Wide Study Of Methods Of Teaching Science

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30420, 20 April 1964, Page 10

Wide Study Of Methods Of Teaching Science

The Governments of Australia and New Zealand, unlike that of the United States, did not realise the importance of keeping science teachers up to date with new developments, said the principal of the Hobart High School and immediate past-president of the Australian Science Teachers’ Association (Mr. M. Yaxley) in an' interview in Christchurch. There was so much development in the material taught, and the teaching, methods used, that it could be left to chance to teachers to catch up, he said. Many more courses in specialised subjects, such as genetics and nuclear science, were needed. Efforts to do about this had been made in Australia for two years, and he felt success was near. Mr Yaxley is visiting New

Zealand for two weeks, at the end of a seven-month tour of Britain, Ontario, and the United States, inspecting science teaching methods. He was interested in the present work to adapt the new American science courses to New Zealand conditions. Mr Yaxley said. He did not like the science teaching in the United States because of the system of elective oneyear courses. This meant that a student might study chemistry in one grade, and never again, and have a year’s course in biology in the following grade. in Australia and New Zealand courses were spread over four years, and he thought the spread was a better idea. The new United States courses were being tried in- Victoria, but his own recommendation would be for Australia to wait two or three years for the new. science course at present being developed by the Nuffield Foundation in Britain. He was sure that these courses would contain all the best elements, of the new American courses. Science was an important subject for everyone, but education should be a balanced process and he did not believe that the importance of science should be over-em-phasised. The most important subjects taught at a school were the communicating skills of reading, writing, and the ability to discuss. It was no use teaching science unless these were taught well first, said Mr Yaxley.