Uh-oh. Kids think that Buzz Lightyear was the first to walk on the moon...

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Thanks to Bob Bee from MAS who posted this on our forum this morning. As silly as it is, I think it's actually a pretty disturbing scenario. To quote Bob:

One can reasonably assume that the stats would apply to Australian children as well, as the UK and Australian entertainment cultures are much the same.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8101639

Kids name Buzz Lightyear as first man on moon10:00 AEST Fri Oct 8 2010
By ninemsn staff

A large number of British children believe Buzz Lightyear was the first person to walk on the moon and that Darth Vader's Deathstar from Star Wars is the furthest planet from Earth.

A survey of 2000 children aged 6-12 years in the UK revealed most youngsters have trouble distinguishing between fact and fiction, and lacked basic knowledge of key events in history, London's Telegraph newspaper reports.

One- third of the children surveyed also did not know that Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, with nine percent giving credit to Deal or No Deal host Noel Edmonds.

One in six children incorrectly identified US President Barrack Obama as either Mr T from the A-Team, F1 driver Lewis Hamilton or Nelson Mandela.

But while their knowledge of history was somewhat muddled, the children proved to be far more aware of what was happening in the lives of celebrities.

Close to 65 percent of the children knew Britney Spears had shaved her head and two-thirds identified malaria as the illness suffered by X Factor judge Cheryl Cole.

Children's author Christopher Lloyd told the Telegraph there was a lot of confusion among children about historical events.

''Young people have little or no context when it comes to knowledge about the past," Mr Lloyd said.

"Often they know a great deal about a few topics, but seldom do they have any idea of the big picture - Neil Armstrong would not be happy to learn a plastic action figure is getting the credit for first man to step on the moon."

[RB (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by Omaroo

As silly as it is, I think it's actually a pretty disturbing scenario.

Indeed, very disturbing.

[CraigS]

Thanks Chris;

This thread got me going .. (again).

A sample size of 2000 isn't really that indicative of the entire population of Australian kids in the 6 - 12 years bracket (for instance).

Wiki says 18.9% for 0 to 14 years = about 4.3 million. (Don't know what it is for 6 to 12 years, though).

Fantasies are kind of important in the development of youthful minds. Fact and fantasy can start to separate after 12 years also, no ?

I find more important during these young years, is that children learn about what it means to be 'responsible' (for eg). Also, learning how to think rationally helps towards establishing an effective 'operating system' for later in life, which will serve as a tool to correct factual errors.

I find correcting errors in most kids' knowledge base in the 6 to 12 years range is not so tough, if they have a good grounding in these other areas. (Not that I'm an expert in this area, mind you).

So, I guess in my view, there maybe things more important than knowledge of outright facts during this period of development.

The survey didn't test for these aspects.

Cheers & Regards.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

I don't disagree Craig. Shallow statistics don't really help either. I'd be interested to know how many of the 2,000 surveyed really thought that Buzz beat Neil. It didn't say. It this "believe" or "like to believe"? I believe (or like to believe) that there is a difference.

[Barrykgerdes]

I would expect the proportion of kids in that age group that miss out on that question to be just as high or higher anywhere in Australia. Why not ask them to name the premiers of the 6 states of Australia. I would suggest that while most of them know the premier of their home state very few would know the rest unless they had been required to study them. (PS I know Qld, NSW and Vic but as for the rest ?)

However ask them the names of the top pop groups and the top tunes of the week and you would most likely get a perfect score!

It is all a matter of priorities. An average group of 6 to 14 year olds do not have the same priorities as a bunch of amateur astronomers!

Barry

[Max Vondel (Peter)]

We need more scientific literacy in this world. Because their parents lack basic scientific understanding, their kids suffer to be educated instead by the media or internet. The result is Buzz Lightyear and faked moon landings!

Most of us as amateur astronomers enjoy sharing the wonders of the day and night sky. Talking science is part of the enjoyment and sharing the wonder. I think we all have a responsibility to share our knowledge. Fortunately some astronomical societies run special programmes for kids and open nights for the public.

How many times have you asked for an astronomy magazine in a newsagency only to be shown the astrology section!
That my friends indicates that we have a long way to go........

[CraigS]

Also, it may have been the just-turned-six year olds who ticked that box.
'A large number' …

Daily Telegraph report, huh ?

A terrific source of pseudoscience .. for all ages !



Cheers

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by CraigS

Daily Telegraph report, huh ?

A terrific source of pseudoscience .. for all ages !



Cheers

LOL! Too true. It isn't one of the better tabloids in the UK.

[DavidU (Dave)]

Yes it's a worry, however with all the information available online these days the kids should know way more than I did at a young age.
Something else is at play here.

[Benno85 (Ben)]

Not to hijack the thread, but I'm a firm believer in that the parents play a much bigger part in all of this (despite the small sample size).

My son who has just turned 4 has for the last year been comfortably asking me where Jupiter and Venus is, and is constantly at me to get the scope out to look at the Moon. Young kids need to have instilled in them from an early age about these things as it will pay off big time in the long run. Sure most nights that the scope is out he is far more happy to run around with a spare finderscope, not surprising as he still can't quite close one eye, but the fact that he can ask these things and questions them is promising.


As Max said, more applicable literature needs to be shared with kids, and just astronomy/science related, but knowledge in general

[casstony]

I shake my head at parenting standards these days. I bet some of those kids don't even know what the Temporal Prime Directive is .

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by casstony

I bet some of those kids don't even know what the Temporal Prime Directive is .

That's pathetic.

[Suzy]

I don't agree with the categories in which that survey was done. You cannot put a 6 year old's intellect in the same league as a 12 year old. At six their imaginary world is important to the brain’s development (most of us who have had children of that age will know what I’m talking about); at 12 a different story.

As for the twelve year olds that ticked the Buzz Light Year box in my opinion that has got to fall largely on the shoulders of the parents and not left to be totally dependent on the education system. Many parents out there are quite happy for the children to plant themselves in front of television cartoons and the computer forever lost in a false world. No matter what age my daughter is, I will forever be telling her important moments in history & science, and when an historic moment is being made, she has been taught to embrace it, as it will be an important reflection in her future. You don’t have to be a parent with a teacher’s degree to educate your children – most know some basics of history & science, and watch the news - there is no excuse for it. Bringing them up this way teaches them a respect for history.

At the end of the day, the British press are doing what they do best – sensationalizing every thing. Thanks Chris for posting. Apologies if I sound a bit aggressive here, this thread got me fired up (no emoticons even- that's a first!).

[CraigS]

Originally Posted by Suzy

As for the twelve year olds that ticked the Buzz Light Year box ..

I reckon I would've intentionally ticked that box when I was twelve !!

[Outbackmanyep]

Someone give these kids a clip around the ear!

[Ric]

I wonder what Neil and the real Buzz are thinking?

"Not happy Jan" I suspect.

[DavidU (Dave)]

You DO NOT mess with Buzz Aldrin !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOo6aHSY8hU

Originally Posted by Ric

I wonder what Neil and the real Buzz are thinking?

"Not happy Jan" I suspect.

[casstony]

Apologies for the off-beat humor Chris We all have our weaknesses.

I haven't personally noticed any general, worrisome problem with kids knowledge or with our public education system.

[Ric]

Go Buzz

(Aldrin that is)

[Max Vondel (Peter)]

Buzz is here in Oz at the moment!