The National Research Council Should Not Be Telling University Professors How to Teach

     In the May 28th issue of Chemical and Engineering News, Andrea Widener reviews a report from the National Research Council (NRC) concerning science teaching practices for undergraduate students.
    The NRC report says that college and university professors are not keeping up with technology changes which would make the teaching of science more efficient and understandable. They say, for example, that students across disciplines have trouble understanding graphs, models or other important depictions of science.
    While that may be, the teaching of science is complex and undoubtedly some professors tend to use old-fashioned methods. I also have no doubt that professors in general are interested in teaching to the best of their ability and use new technology, wherever they feel if is appropriate.
    I also suggest that the National Research Council has no business involving itself in such subject. Taxpayer money should not be spent on telling colleges and universities how they should teach. We have the best higher education system in the world, although I disagree with many of the socialistic concepts being taught in non-science courses and the use of taxpayer money for grants on subjects that need not be investigated.