The Foundations of Indoctrination

Every nation has its own science education framework, yet they share a common thread. From the onset of elementary school, students are introduced to scientific "facts." They learn that the Earth revolves around the Sun, the distance to the Sun is approximately 93 million miles, and that water evaporates. This marks the beginning of indoctrination. Students absorb these "facts" without being taught the rationale behind them. For instance, how can one assert that the moon is smaller than the Earth? One could argue that it appears smaller, but appearances can be deceiving. The Sun also appears small in the sky — does that imply it’s smaller than the Earth? Newton's Law of Gravitation provides insight into the moon's size relative to the Earth, yet larger objects can also orbit smaller ones. Furthermore, how do we ascertain that the moon orbits the Earth? While it seems evident, the same can be said for the Sun's apparent movement.

The crux of the matter is that students receive information without any critical evaluation, rendering science education a form of indoctrination. This is not to deny the validity of what is being taught; rather, it highlights a lack of inquiry. Children could be misled into believing incorrect assertions, such as "the Earth is pear-shaped," without questioning the veracity of what they are told. Their ability to discern inaccuracies is quite limited, raising the question: is this genuine learning?

Education During High School

The situation deteriorates further in high school science courses, particularly in subjects like biology and chemistry. For example, during sophomore year in the U.S., students are introduced to complex concepts like orbitals and the ideal gas law, yet the underlying reasoning behind these concepts is rarely discussed.

You might think, "Experiments validate our knowledge." However, consider which experiments are referenced, what assumptions underlie them, and where potential errors could occur. While demonstrating that the Earth is smaller than the moon is relatively straightforward, establishing the validity of a hydrogen atom's orbital model is more complex, which can obscure understanding.

This perspective was sparked by a conversation with a peer who questioned the authenticity of the chemistry curriculum, expressing concern that teachers could be fabricating information. The reality is that most students are unaware of what they don’t know. They are taught what to think rather than how to think critically about the information presented to them.

Promoting True Understanding

Gaining knowledge may be easy, but fostering understanding proves to be challenging. So, how can we enhance students' comprehension of scientific concepts? A primary solution is to incorporate more hands-on experimentation from the earliest stages of education. Rather than simply stating, "heat causes water to evaporate," students should be prompted to ask, "What causes water to evaporate?" Instructors should guide them in designing experiments to explore this question. Similarly, instead of asserting "the Earth is round and orbits the Sun," educators should encourage students to investigate different geometric models and develop experiments to ascertain the Earth's shape. This approach cultivates critical thinking rather than rote memorization.

By the time students reach high school, they would possess valuable experimental skills, allowing them to engage with science on a deeper level.