Education Science and Technology and Life

  The predominance of English in the new technologies creates additional barriers based on language. The flexibility of computer software in this regard has improved greatly over the past few years, but it continues to constitute an obstacle and in many cases it blocks access to the use of the new technologies, particularly for the older generation. In many classrooms children may be found who face learning difficulties but who, given appropriate support, would do extremely well in mathematics, science and technology. Given better teaching other children with learning difficulties would acquire at least basic knowledge of science and technology. In many countries the plea for equal opportunities in education has stood in the way of promoting talent in science and technology. With the help of educational research we have come to recognize that particularly among those groups of the population whose level of education is lower, e.g. among migrant workers, minorities, or the disable...

  Although schools offer the same courses to both sexes, consciously or unconsciously, stereotypes regarding the role of women in society and at work determine general attitudes at schools as well as the thinking of girls and young women. According to polls, they still dream of becoming such things as stewardesses, actresses, hairdressers, teachers, or shop assistants and only rarely want to enter professions in science and technology. They often shy away from taking intensive courses in science and technology subjects. In the classroom situation teachers, often unconsciously, do not devote to them as much attention as they do to boys. Boys are often more active than girls in working with computers or in doing scientific experiments, they are more assertive, and attract the attention of teachers. Teachers are not used to counteracting this. In some countries this situation has once again resulted in a call for separation of the sexes at school or at least in intensive science and...