Dear All,
I just found this page http://course-civil-engineering.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-metric-system-was-introduced-in.html
where the writer says:
I have been lecturing basic sciences in African universities, in time
when the countries of Africa have been changing their fps system to SI
system. A very interesting and challenging period! It took some years
to accomplish the change fully.
Surprisingly, the change was more visible and easier done in business
(packaging, volumes, balances), shops and streets (kilometer posts,
speed signs, change to a right hand drive) than at a university
laboratory. Why did they succeed in relatively smooth way? You may say
that if "there is will, there is a way". Although, it is true, the
countries were less developed and the changes had not met big
resistance. At that time there was no book for students on
experimental science, where all quantities were to be measured and the
answers expressed in SI units.
By the same token there was no "conversion" fear, so hampering
introduction of SI in USA. The problem shifted to mathematical
manipulation of power of ten notation, metric quantities, SI prefixes,
inter-conversion within the metric system, accuracy, precision and the
uncertainties of measurement or calculated quantities. This prompted
me to write the book on metric measurements and experimental science.
I believe that one important step of many steps to conduct a
successful metrication in the USA is to prepare the science teachers
to teach the SI system, at least, in the last years of a high school.
...You may compare learning a new system with a learning of a new
language. It seems that it requires constant "conversion". It may, at
first, but for a short time. The same quantity may have different
names; so many factors, therefore: calculations, re-calculations! This
creates a fear! But it is hard way to learn! Just accepting a new
language, you steadily forget that messy, tedious (and unnecessary!)
way. Without much effort you start using this simple "language". Take
example of other nations!
They did it without much effort! I wish that the older generation in
the USA did not fear and did not make objections! "Whatever new comes,
it comes with pain".
It is interesting in that the writer clearly confuses the metrication
process with metric system knowledge and as a result becomes confused
as to why the process was so slow.
I will make a few points
Paragraph 2:
The shoppers soon realised that grams and kilograms were all that was
necessary for daily shopping. In the meantime schools and universities
banged on about the importance of hectograms, decagrams, centigrams,
decigrams, and the use of all the other SI prefixes, and all of the
possible ways to slither and slide decimal markers back and forth. The
same principle of simplicity by unit selection works for millilitres
and litres as well as it does for millimetres and metres.
Paragraph 3:
The packers and retailers soon provided 500 gram and 500 millilitre
containers – and removed other old sizes to reduce their inventory –
while the academics and teachers were figuring out how to teach
conversions from all of the old pre-metric measuring words to metric
system units (or more often figuring out how to teach conversions from
metric system units to all of the old pre-metric measuring words).
Academics and teachers also became fascinated with issues of accuracy,
precision, and the uncertainties of measurement of calculated
quantities. People in the market reduced the number of measuring units
to an absolute minimeum and accepted that government measuring
authorites would check up on cheats.
Paragraph 4:
When kids leave school they need enough experience with the metric
system to (say) do the shopping, renovate the kitchen, or to build a
house; this much metric system will fit onto the back of a business
card and can be learned by most people within a minute. Teaching SI
might (repeat might) be useful for those who will go on to advanced
studies in metrology but teaching all children the full details of the
International System of Units (SI) would serve little purpose for
these students.
Paragraph 5:
Learning the metric system is about learning to measure. To equate
learning the metric system with learning a language is simply wrong
headed. I agree with the writer when he says that:
constant "conversion" … is … messy, tedious (and unnecessary!)
However, conversion is the path that is often assumed by people who
encourage 'metric conversion'. From my observation, 'metric
conversion' has done nothing except delayed the inevitable upgrade to
the metric system. I know of no example where 'metric conversion' has
ever assisted in a metric transition. In fact I avoid the expression,
'metric conversion' altogether as it can lead people toward a path
that simply doesn't work.
Paragraph 6:
Finally the writer remarks:
They did it without much effort!
Assuming he is talking about the people in business and in the
markets, he is right, they did it without much effort. However he is
unknowingly referring to the metrication process and not to the
distribution of knowledge about the metric system. For the people in
manufacturing or in the market, the metrication process that these
people chose that goes something like this:
1 Choose the simplest possible metric system units and from these
choose just one single unit if you can.
For example,
All drinks will be measured in millilitres.
All buildings will be measured in millimetres.
All foods will be measured in grams below a kilogram and in
kilograms above that.
2 Make this policy widely known in the community and don't vary from it.
In the teaching institutions, on the other hand, the rules were (and
still are ?):
1 Choose as many units as you possibly can. Choose to vary between SI
units, old pre-metric measuring words that have jargon qualities based
on the history of your particular academic tradition, and even make up
some new unit name constructions designed to give your jargon a
special powerful place; micron is good as is mil, mike, Rydberg,
mmboe, and so on – there are endless possibilities for a creative
academic to choose.
2 Encourage conversion between all the metric system units that you
have chosen. Don't forget to include all the ones you have made up.
Don't define the names of physical quantities clearly. For example use
weight and mass interchangeably and also use power and energy
interchangeably (kilowatts and kilowatt-hours are great to continue
this confusion).
3 Introduce the unproven idea of 'metric conversion'. Use this to
encourage students to do 'metric conversion' calculations. For example
if the student has a relative with a new baby then demonstrate how to
convert the baby's mass from grams to kilograms and then show how this
can be converted to pounds, ounces, and fractions of ounces. Calling
the baby's mass its weight also helps with the confusion – after all
it is only 323 years since Isaac Newton differentiated between the
concepts of mass and weight in 1687.
Cheers,
Pat Naughtin
Author of the ebook, Metrication Leaders Guide, that you can obtain
from http://metricationmatters.com/MetricationLeadersGuideInfo.html
PO Box 305 Belmont 3216,
Geelong, Australia
Phone: 61 3 5241 2008
Metric system consultant, writer, and speaker, Pat Naughtin, has
helped thousands of people and hundreds of companies upgrade to the
modern metric system smoothly, quickly, and so economically that they
now save thousands each year when buying, processing, or selling for
their businesses. Pat provides services and resources for many
different trades, crafts, and professions for commercial, industrial
and government metrication leaders in Asia, Europe, and in the USA.
Pat's clients include the Australian Government, Google, NASA, NIST,
and the metric associations of Canada, the UK, and the USA. See http://www.metricationmatters.com
for more metrication information, contact Pat at [email protected]
or to get the free 'Metrication matters' newsletter go to: http://www.metricationmatters.com/newsletter
to subscribe.
