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MATHS SKILL IS GENETIC

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Catholics are Bigots?

It is not necessarily my view but when I was growing up I was told that all Catholics are bigots. It is due to the way they are brought up, being taught to hold strongly to dogma from the Vatican.

Malcom Fraser criticising Tony Abbot prime minister

This may not be true because the majority of adult Catholics do practice birth control even though this is banned by the Church. However, their upbringing is narrowed somewhat by the curriculum of Catholic schools which drives teachings of the Holy Scriptures into a child's mind.

The church of business was Protestant, at least initially. Now, it seems that the Catholic Church provides adults with a far right leaning. For example, a Catholic like Tony Abbott couldn't be further to the right. If he could move further he would fall off the edge.

He loves business and hates everything else. His attack on the tertiary sector is public knowledge. He thinks that money can be taken from scientific endeavour and business will somehow continue to make a profit. This view, of course, is wrong. Particularly today, advancement in technology is the key to making money. He forgets the great contribution of CSIRO. He would emasculate this illustrious body if he could!

✴ Science by Ty Buchanan ✴

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A Good Move to Compulsory Maths and Science

I do not often agree with Christopher Pyne on government policy, Dare I say, I have "never" been in favor of his hair-brained ideas until now. Indeed, I would take his latest plan even further.

Australian school students in class classroom with teacher

He is attempting to make maths and science compulsory for students in years 11 and 12. These two critical subjects should be part of the core curriculum in all years of school throughout primary and secondary education. I may say "When I was a lad..." Yet on this point I believe I have a solid foundation. When I was at school maths and science were for everyone. Advanced maths and science were only for those who proved themselves capable of effectively coping with the main subject areas.

When my children were at high school there were five grades of maths in years 8 to 12. Many students, with their parents' guidance I may say, chose a level too high for them to cope with in the next year. This ruined their whole higher education. If one attempts a higher level and fails, there is no credit on the leaving certificate for that subject in that year. An individual has a blemished record for life.

The only answer to this issue is for a parent to take a possible shattering step. This I did for one of my children. I took my son out of his current school and into another local high school to repeat the two years again. Thankfully, my son achieved a strong educational record and is successful in life.

✴ Science by Ty Buchanan ✴

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Teaching Compuuter Coding in Schools Could be Redundant

There is so much pressure on children to learn coding. Governments keep pumping money into new schemes. However, this could all be a waste of money. Remember when governments invested all that money into providing PCs to schools. Then the laptop came along and they had to change to making the new tech available. After this came tablets followed by large mobile phones. Chasing new technological developments is a fool's game.

Most parents don't want government money. They want to choose what their children "need" at at school. Years ago the Mac was pushed as the "must have" to do drawing work. It was encouraged for what is now called Graphics in school. It used to be called technical drawing or drafting. Schools adopted Autocad for Windows and Macs were redundant. Furthermore, PCs were the machine of choice in most schools for class work and at university

There are many kinds of computer languages. Specializing in one leaves you in a corridor with no way out. Software programs are out there that get rid of the need for coding knowledge. Once written developers are only needed for maintenance. Any Tom, Dick or Mary can use the "What You See Is What You Get" programs.

Personally, I believe that the future does not lie in creating a population of coders. Really good entrepreneurial managers will always be needed. Coders need to be employed by someone else. Probably in a business started by an entrepreneur. The real problem is the lack of understanding in Maths. Let this go too far and you will have no coders and no entrepreneurs.

✴ Science by Ty Buchanan ✴

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Physics Not for Females - Women Say!

More women are moving into academia every year. This is the overall picture. Some areas are still sparsely populated by women. Physics is such a sector of learning. Name a woman physicist - any woman! Few recognise that maths is easier for men, but this is true. There is something about the male hormone that creates this state. Just like women are better at using words.

Notably female physics students at the University of Melbourne have admitted that most women do not have the capacity to master physics. There will always be a few exceptions. However, the reality is that generally, women find study in this specialty difficult. Many female students who try physics ultimately end up in chemistry. They do feel more comfortable there.

The survey of first year females showed more than 50 per cent had a negative outlook of their chances of succeeding. This makes one wonder why they are in the course. However, some were studying physics as a requirement of other degrees. Oddly, some said they enjoyed studying physics.

As a positive, fourteen students were studying advanced physics at the University of Melbourne and were ambitious to achieve their goal. They are definitely thin on the ground with all the males. Another issue is that women do not see physics as a career path. You cannot get work in finance or banking with a physics degree, for example. Research and teaching are just about the only sectors for employment.

High school is where all this begins. A good start in maths in essential. Giving students the choice to do only standard maths must be changed. All student need to do some higher maths, particularly in this computer age. It is human nature to choose an easier option. There is something wrong with the Australian education system: women dominate Italian advanced maths departments.

✴ Education by Ty Buchanan ✴

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RiAus Science TV is Launched

Australia steps forward with a "television" channel dedicated to top class science programs. Major science-based organizations will contribute to content. Interviews with leading scientists will be a feature of the channel.

RiAus will be free on mobiles. Australian and British program will be shown. Major universities have signed up to help as well as science organizations. There is strong demand for science programs on the Internet. It is hoped that the young will get on board.

Hostworks will set up the system. It will advise scientists on how to run the channel. The new programming is aimed at educating Australians generally about science. Unfortunately, no RSS feeds are offered. They will have to correct this for RiAus TV to be widely accepted.

Science by Ty Buchanan

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We are Heading Toward a Drugged-Up World

A new survey has found that school children under 17 years who smoke cannabis are less likely to complete their high school education. This is not surprising as cannabis "kills" the rational part of the brain and makes users impulsive, unable to control their actions.

Addicts are driven through a path in life from one pleasurable thing to another. They avoid all uncomfortable situations immediately, seeking the nearest pleasure at hand. This is why they end up breaking the law and becoming incarcerated.

Suicide is high amongst cannabis users because good experiences are not always for the taking. When one works at a job it is not pleasant, nor is it truly sought after. However, unless the discomfort is suffered there will be no pleasure from spending the income.

Legalization for medical use is another step toward general access. Many young people are already unfit for the workforce because schools do not teach work related skills. Education needs radical reform. We need to turn the clock back. Get rid of the choice subjects and make all students do fundamental, core subject like in the old days. Rote is not a dirty word. Every older person knows the twelve times table by heart even in old age. Having all student repeat things out loud, together is a good thing. How are they to discover the answers on their own?

Like in ancient days in China when people spent their days slothfully wasting time sitting under a tree waiting for ripe fruit to fall, we are heading toward a world where everyone expects welfare and someone else will do the work. Drug taking is bringing this closer.

Culture by Ty Buchanan

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