Teaching Science Through Science Fiction: A Story of Innovation in the Classroom and Beyond

This book explores the modern history of teaching science through science fiction. In the 1950s, British scientist and novelist C. P. Snow argued that the growing divide between the “two cultures”, science and the humanities, was a major obstacle to solving global challenges. Despite his warnings, most education systems continued to keep scientific and literary subjects separate. Even so, many interdisciplinary educators worked to bridge this gap. They used science fiction stories, films and games to teach subjects across the natural and social sciences. Professors produced books such as Introductory Psychology Through Science Fiction and The Physics of Star Trek. Planetarium educators adapted Isaac Asimov’s “The Last Question” to teach astronomy. Museum teams displayed models of fictional spacecraft and even hosted Halo “deathmatches” to engage visitors through interactive gaming. These efforts sometimes drew criticism. Detractors accused educators of favouring entertainment over substance and lowering cultural standards. Yet these pioneering instructors opened new paths for interdisciplinary learning and reached students who were not well served by traditional approaches to education.