This subject all boils down to a simple question "Why do I have to study (any) subjects that are boring, irrelevant, a turn-off, and learn little from them?" That's what every school age children ask their parents and educators. Now, educators are asking "Why do I have to teach subjects that are boring, irrelevant, and a turn-off to students?"
Interestingly, in this case ecologists are arguing on worth of teaching subjects of biology that are not of their strong interests (say, cell-DNA). I am sure that a professor of cell-DNA teaching non-major biology would question "what's the worth of teaching ecology for non-biology majors?" Then, this begs a question, what subjects of ecology (among us ecologists) think should not be taught to non-biology major's class because the subjects are, say " boring, irrelevant, a turn-off, and learn little from them?" Toshihide "Hamachan" Hamazaki, 濱崎俊秀PhD Alaska Department of Fish and Game: アラスカ州漁業野生動物課 Division of Commercial Fisheries: 商業漁業部 333 Raspberry Rd. Anchorage, AK 99518 Phone: (907)267-2158 Cell: (907)440-9934
