When I was a youngster I used to watch the telecourse programs on my local PBS stations. I learned a lot about various sciences from these program. I've recently been searching for them online and have been enjoying watching these programs again. Many of them were produced by the Annenberg/CPB project and they are available on their website - www.learner.org.

I wish to bring everyone's attention to a 20 minute video which addressed the fact that many students simply are not learning science and the reasons why. The program starts by interviewing Harvard graduates on graduation day and asking them basic astronomy questions. Nearly all get them wrong. Even a professor was wrong.

When you go to the page, just click on the icon labeled "VoD" to watch the video.

Synopsis:

A Private Universe
This video brings into sharp focus the dilemma facing all educators: Why don't even the brightest students truly grasp basic science concepts? Interviews are held with high school students and Ivy League graduates asking them to explain what causes the seasons and the phases of the moon. Even the brightest students in the class have false ideas based on enduring misconceptions that traditional instructional methods cannot overcome.

Brian

• A Private Universe