method of science in the middle of the century, The

School Science and Mathematics, Nov 2001 by Oliver, J Steve, Nichols, B Kim

Aptekar, however, felt that the reforms he envisioned were probably not going to receive the support of the public due to the increased cost.

Will the public pay for such instruction? I do not believe so. I do not think they know that we want such methods, and that we believe such methods to be superior. Our public relations people have to get busy. They have ajob of selling to do so. Education is guilty of the mistake common to many public organizations. It keeps telling the public what a fine job we are doing, but fails to point out at the same time how badly we need new equipment to do an even better job. These facts are kept as "trade secrets." Until the public is convinced of our need for these things, the practical conversion of all our schools to well known progressive education methods will remain a worthy subject for talk, not action. (p. 35-36)

With that statement, it is clear to today's reader that Aptekar was not aware that he was on the cusp ofa major change in education thought. He was onto the essence of the change to come, while holding onto the thought ofthe recently passed Progressive Era. But it is also true that Aptekar was envisioning a huge list of changes which needed to be made in the science classroom. His list included bringing in guest speakers to talk about industry; taking students to laboratories and businesses; creating new tests using modern techniques; purchasing classroom charts, displays, and models; and learning theory. As he wrote in his last sentence, all of the new knowledge about teaching was important because "these could be utilized as tools in teaching scientific attitudes and scientific method" (p. 37). Aptekar's work can be found at the intersection of pre- and postwar visions of science education and teaching. It is clear that he put great importance on the scientific method as a central aspect of science learning, but he also recognized the importance of the progressive reforms.

One important statement in the reform of science education that would be conceived in the postwar America resulted from Vanaveer Bush's report to President Roosevelt. Actually, the report was not delivered to Roosevelt, due to his death, but Bush as the president's science advisor had been instructed to prepare a report describing how science would shape the postwar world. Published under the title "The Endless Frontier," H. B. Hass invoked this report in an article, titled "Objectives of Science Teaching," in 1946. Hass, like Bush, had recognized that science had played a huge role in the war and that there could be no relaxing in the efforts to ensure that the science of the United States would always be best.

Having just witnessed the fact that a scientific development is capable of bringing to a sudden end the greatest war in history, one might suppose that almost anyone with intelligence.. could understand the importance of trying to regain some of the ground lost during the war while other nations went rapidly ahead and we almost stood still. Instead we find the Congress seriously listening to proposals to interrupt the scientific education of every American young man who is physically fit. (p. 47-48)