Science education 'must broaden’

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32633, 15 June 1971, Page 12

Science education 'must broaden’

Sociology, psychology and business administration have been forecast as set subjects for university science courses by a visiting professor of astrophysics from the University of Colorado.

Professor R. H. Garstang, an Erskine Fellow at the University of Canterbury, said in an interview that there was a world-wide trend for the basis of university courses to be broadened.

Was university development keeping up with the demands of society? “My general impression is that it is not. There is a need to widen the basis as the populations of universities grow. Some students will definitely have to take broader courses. We might well see the day when all science students will be required to take say economics, sociology and psychology. Engineers in the United States are already required to do this.” There had been a swing away from science education, he said and a marked falling off in the number of available jobs for graduates. One indication of this in the United States, Professor Garstang said, was the drop in the amount-of Government finance for scientific research. There was more emphasis being given to short term re-

search. The public wanted to see results for money spent. Professor Garstang saw the development of technical institutes as the key to some of the problems of advanced education. “These will get bigger and better. They aready offer broader courses. The better ones will develop into degree awarding institutions." The technical institutes also had the structure to provide education with greater relevance to the day to day needs of society, he said. _ . Professor Garstang, a Bru ton, has held his present position at the University of Colorado since 1964. He is also a consultant to the National Bureau of Standards, in Washington and a consultant at the Jet Propulsion Labatory for the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration. He is the first of a large group of visiting scientists to arrive in Christchurch for the Rutherford Centenary Symposium, •to be held next month.

The Rev. J. L. North, of the Bryndwr Baptist Church, has accepted a call to the North-East Valley Church, Dunedin. He will take up the position on June 27.