When I was a young boy all my friends wanted to do science.

The landing of man on the Moon drove hundreds of bright kids into studying physics, mathematics and science.

The brighter ones did physics. Science and physics were seen as the things to do. It was exciting and it was the cool thing to do.

Now forty years later kids are flying away from science and physics. Science is seen by many of them as boring and uninspiring. Their teachers are failing them by not imparting scientific knowledge in an exciting and motivating way.

This flight from science has become a major area of concern for the governments in high-tech economies, such as the UK, US, and Europe.

It has also become a problem in Australia. The reason for this concern is simple. Science and engineering are and have been the drivers of economic growth and the good life for the citizens of these countries.

The decline in the number of youngsters wanting to do science will have a detrimental effect on the well being of advanced technologically based countries.

The US National Science Board in their report on the educational needs of US science, technology, engineering and maths education system notes the damaging impact the flight from science will have on the economic and social endeavour of the country.

Arising from this and other reports it has led universities to re-examine the way science and engineering are taught to the new generation of students who have been labelled the “Yuk-Wow” generation.

This is the new age generation of young people who will make a decision quickly to either engage or not engage in learning.

If the subject matter is not exciting and interesting they will dump it straightaway. Simulation and stimulation are important to them. They view the world in terms of a new perspective. They not only have access to the rich media resources that are openly available to them but they are also exposed to creative opportunities outside the classrooms and the lecture theatres in schools and universities.