Browsing by Author "Spargo, P E"

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    Attitude to studies of first-year students in biological sciences at the commencement of university level tuition
    (1990) Jordaan, Jean J de V; Spargo, P E
    First year students commencing studies in the biological sciences at two universities in the Cape Province, South Africa the Universities of Cape Town and Stellenbosch were sampled by means of a questionnaire. This investigation sought to establish in what way attitudes, formed at school during studies in biology would, on transferring to a university learning environment, play a part in determining successful outcomes of study in biological sciences during the first year of study at a university.
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    The extent and relevance of instrumentalism, constructivism and critical realism in high school physical science textbooks : a critical study
    (1990) Jacoby, Brian Arthur; Spargo, P E
    Instrumentalism is a philosophy of science which holds that scientific theories are merely useful fictions for making computative predictions. Its pragmatic purpose of 'saving the appearances' downgrades the role of theory in science. Realists, on the other hand, take the implications of theories seriously. This study investigates the attributes of both instrumentalism and realism, taking theory as its point of departure. It is pointed out that constructivism is closely related to instrumentalism, both being forms of pragmatism. Since both tend to concoct and relinquish theories too easily, they tend to be relativist and subjectivist. It is therefore concluded that neither instrumentalism, nor constructivism, nor empiricism is sufficient for a rounded science education. What is needed is a type of realism which acknowledges both the empirical physical world 'out there' and the constructivist nature of scientific knowledge. The naive (empiricist) realism so prevalent in school science textbooks cannot do this. It is contended that critical realism, and especially that of Bernard Lonergan, can meet this requirement. Reality is more than what is given in sensory experience. Therefore, in order to help solve the problem of relativism and subjectivity inherent in constructivism, we need to revise our notion of reality and objectivity. Twenty-three selected British, American, South African, and African Third World high school physical science textbooks were examined in detail to determine the extent of an instrumentalist philosophy in them. They were subjected to several textual analyses, including one especially devised for this study. The results reveal that our high school physical science textbooks do indeed contain a high degree of instrumentalism. This study postulates that this instrumentalism may be used to help pupils move towards realism. However, this needs to be augmented by a full-blooded critical realist approach which takes theoretical entities seriously. One way of doing this is through the use of suitable material in the preface of every textbook. Not only should the dangers of instrumentalism (and naive constructivism) be pointed out, but the role of theory in science should be emphasised. This may be achieved by simulations to encourage growth of models and theories, historical case studies involving theory-development, and additional reading of scientists in action. Some examples of these are provided.
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    Investigating the site of Newton’s laboratory in Trinity College, Cambridge
    (2005) Spargo, P E
    It is not generally known that over the course of some thirty years, Isaac Newton carried out around four hundred chemical experiments in a private laboratory located in the walled garden immediately below his rooms in Trinity College, Cambridge. The exact location of his laboratory has long been a source of conjecture and this article describes a survey undertaken to determine both the possible site of the laboratory as well as that of the rubbish pit in which Newton would have disposed of the waste materials generated in his chemical experiments. The results are believed to be of sufficient interest to justify continuation of the investigation.
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