Inquiring Minds
Two nights ago, I attended the 7th Annual Inquiry Fair at Cale Elementary School. As one might expect, there was a wide range of topics, there were varying degrees of parental support, and some very clever projects. My nephew, a first-grader, worked very hard on his ant tunnel project, and I enjoyed watching him and his classmates bask in the kudos of jobs well done. One line of inquiry, which I shall refer to as the “bubble gum” experiments, caught my eye. An example of one such experiment sought to determine which brand of chewing gum had the longest lasting flavor (results showed Hubba Bubba!). Another youngster set out to find which brand of bubble gum made the largest bubbles (I forget the winner). A third experiment had something to do with Skittles.
These inquiries were in stark contrast to the more “scientific” topics, such as differences in camera shutter speeds, and the connection between molecules found in distant nebulae and molecules in our bodies. What I find interesting is my reaction to the different inquiries. When I saw the “bubble gum” experiments, I chuckled, but I didn’t take them very seriously; I thought of a kid just doing whatever came to mind at the last minute.
This morning, however, it occured to me that the young researchers involved in the “bubble gum” experiments may very well be the kids who grow up to be great researchers. Why? Because unlike some of the kids whose topics had more to do with Daddy’s interests than their own, the “bubble gum” researchers have, perhaps intuitively, already identified an essential aspect of research. That is, for research to be satisfying and meaningful to the researcher, it must be something about which the researcher is PASSIONATE! Only a passionate researcher can muster the necessary perseverence, and ask the truly great questions that elevate humanity.
Technorati Tags: inquiry fair, science, bubble gum, passion
March 30th, 2006 at 9:53 am
Interesting site. Came across via Google search. This is true in the scientific community, too. We scoff at qualitative research for being soft and less rigorous, but the truth is that it is a necessary part of filling in the whole picture when describing events. Epistemology must be broadened to include this.
March 30th, 2006 at 10:13 am
I tend to think of quantitative analyses as giving us more of the “what,” and qualitative analyses as giving us more of the “why.” Oversimplified, to be sure, but it helps my simple mind makes sense of a greater whole.
Hehehe… Francis, you are the first person whom I do not know that has ever responded to my (albeit minimal) presence on the web! Interestingly, I find this very exciting!….IT WORKS!
March 30th, 2006 at 5:04 pm
Tertawa sukar.
Hanya kami akan digairahkan mengenai hal seperti ini.
Geeky nerds that we are!