Popularizations of Science and Technology
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POPULARIZATION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY What Informal and Nonformal Education Can Do? An International Conference organized by Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong in co-operation with UNESCO, Paris September 4-9, 1989 Edited by Cheng Kai Ming Leung Kam Fong Preface This volume contains a selection of papers which were presented at a conference in September 1989 on the 'Popularization of Science and Technology: What Informal and Non-formal Education can do' which was organized by the Faculty of Education of the University of Hong Kong with the generous support and assistance of UNES- CO. The publication in 1972 of 'Learning to Be' (UNESCO) reflected a growing awa- reness of the problems and effects of illiteracy and a great deal has subsequently been achieved in reducing in the level of illiteracy. The growing importance and impact of science and technology in our everyday lives has the potential to create a new range of problems which will arise for those who are unable to understand and use modern technology. The Conference was premised on the need to address this issue and spe- cifically to examine how non-formal and informal education can contribute to helping people achieve a level of scientific and technological literacy which will allow them to function effectively. I would like to express my thanks to the Conference organisers, to UNESCO for their generous support and to the participants who made it such a worthwhile ventu- re. P. Morris Dean Faculty of Education University of Hong Kong Table of Contents Introduction . 1 by Cheng Kai Ming Opening Speech . 4 by Yeung Kai-yin, Secretary for Education and Manpower, Hong Kong Government Key-note Speech: Educational challenges in the age of science and technology . 13 by Philip H. Coombs Conference report . 28 Papers presented at the Conference: General Science for all people: Some educational settings and strategies for the popularization of science and technology . 38 by Harbans Bhola Nonformal education: A hinge between science and culture . 46 by Camille Bonanni The popularisation of science and technology from an educational designer's standpoint . 50 by Fred Goffree Patterns of nonformal and informal education effective for the polarisation of science and technology . 71 by Ana Krajnc Science and technology in public adult education . 79 by Klaus Pehl Competition and complimentarity between formal and nonformal education . 89 by Jean-Emile Charlier Indigenous cultural tradition and the popularisation of science and technology . 96 by Bernard H.K. Luk Popularization of science and technology: The cultural dimension . 101 by Cheng Kai Ming The role of Science Teacher Associations in promoting the popularisation of science through nonformal means . 105 by Jack B. Holbrook Popularizing educational technology: The INNOTECH model . 112 by Jose B. Socrates Out-of-school activities: The road to success . 122 by Cheng Donghong Education and technology transfer in Shenzhen Special Economic Zone,China . 127 by Gerard Postiglione Popularization of science and technology . 133 by Kurt Prokop Country Papers China by Pan Zhongming . 139 Ghana by Eric Mensah . 150 Keyna by Daudi N. Nturibi . 157 Republic of Korea by Chae Kwang-pyo . 161 New Zealand by Cynthia M. Roberts . 164 Poland by Stanislaw Kaczo . 178 Sri Lanka by S.M.D. Perera . 182 Thailand by Somchai Panchawat . 189 Zimbabwe by S. Duke Ndlovu . 192 Appendix: List of Participants . 202 introduction Introduction Cheng Kai Ming Science and technology have never played such an essential and influential role in our lives. On the one hand, rapid changes in science and technology, and the introduction of new technology in particular, have changed the development propects of many nations. The introduction of new technology has been identified as one of the critical factors which has contributed to the emergence of the NIC's (Newly Industrialized Countries). The differential speed of technological development between countries has also created discrepancies in the rates and patterns of national development. It has also affected the relationships within and between countries. The adoption of new technologies has given some developing nations new hope, while others have fallen further behind in economic terms. On the other hand, adaptation to new developments in science and technology has become an important part of people's life. In urban and rural areas alike, people now compete to adopt new technologies, before they can compete in the marketplace. One can soon become functionally illiterate in one way or another if one cannot keep pace with modern science and new technology. Development in science and technology is also likely to create new "class" divisions in society: the "haveknowhow" and the "have-not-knowhow". A knowledge of science and technology has become a new form of human capital which can allow those who possess it to achieve quick returns. However, in this respect, it is not clear what the role of formal education is in this process. Despite continuous efforts to revise the curricula and teaching strategies in formal schools in order to achieve greater relevance, there is little evidence that modern curricula and teaching strategies are coping with the dramatic scientific and technological changes which are occuring throughout society. The way schools are operated makes them more readily suitable to impart knowledge which is relatively more static and stable in nature, and it could even be argued that schools are not the right place to equip the population with an understanding of the new science and technology. Meanwhile, the technological advancement in many NIC's are not necessar- ily attributable to dramatic changes in school teaching. On the contrary, one may see on-t h e-job training and in-service learning, especially among adults, as more e ffective modes for disseminating new technologies. Meanwhile, there are arg u- ments that schools in such countries, despite the lack of direct relevance of their curricula, may have served to help individuals to adapt towards new science and 1 Popularisation of science and technology: What informal and nonformal education can do? technology. It would be inappropriate to deny that formal education has a role in the popu- larization of science and technology, but it needs close examination to identify how education has contributed to the advancement of science and technology in newly developed countries. It is therefore essential to study how education—either formal, nonformal or informal—plays its role, and the context in which such role is signifi- cant. The recent literature on technological transfer, technological development and informal/nonformal education does not seem to help in this exercise. Much is said about the development of technologies in education and the importance of science and technology in national development, but little analysis is provided to show how such developments in science and technology are related to or transmitted by education. What little is said is based more on theoretical assumptions rather than on empirical evidence. With this in mind, the Facutly of Education at the University of Hong Kong, ins- pired and supported by UNESCO through its Division of Adult Education and Literacy Programmes, hosted the international conference on the theme of "Popularisation of Science and Technology: What Informal and Nonformal Education Can Do" Hong Kong is identified by UNESCO as an ideal venue for such a meeting, as it provides a kind of social laboratory in respect of both the absorption and localisation of modern technologies for economic development and enhancement of the quality of life. The Conference was held in the University of Hong Kong on September 4-9, 1989, with intensive sessions aiming at producing some useful conclusions at the end of the Conference. The Conference was attended by experts from all parts of the world, perhaps with the exception of Latin America. They represent the diverse aspects of nonformal and informal education, as can be seen from the list of partici- pants at the end of this collection. A number of colleagues from the Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, also contributed to the success of the Conference. This volume is a collection of all the papers presented during the Conference, with the exception of Professor A. Krajnz of Yugoslavia and Professor S. Kaczor, both were not able to attend the Conference due to visa problem. We have decided to publi- sh the paper with the least editing possible. A number of participants, e.g. Mr. H.Akl from Lebanon and Professor Y. Maehira from Japan, made valuable remarks which we are not able to include in this volume. The guest. speech from Professor Edward K.Y. Chen, Director of the Centre for Asian Studies, University of Hong Kong, pro- ved very inspiring, but was not presented in writing and hence is not included in this collection. It is fair to say that the success of the Conference is due to co-operative and collegial endeavours. The idea was initiated by Mr. J.G. Kim of UNESCO, Paris. UNESCO sponsored most of the expenses for the Conference. The org a n i z i n g committee virtually comprises only three persons: Paul Morris, K.M. Cheng and 2 Introduction K.F. Leung. The participation of K.F. is particularly vital to the success of the conference. The smooth running of the Conference is also attributable to the generous help rendered by Margaret To of Old Halls, University of Hong Kong, and Elizabeth Krautheim of UNESCO. 3 Popularisation of science and technology: What informal and nonformal education can do? Open Speech Yeung Kai-yin Secretary for Education and .Manpower, Hong Kong Government Introduction I think I am speaking for all of us from Hong Kong when I say that we feel proud at having been chosen by UNESCO as the location for this conference.