Pub Date : 2020-02-23DOI: 10.1080/21548455.2020.1730018
Lynda Dunlop, J. Airey, Maria Turkenburg-van Diepen, J. Bennett
ABSTRACT Since the Apollo missions, human spaceflight has been advocated as a means of promoting positive attitudes towards science. In 2015, Principia launched Britain's first government-funded astronaut to the International Space Station, a core objective being education and inspiring young people. In this study, we examined how spaceflight education policy was enacted during the Principia mission, found out the ways in which young people encountered space, and how these encounters shaped their attitudes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 102 children and analysed through the construction of an actor-network. Young people encountered space through formal education in school as well as through non-formal encounters with family, friends, media and social media. Social media influences were associated with forming positive attitudes, whereas friends and teachers were associated with both positive and negative attitudes. The human dimension of spaceflight was important in young people encountering space but was not sufficient to stimulate sustained interest in space: children and young people wanted to know more about the science of human spaceflight. Young people confused science with science fiction. In some schools, young people became ‘spaced out’ by saturation of the curriculum with space. The findings have implications for policymakers and practitioners. The scientific stories associated with human spaceflight need greater attention. Social media could be used to greater effect in communicating science directly to young people. Non-formal education initiatives must be designed to align with teachers’ objectives, and there needs to be recognition and reward of teachers’ time and contributions.
{"title":"Close encounters between young people and human spaceflight","authors":"Lynda Dunlop, J. Airey, Maria Turkenburg-van Diepen, J. Bennett","doi":"10.1080/21548455.2020.1730018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2020.1730018","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Since the Apollo missions, human spaceflight has been advocated as a means of promoting positive attitudes towards science. In 2015, Principia launched Britain's first government-funded astronaut to the International Space Station, a core objective being education and inspiring young people. In this study, we examined how spaceflight education policy was enacted during the Principia mission, found out the ways in which young people encountered space, and how these encounters shaped their attitudes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 102 children and analysed through the construction of an actor-network. Young people encountered space through formal education in school as well as through non-formal encounters with family, friends, media and social media. Social media influences were associated with forming positive attitudes, whereas friends and teachers were associated with both positive and negative attitudes. The human dimension of spaceflight was important in young people encountering space but was not sufficient to stimulate sustained interest in space: children and young people wanted to know more about the science of human spaceflight. Young people confused science with science fiction. In some schools, young people became ‘spaced out’ by saturation of the curriculum with space. The findings have implications for policymakers and practitioners. The scientific stories associated with human spaceflight need greater attention. Social media could be used to greater effect in communicating science directly to young people. Non-formal education initiatives must be designed to align with teachers’ objectives, and there needs to be recognition and reward of teachers’ time and contributions.","PeriodicalId":45375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Science Education Part B-Communication and Public Engagement","volume":"15 1","pages":"187 - 203"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2020-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78826144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-02-18DOI: 10.1080/21548455.2020.1727587
Kari Bisbee O’Connell, Brianna Keys, M. Storksdieck, M. Rosin
ABSTRACT Dedicated science learning spaces such as science museums, science cafes, or science media attract mostly those who seek out science learning experiences. This self-selection represents a major challenge for broadening participation in informal science learning (ISL). In this study, we examine an approach to ISL that aims at reaching audiences who may not ordinarily engage with science. Termed Guerilla Science, this approach blends elements of access, by removing barriers to participation by embedding science into unexpected places, with those of inclusion, by designing activities that speak to the learning identities of participants. Our research investigated whether such ISL experience are indeed able to attract and engage ‘new’ audiences. In this study, Guerilla Science events were featured at the Oregon Eclipse Festival, a large multi-day music and arts festival. We conducted a multi-method study that included participants of the Oregon Eclipse Festival who engaged with Guerilla Science events, and those who did not, with a focus of understanding whether these two groups were different in key characteristics associated with their interest in, and engagement with science. The full range of festival goers, from those with little connection and interest in science to science enthusiasts, who participated in Guerilla Science, were similar to festival goers overall, indicating the effectiveness of the approach for engaging adults from beyond the science choir. Providing access points to science engagement within non-science cultural contexts and designing the science experiences to align with cultural identity of the audience represents an evidence-based practice for broadening participation.
{"title":"Context Matters: Using art-based science experiences to broaden participation beyond the choir","authors":"Kari Bisbee O’Connell, Brianna Keys, M. Storksdieck, M. Rosin","doi":"10.1080/21548455.2020.1727587","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2020.1727587","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Dedicated science learning spaces such as science museums, science cafes, or science media attract mostly those who seek out science learning experiences. This self-selection represents a major challenge for broadening participation in informal science learning (ISL). In this study, we examine an approach to ISL that aims at reaching audiences who may not ordinarily engage with science. Termed Guerilla Science, this approach blends elements of access, by removing barriers to participation by embedding science into unexpected places, with those of inclusion, by designing activities that speak to the learning identities of participants. Our research investigated whether such ISL experience are indeed able to attract and engage ‘new’ audiences. In this study, Guerilla Science events were featured at the Oregon Eclipse Festival, a large multi-day music and arts festival. We conducted a multi-method study that included participants of the Oregon Eclipse Festival who engaged with Guerilla Science events, and those who did not, with a focus of understanding whether these two groups were different in key characteristics associated with their interest in, and engagement with science. The full range of festival goers, from those with little connection and interest in science to science enthusiasts, who participated in Guerilla Science, were similar to festival goers overall, indicating the effectiveness of the approach for engaging adults from beyond the science choir. Providing access points to science engagement within non-science cultural contexts and designing the science experiences to align with cultural identity of the audience represents an evidence-based practice for broadening participation.","PeriodicalId":45375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Science Education Part B-Communication and Public Engagement","volume":"103 1","pages":"166 - 185"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2020-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75932203","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-02-06DOI: 10.1080/21548455.2020.1719292
Guoyan Wang, Lingfei Wang, Ziling Ye
ABSTRACT Tao Xingzhi was the initiator of science education in China. He initiated the ‘marrying science with the public’ movement in 1931, which formed the starting point of modern science education in China. The two cores of the movement are science popularization and saving the nation through science education. Looking back at the history of nearly ninety years, China has been exploring and developing both of these cores. Today, the thought of Tao’s science education is still alive.
{"title":"Tao Xingzhi and the ‘marrying science with the public’ movement in China","authors":"Guoyan Wang, Lingfei Wang, Ziling Ye","doi":"10.1080/21548455.2020.1719292","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2020.1719292","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Tao Xingzhi was the initiator of science education in China. He initiated the ‘marrying science with the public’ movement in 1931, which formed the starting point of modern science education in China. The two cores of the movement are science popularization and saving the nation through science education. Looking back at the history of nearly ninety years, China has been exploring and developing both of these cores. Today, the thought of Tao’s science education is still alive.","PeriodicalId":45375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Science Education Part B-Communication and Public Engagement","volume":"31 1","pages":"127 - 132"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2020-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75052925","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-02-04DOI: 10.1080/21548455.2020.1719291
Rupanwita Gupta, John Voiklis, Shelley Rank, J. T. Dwyer, J. Fraser, Kate Flinner, Kathryn M. Nock
ABSTRACT Global interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) literacy necessitates studying public perceptions of the STEM learning ecology – the spectrum of settings where people encounter STEM. By expanding on the STEM learning ecosystem focused on youth’s structured learning, we explore settings where lifelong learners encounter STEM in their daily lives. We conducted a nationwide study with the US public describing where and how people engage with STEM. Results show that the public encounters each STEM discipline with similar frequency in various informal settings. Settings resonate uniquely with the public regarding STEM disciplines, topics, and modes of learning. Specifically, science centres are the standard for informal STEM learning, and are associated most closely with the experiences outlined above. Other informal learning centres are perceived to cover aspects of that ecology. Zoos are seen as places to learn most about animals and related topics (e.g., animal behaviour), and aquariums for teaching about water quality. Comparatively, science centres are thought to provide opportunities to learn about broader STEM topics, including climate change. We highlight that informal learning settings can advance STEM learning by explicitly prioritizing each STEM discipline in programmes, and by identifying strategies to measure the public’s informal STEM learning.
{"title":"Public perceptions of the STEM learning ecology – perspectives from a national sample in the US","authors":"Rupanwita Gupta, John Voiklis, Shelley Rank, J. T. Dwyer, J. Fraser, Kate Flinner, Kathryn M. Nock","doi":"10.1080/21548455.2020.1719291","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2020.1719291","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Global interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) literacy necessitates studying public perceptions of the STEM learning ecology – the spectrum of settings where people encounter STEM. By expanding on the STEM learning ecosystem focused on youth’s structured learning, we explore settings where lifelong learners encounter STEM in their daily lives. We conducted a nationwide study with the US public describing where and how people engage with STEM. Results show that the public encounters each STEM discipline with similar frequency in various informal settings. Settings resonate uniquely with the public regarding STEM disciplines, topics, and modes of learning. Specifically, science centres are the standard for informal STEM learning, and are associated most closely with the experiences outlined above. Other informal learning centres are perceived to cover aspects of that ecology. Zoos are seen as places to learn most about animals and related topics (e.g., animal behaviour), and aquariums for teaching about water quality. Comparatively, science centres are thought to provide opportunities to learn about broader STEM topics, including climate change. We highlight that informal learning settings can advance STEM learning by explicitly prioritizing each STEM discipline in programmes, and by identifying strategies to measure the public’s informal STEM learning.","PeriodicalId":45375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Science Education Part B-Communication and Public Engagement","volume":"1 1","pages":"112 - 126"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2020-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90079068","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-02-04DOI: 10.1080/21548455.2020.1719293
Miguel García-Guerrero, B. Lewenstein
ABSTRACT The main goal for Science Recreation Workshops (SRWs) is to build communities that create meaningful experiences, while participants engage with science in a practical manner. This triggers processes where acting and knowing go hand-in-hand to involve each person as a whole. This requires physical, intellectual and emotional interaction to recreate various science aspects, such as knowledge, history, challenges and controversies. Just as SRWs are collective efforts, as public activities, they are usually promoted by groups as well. But, to the contrary of what happens in SRW with the public, it is common that the group efforts are more geared towards practice than theory. They prioritize working with the public rather than discussing the theoretical and methodological foundations for SRW, or their main challenges as they seek to train new members, evaluate their performance or create new activities. Groups interact with each other, however, this has only led to collaboration on projects rather than to a significant formal discussion. This article focuses specifically on SRW groups in Mexico, as a case study of an emerging community of practice. Data from active organizations were collected in 2009 and 2019, allowing us to compare the situation in these two periods of time and provides perspective on the community’s evolution.
{"title":"Science recreation workshops groups in Mexico: a study on an emergent community","authors":"Miguel García-Guerrero, B. Lewenstein","doi":"10.1080/21548455.2020.1719293","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2020.1719293","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The main goal for Science Recreation Workshops (SRWs) is to build communities that create meaningful experiences, while participants engage with science in a practical manner. This triggers processes where acting and knowing go hand-in-hand to involve each person as a whole. This requires physical, intellectual and emotional interaction to recreate various science aspects, such as knowledge, history, challenges and controversies. Just as SRWs are collective efforts, as public activities, they are usually promoted by groups as well. But, to the contrary of what happens in SRW with the public, it is common that the group efforts are more geared towards practice than theory. They prioritize working with the public rather than discussing the theoretical and methodological foundations for SRW, or their main challenges as they seek to train new members, evaluate their performance or create new activities. Groups interact with each other, however, this has only led to collaboration on projects rather than to a significant formal discussion. This article focuses specifically on SRW groups in Mexico, as a case study of an emerging community of practice. Data from active organizations were collected in 2009 and 2019, allowing us to compare the situation in these two periods of time and provides perspective on the community’s evolution.","PeriodicalId":45375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Science Education Part B-Communication and Public Engagement","volume":"16 1","pages":"133 - 148"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2020-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78332670","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-01-25DOI: 10.1080/21548455.2020.1719289
Megan McKinley-Hicks
ABSTRACT This paper highlights an investigation of how middle school students responded to a theatre performance designed to portray science as a humanistic and relatable endeavour that youth – similar to the youth in the audience – engage in during their everyday lives. The play included in this study was generated as a part of a design research project with a collaborative community comprised of artists, scientists, educators, and researchers. The design and implementation of this cross-disciplinary intervention and the research included in this study represent the design team’s initial attempts to better understand youths’ response to dramatic productions, and specifically which characters’ practices youth ‘count’ as scientific. The design and goals of the project are described, followed by an analysis of focus group interviews with students (N = 65), which were conducted after watching the play. Despite the design team’s intentions, findings highlight that the majority of students included in this study recognised a narrow range of practices taking place in the play as scientific, which led to a process of re-examination, complication, and interrogation the findings and design. Guided by Butler’s theory of performativity, this paper is used as a reflection space in order to theorise this work in a new direction.
{"title":"Communicating science through theatre: middle school students’ noticings and articulations of ‘doing’ and ‘being’ in science after a theatre performance","authors":"Megan McKinley-Hicks","doi":"10.1080/21548455.2020.1719289","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2020.1719289","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This paper highlights an investigation of how middle school students responded to a theatre performance designed to portray science as a humanistic and relatable endeavour that youth – similar to the youth in the audience – engage in during their everyday lives. The play included in this study was generated as a part of a design research project with a collaborative community comprised of artists, scientists, educators, and researchers. The design and implementation of this cross-disciplinary intervention and the research included in this study represent the design team’s initial attempts to better understand youths’ response to dramatic productions, and specifically which characters’ practices youth ‘count’ as scientific. The design and goals of the project are described, followed by an analysis of focus group interviews with students (N = 65), which were conducted after watching the play. Despite the design team’s intentions, findings highlight that the majority of students included in this study recognised a narrow range of practices taking place in the play as scientific, which led to a process of re-examination, complication, and interrogation the findings and design. Guided by Butler’s theory of performativity, this paper is used as a reflection space in order to theorise this work in a new direction.","PeriodicalId":45375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Science Education Part B-Communication and Public Engagement","volume":"27 1","pages":"96 - 111"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2020-01-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88510146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-01-02DOI: 10.1080/21548455.2020.1719288
C. Stylinski, K. Peterman, T. Phillips, Jenna Linhart, Rachel Becker-Klein
ABSTRACT Skill-based outcomes play a prominent role in citizen science experiences as they are situated directly between the dual, intertwining goals of advancing science learning and science research. Regular and transparent assessment of volunteers’ science inquiry skills can support these goals, but we lack a comprehensive understanding of how these skills are assessed. To address this gap, we collected data from citizen science project leaders through questionnaires, interviews and a systematic literature review. Findings demonstrated that most projects targeted a narrow range of skills that centered on data collection. About half of questionnaire and interview respondents stated that they assess science inquiry skills, but many relied on informal or indirect methods such as observations and conversations lacking protocols. Less than a third of these respondents and only 13% of reviewed articles administered formal assessments of skills, such as tests and performance measures based on volunteers’ submitted data. Challenges associated with skill assessment included lack of time, staff, expertise, funding and supporting resources. Overall, our study provides clear evidence of the limited breadth and assessment of skills targeted within citizen science, and points to the need for resources that promote and expand the use of assessment addressing science inquiry skills.
{"title":"Assessing science inquiry skills of citizen science volunteers: a snapshot of the field","authors":"C. Stylinski, K. Peterman, T. Phillips, Jenna Linhart, Rachel Becker-Klein","doi":"10.1080/21548455.2020.1719288","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2020.1719288","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Skill-based outcomes play a prominent role in citizen science experiences as they are situated directly between the dual, intertwining goals of advancing science learning and science research. Regular and transparent assessment of volunteers’ science inquiry skills can support these goals, but we lack a comprehensive understanding of how these skills are assessed. To address this gap, we collected data from citizen science project leaders through questionnaires, interviews and a systematic literature review. Findings demonstrated that most projects targeted a narrow range of skills that centered on data collection. About half of questionnaire and interview respondents stated that they assess science inquiry skills, but many relied on informal or indirect methods such as observations and conversations lacking protocols. Less than a third of these respondents and only 13% of reviewed articles administered formal assessments of skills, such as tests and performance measures based on volunteers’ submitted data. Challenges associated with skill assessment included lack of time, staff, expertise, funding and supporting resources. Overall, our study provides clear evidence of the limited breadth and assessment of skills targeted within citizen science, and points to the need for resources that promote and expand the use of assessment addressing science inquiry skills.","PeriodicalId":45375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Science Education Part B-Communication and Public Engagement","volume":"665 1","pages":"77 - 92"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2020-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76852110","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-01-02DOI: 10.1080/21548455.2020.1714092
Jiyoon Yoon, Kyoung Jin Kim, Katie K. Koo
ABSTRACT This study was to design and explore the effects of an enrichment program on the leadership, attitude, and motivation of ethnic minority gifted and talented students who want to be scientists and engineers in the future. Ten gifted and talented students participated in this study, Youth Science and Technology Leadership Camp (YSTLC). A leadership test was developed and implemented to the participants as a pre-test and post-test. The daily reports and interviews at the end of the camp examined their understanding of personal openness and attitudes toward being scientists and engineers. The enrichment program YSTLC improved their leadership and their knowledge of and attitude toward science and engineering for their future careers. This research highlights the importance of developing enrichment programs with a framework of effective methodologies that can be used to educate gifted and talented students, including minority students, to develop strong leadership skills, scientific knowledge, and perspicuous visions for their future.
{"title":"Enrichment program for the ethnic minority of gifted and talented students in science and engineering","authors":"Jiyoon Yoon, Kyoung Jin Kim, Katie K. Koo","doi":"10.1080/21548455.2020.1714092","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2020.1714092","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This study was to design and explore the effects of an enrichment program on the leadership, attitude, and motivation of ethnic minority gifted and talented students who want to be scientists and engineers in the future. Ten gifted and talented students participated in this study, Youth Science and Technology Leadership Camp (YSTLC). A leadership test was developed and implemented to the participants as a pre-test and post-test. The daily reports and interviews at the end of the camp examined their understanding of personal openness and attitudes toward being scientists and engineers. The enrichment program YSTLC improved their leadership and their knowledge of and attitude toward science and engineering for their future careers. This research highlights the importance of developing enrichment programs with a framework of effective methodologies that can be used to educate gifted and talented students, including minority students, to develop strong leadership skills, scientific knowledge, and perspicuous visions for their future.","PeriodicalId":45375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Science Education Part B-Communication and Public Engagement","volume":"56 1","pages":"36 - 50"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2020-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75372275","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-01-02DOI: 10.1080/21548455.2020.1719287
Ella Yonai, R. Blonder
ABSTRACT A one-hour guided discourse was designed to support developing the outreach communication skills of physics experts with middle school students. The participants consisted of 12 physics researchers who conduct research in the field of nanoscale science and technology (NST). The guided discourse consisted of a professional development task for preparing the researchers to communicate their NST research. Each scientist was presented with two sets of concepts (NST essential concepts and middle school physics concepts) using a visual board and was asked to find connections between them. Before and after linking the two sets of concepts, the scientists were invited to describe their research. The findings showed that a change had taken place in the concepts the scientists used to describe their research: an increased use of concepts from middle school physics and a decreased use of complex scientific jargon. A qualitative examination of the results revealed different types of participants, based on the way the scientists were influenced by the task. Each of the three types of science communicators is presented as a case study. We suggest that this task can be applied to prepare scientists to communicate with middle school students.
{"title":"USE YOUR OWN WORDS! Developing science communication skills of NST experts in a guided discourse","authors":"Ella Yonai, R. Blonder","doi":"10.1080/21548455.2020.1719287","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2020.1719287","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT A one-hour guided discourse was designed to support developing the outreach communication skills of physics experts with middle school students. The participants consisted of 12 physics researchers who conduct research in the field of nanoscale science and technology (NST). The guided discourse consisted of a professional development task for preparing the researchers to communicate their NST research. Each scientist was presented with two sets of concepts (NST essential concepts and middle school physics concepts) using a visual board and was asked to find connections between them. Before and after linking the two sets of concepts, the scientists were invited to describe their research. The findings showed that a change had taken place in the concepts the scientists used to describe their research: an increased use of concepts from middle school physics and a decreased use of complex scientific jargon. A qualitative examination of the results revealed different types of participants, based on the way the scientists were influenced by the task. Each of the three types of science communicators is presented as a case study. We suggest that this task can be applied to prepare scientists to communicate with middle school students.","PeriodicalId":45375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Science Education Part B-Communication and Public Engagement","volume":"148 ","pages":"51 - 76"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2020-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21548455.2020.1719287","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72495135","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-01-02DOI: 10.1080/21548455.2019.1680904
Cherry Canovan
ABSTRACT Science festivals are a rapidly-growing phenomenon worldwide, and many such events host trips by school parties. However, what type of learning takes place on these visits, and how effective it is, is an area that merits more academic study. This paper investigates these questions from the perspective of three groups – teachers, pupils and festival organisers – and asks how well the attitudes and priorities of these categories are aligned. We find that teachers and organisers share the primary aim of affective learning (excitement, inspiration) and that this is experienced by almost all pupils. A secondary aim of cognitive (factual) learning is reported by just under half of pupils. However a third aim of careers learning which was expressed by festival organisers and some teachers was not reported by pupil participants. In addition, we found that the groups could work more effectively together to promote educational aims by measures such as reducing the novelty of the event situation and making educational agendas for the visit clearer. Finally, to address the areas of misalignment pinpointed in this study, we give a series of recommendations to optimise learning at such events.
{"title":"More than a grand day out? Learning on school trips to science festivals from the perspectives of teachers, pupils and organisers","authors":"Cherry Canovan","doi":"10.1080/21548455.2019.1680904","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2019.1680904","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Science festivals are a rapidly-growing phenomenon worldwide, and many such events host trips by school parties. However, what type of learning takes place on these visits, and how effective it is, is an area that merits more academic study. This paper investigates these questions from the perspective of three groups – teachers, pupils and festival organisers – and asks how well the attitudes and priorities of these categories are aligned. We find that teachers and organisers share the primary aim of affective learning (excitement, inspiration) and that this is experienced by almost all pupils. A secondary aim of cognitive (factual) learning is reported by just under half of pupils. However a third aim of careers learning which was expressed by festival organisers and some teachers was not reported by pupil participants. In addition, we found that the groups could work more effectively together to promote educational aims by measures such as reducing the novelty of the event situation and making educational agendas for the visit clearer. Finally, to address the areas of misalignment pinpointed in this study, we give a series of recommendations to optimise learning at such events.","PeriodicalId":45375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Science Education Part B-Communication and Public Engagement","volume":"2 1","pages":"1 - 16"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2020-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86154124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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