The need of education.

[DinoToyForum]

...because it's one of those things where trying to simplify the explanation of what's going on ultimately just makes it way less clear and harder for a beginner to understand.

Just to update my previous comment on this thread, I experienced something today similar to what you describe when being taught about genetic engineering.

Basically, on the powerpoint the teacher was using, there were two seperate explanations of the process. One of them, despite its lengthy focus on the example they were using, still managed to explain the process well. The other explanation only really explained how the genes are extracted (it did not mention the gene being inserted into another organism, and the only gene it mentioned it being joined to was itself). The teacher decided to use the latter of these under the guise that it was 'simpler'.

Due to the longer explanation having this number of steps, the teacher asked the class to simplify the shorter explanation into 4 steps (despite it missing out a key part of the process). In the 4 steps the teacher ended up writing down*, the final one mentioned the extracted gene being joined to the DNA of another organism, despite nothing in the shorter explanation implying this.

*this was without any class input, nor any implication that this was meant to help the class (although even if it was, it would have still confused them, possibly more so).


TL;DR As much as I may be grasping at straws here, I do wonder what else I'll be utterly confused about when I learn about a more long-form explanation of it.

This somehow reminds me of the definition of an expert: someone who learns more and more about less and less until eventually they know everything about nothing.

[laticauda]

Oh talking about awful science education? I have some stuff to add.
In the way the current curriculum (at least where I live) has the issue of just being over a decade old and stupidly boring. The issue with it in general is this: if your excited to learn and study science like me and hopefully a lot of us, in general we go out and learn on our own. Pretty soon we cover things we already know easily. If your also like me and suffer from ADHD anything boring or redundant is practically a form of torture. Then there are most people who really want to just get through the class, and as a result don't really give a dam.

Another huge issue is the fact that the curriculum really fails to put things in perspective on their relevancy. For example when learning properties of water, the stuff of life, it was presented in such a boring way most the class forgot it rapidly. Similar case for DNA and genetic engineering. The most recent and controversial aspect of science made boring. Now that is something impressive.

It seems more and more often that honors or advanced classes are no longer being made available or are greatly reduced.  This is being done because students who are not in  "academically challenging classes"  feel "stupid".  It hurts their self esteem.  So instead classes are "dumbed" down so struggling students can achieve better grades. while those who are excelling in those classes are bored because they are not being challenged. 

In a nearby school district they got rid of having a school valedictorian because it could lead to hurt feelings for rest of the students.  I mean why would we want to reward a person who devoted time and energy to be the best they could be academically.  No acknowledgement or admiration for doing a great job.  Participation trophies for all. 

Its amazing.

[HD-man]

...because it's one of those things where trying to simplify the explanation of what's going on ultimately just makes it way less clear and harder for a beginner to understand.

Just to update my previous comment on this thread, I experienced something today similar to what you describe when being taught about genetic engineering.

Basically, on the powerpoint the teacher was using, there were two seperate explanations of the process. One of them, despite its lengthy focus on the example they were using, still managed to explain the process well. The other explanation only really explained how the genes are extracted (it did not mention the gene being inserted into another organism, and the only gene it mentioned it being joined to was itself). The teacher decided to use the latter of these under the guise that it was 'simpler'.

Due to the longer explanation having this number of steps, the teacher asked the class to simplify the shorter explanation into 4 steps (despite it missing out a key part of the process). In the 4 steps the teacher ended up writing down*, the final one mentioned the extracted gene being joined to the DNA of another organism, despite nothing in the shorter explanation implying this.

*this was without any class input, nor any implication that this was meant to help the class (although even if it was, it would have still confused them, possibly more so).


TL;DR As much as I may be grasping at straws here, I do wonder what else I'll be utterly confused about when I learn about a more long-form explanation of it.

Many of the books I've reviewed have that problem.

See reason #4B: http://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=2210.msg229689#msg229689

See reason #3: http://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=2210.msg225990#msg225990

See reason #3: http://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=2210.msg208545#msg208545

See reason #1: http://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=2210.msg134217#msg134217

See reason #4: http://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=2210.msg79686#msg79686

See reason #4: http://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=2210.msg72746#msg72746

[Lizerd]

@laticauda  Definitely. While recognition of participation of effort is important it leads to a feeling that hard work is less appreciated. In general while the psychology of jealousy applies to elementary schoolers and younger, this does not really apply to older students who are more mature and better with this stuff. However I the case of middle schoolers, no matter what you do they still will suck (sorry 11-13 year olds, it's true). Arguably the greatest issue is people who are capable of content in the class, but really don't give a crap.