology in aiding education and the importance of learning science. Excerpts from the interview:
Can you tell us more about the themes of your recent lecture in India? What did you focus on; what were the discussions about?
In the course of my talk, I dealt with four themes. The first theme dealt with what makes a good theory and the manner in which an old theory is replaced by a new theory. I also spoke about the history of gravity and the incredible achievements with the detection of gravitational waves and the discovery of neutron stars collision.
As a science educationist, do you think technology will change the manner in which science is taught?
I am not very sure about the manner in which technology will change learning. Technology brings in a set of innovative tools, but learning will not change as long as old methods of teaching are employed. I cannot teach someone to use a screw by showcasing a hammer. I feel that schools tend to get tech tools to brag that they are innovating in education. For instance, white boards are becoming very popular. However, most whiteboards are used like the blackboards. It just gives schools an ability to market themselves as tech-oriented centres. Thus, it is important that new methods are created to aid the increasing number of tech tools that will aid education.
How does one simplify science for a larger audience?
I feel that it is important to make science relatable to students. Bookish information does not help much. To make science more understandable, I feel that it is important to have a discussion with the students, hear out their explanations on how things work, and slowly explain the flaws in their theories. Having said that, science is very vibrant and keeps changing. It is important for educators to accept new theories and dispute older ones. That is the manner in which science progresses. I think as technology grows, science education must not involve students merely taking down notes on what someone else thought up.
Are science and religion at loggerheads with each other?
I feel that science and religion answer different questions. For instance, science answers questions about the universe, how things move, what happens when two objects collide, and so on. However, science cannot answer deeper philosophical questions on a person’s purpose in life, or probe the reasons a 13-year-old is not able to make friends in school. As long as religion does not try to answer scientific questions, I do not see any conflict.
Though scientific principles are the same across the world, does science teaching differ from place to place? Is a different approach needed to understand the basics of science better?
I feel that in teaching science, it is important to reflect on lived experiences. For instance, talking about the benefits of a new irrigation method to students in urban areas, or the new tech tool to combat traffic to students in rural areas will be counterproductive. It is very important for educators to understand the background of their students and tweak the material accordingly.
What, according to you, is going to be the greatest technological development in the next couple of decades? Where do you see the study of physics heading?
We live in wondrous times. A large proportion of people on the planet lead lives that kings and queens of antiquity would be envious of. The discovery of gravitational waves has given a huge impetus to scientific research. I do not like to speculate much about the future, since science and technology have been growing at a spectacular pace. 20 years ago, not many people would have imagined the primacy the internet holds in our lives, or the ease of mass communication. I hope that humanity uses technology for the good of the planet. As artificial intelligence takes over various aspects of our lives, it is important to not neglect our natural intelligence.
