Tavish Scott: The horrible truth about science lessons

ACADEMICS complain that it dumbs down learning – but it makes the subject fun. Fun for a new generation of learners. The fourth series of Horrible Histories is now airing on children’s TV.

The concept has grown from a first book published 25 years ago and has now sold millions. My bookshelves groan as the boys love their style and the books have become staple Christmas and birthday gifts.

Will Horrible Histories’ success mean more boys want to read history at university? I rather doubt it but it does mean that more youngsters will find the teaching of history at school more palatable. I do not envy secondary school history teachers having to add context and facts into the entertainment of Egyptian mummies as seen on CBBC.

All this went through my mind as I walked around Edinburgh’s City Art Centre. The Centre is host to the annual Edinburgh Science Festival.

My definition of a successful event full of things to do for kids is when parents are sitting on the helpfully provided chairs next to be exhibits texting. Or even speaking to each other but only after texting.

Meanwhile the delighted offspring are up to their necks in blood, machines or wrapping mummies. Robot Wars has been a massive hit on TV. Lots of middle aged men get to relive their childhood desire to smash things while using their engineering and electronic skills to build robots that can manoeuvre and are indestructible.

The Science Festival encourages sons and daughters to design, build and drive the robo-cars instead of the fathers. The look of sheer pleasure and delight on the face of the 8-year old we saw as his construction proved adept at the obstacle course, said everything.

On a different floor the blood bar was particularly popular as the details of heart valves and pumps were explained in a matter of fact way complete with large quantities of highly realistic red liquid. A long discussion ensured on the way home about how much blood the body holds and how quickly it proceeds from head to toe.

The parental photo opportunity thankfully was not the analysis of Dad’s dance steps which are only to be seen in their natural environment. An audience of 30-something mums certainly is not that. Instead, blowing bubbles with industrial quantities of fairy liquid had been taken to new heights. A frame held a circular bike tyre which was raised by pulley and ropes out of a water channel. By standing in the middle a wall of bubble ascended around the victim and collapsed under its own weight when well above the height of the average 12-year old. Photo cameras clicked and snapped as the translucent light caught odd reflections and facial contortions. Great fun for all.

And the point of all this? A recent study showed we are not producing enough science graduates for industry’s needs. Nor are enough pupils taking science subjects at schools so perhaps the discipline needs the Horrible Histories treatment to take off.