How fair is excluding quantum physics from science curriculum?

Educational content, not only what is taught, but also not being taught create a worldview for us.

There is a concept in education called null curriculum. Null curriculum is the information and content that is intentionally or unintentionally left out of the prescribed curriculum. Basically, null curriculum includes the topics that are not taught in schools. Hmm let’s give an example, how about quantum mechanics?

What is absent from the curriculum canon results in misinterpretations of the whole.

Imagine a married man, waking up in the morning, going to his job, meeting a co-worker for lunch, meeting his mistress after work, going to grocery shopping and coming home in the evening. When his wife asks him, “Hi sweetie, how was your day, what did you do today?” He lists all the things he has done exactly how he has done, only excluding his meeting with his mistress. Would he be lying? He tells everything correctly, but omits only one aspect of the story. How fair is the situation?

The lack of quantum physics in school science curricula is the same kind of story-telling; it excludes one game-changer aspect of the story. The subjects that we do not know would also provide evidence just as much as the subjects that we do know. Also, the fact that there is some game-changer science content that is not taught to students would create significant misconceptions regarding the views of science and what’s going on in reality.

What is absent from the curriculum canon not only results in misinterpretations of the whole, but also speaks loudly to what is valued. Apparently, current school science curricula value and encourage classical physics induced classical modes of linear, deterministic thinking. Determinism is determining the next step with a given previous step in a linear fashion, like a linear cause and effect relationship in classical physics. So what? - You may say… What happens if we learn only linear and deterministic aspect of science?

Well, the linear and deterministic mode of thinking is a philosophy—the way we think. The way we think is predominantly shaped by our educational and social contexts. The underlying trends of thought create a philosophical framework where collective and individual worldviews are being shaped. Did you know that certain philosophical movements shaped certain eras in history? These certain eras adopt a specific philosophical approach to various aspects of life; such as cultural trends, arts, architecture, politics and social progress. So, the framework we think in, namely our worldview is critical in shaping how we see our lives, the world, and ourselves today and how we create our lives for the future.

Our worldviews have an impact on everything we do, think and get. Source: Model of Culture adapted from G. Linwood Barney by David Hesselgrave

Adopting the quantum physics approach in our daily lives would promote opportunities to liberate from the mandated linear workings of life while opening up possibilities for us. Adopting a thinking outside the box approach and engaging with unthinkable, creative possibilities can be the predominant mind-set of everyday life. Can you imagine a life of possibilities?

Currently we see that the views embedded in quantum mechanics have been marginalized subjects in education. Excluding quantum physics from science curricula contributes to the misrepresentation of the field of physics and misconceptions about our understanding of the world around us. From my perspective, educational institutions are not doing a fair job in terms of social justice by choosing to teach only one branch of physics and excluding quantum physics in science education. The omission of quantum physics might have created the illusion of a mono-reality that is based on linear, deterministic ways of thinking. What we teach and don’t teach at schools is significantly crucial since it shapes our worldview, which eventually contributes to who we are and to our understanding of the nature of reality.

Adopting a thinking outside the box approach and engaging with creative possibilities can be the predominant mind-set of everyday life. Can you imagine a life of possibilities?