Massimo Pigliucci on Teaching Science (with special thanks to PZ Myers)

I took a course once from someone who had co-wrote a book, maybe two with Pigliucci. The prof I had was one of the smartest people I've ever met, so I start with a healthy respect for Pigliucci (who, if I remember right, holds two PhDs, one American and one European).

It just got bigger. Lots bigger (warning: PDF):

ABSTRACT. The creation-evolution “controversy” has been with us for more than a century. Here I argue that merely teaching more science will probably not improve the situation; we need to understand the controversy as part of a broader problem with public acceptance of pseudoscience, and respond by teaching how science works as a method. Critical thinking is difficult to teach, but educators can rely on increasing evidence from neurobiology about how the brain learns, or fails to.

(Side note: The abstract is also in French - how awesome is that?! I know - not as awesome as if the whole article was in both languages, that's how awesome.)

PZ Myers helpfully summarizes the suggestions Pigliucci goes on to offer in the article, and I've excerpted a few here. Make sure to at least read the Myers post, as it has lots more and they are written very clearly:

There must be mandatory continuing education for teachers. He's referring to public school teachers, and yes, that would be a good idea. It would help the teachers, and I would hope would get them enthused about the science if they aren't already, but also it would be a way to correct those huge numbers of creationist science teachers (see Randy Moore's article for more on that).

Training in teaching must be provided to university faculty and graduate assistants. My first year in grad school, we fresh new students were simply parceled out to courses that need TAs. I remember being assigned a cell biology lab my first term, and genetics my second, and no, I'd never stood up in front of a class and taught anything before. After my first year, I landed a genetics training grant and didn't have to teach again. I did two post-docs, all research, no teaching. Then I got my first professorial job, and I not only have to teach, I have to design the whole course. This is typical. Most of us are thrown cold and unprepared into the job of teaching, which is genuinely disrespectful to the discipline.

Go read; they are some really, really good suggestions.

via Hullabaloo.