Thomas Kuhn conceived over a half century ago that science should be distinguished into revolutionary periods separated by normal science. Normal science fills in the details while the rare revolutions replace one theoretical framework with a better paradigm. As a science develops, broad revolutions are followed by revolutions which make less sweeping changes. Our knowledge of elements and periodic charts seems to be in a period of normal science. And if revolutions occur in that part of chemistry, they are likely to be rather narrow in scope.

But a revolution may be about to change the way we learn chemistry. Major revolutions in education have been widely separated in time. Much from the Lyceum of Aristotle remains in today's schools. But the Internet has introduced a new medium much as Johannes Gutenberg advanced the printed medium in the 15th Century. The textbook and printed documents had a dramatic change on education and the way knowledge and understanding was transmitted from one generation to the next. Most of the pieces for another revolution are in place. Google has provided a ... way to rapidly access the enormous and expanding body of knowledge and understanding.

But unlike the textbook author and lecturer who selected relevant knowledge and directed the student to learn the most useful, the Internet lacks such guidance. Google uses artificial intelligence to guess what web pages match a student's question. Google is very good at indexing what is relevant to a student's query. But Google currently provides no help knowing what might be useful preparation for a person's future. The insight of the instructor and the school curriculum selecting future value is missing from allowing the current Internet to be an effective replacement for traditional schooling.

But it is likely that missing piece will soon appear. Perceived need is a powerful motivator of invention. Soon it should be possible for an organization, perhaps Google, to evaluate web content in terms of society's perceived importance. While search requests for sports stars and images of unclothed bodies may be very popular, it should be possible to estimate that such information is unlikely to develop economic prosperity, solve problems one is likely to face in the future, or provide lasting happiness. When even a crude way is devised to evaluate the importance of knowledge and understanding, and a method devised to rank that in order of what prerequisites need to be first understood, then the Internet will become a powerful alternative to traditional schools. That will significantly change both the need for and definition of teachers. It will also dramatically reduce the need to provide school buildings for assembly of students and the maintenance of traditional learning schedules. Abandoning such traditions could be a radical revolution for education around the world.

In preparation for such a revolution there are a number of preparatory steps: The author is developing instructional web pages at www.SequimScience.com to determine if it might be possible to direct hands-on experimental science experiences via the web. Other organizations such as the Shodor Educational Foundation at www.shodor.org are attempting to coordinate science curriculum materials. Still other organizations such as Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics are recording talks at www.kitp.ucsb.edu/talks by scientists about the frontiers of science.

9 December 2006
dave trapp

References:
Thomas S. Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, 1962
Dave Trapp, www.SequimScience.com
Shodor Educational Foundation, www.shodor.org
Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, www.kitp.ucsb.edu