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Methods for Communicating Science
to Young People
Menelaos A. Sotiriou
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Communicating Science
…promoting lively activities to
capture the imagination and show how
science - its impacts, uses and applications –
is relevant to all Europeans regardless of
age, background and education
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Science Communication Objectives
To promote public scientific and innovation culture, and to increase the impact of science and its uses on the daily lives of European citizens
To promote measures for improving the exchange of experiences and resources among stakeholders in order to enhance their European dimension and added value
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Science Communication Objectives
To promote increased public scientific culture, especially among the young, of the impact and benefits of science and its uses on the daily lives of European citizens
To demonstrate the benefits of European co-operation in research and scientific initiatives
To promote young people’s interest in science
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EC’s Science in Society Forum 2005: Setting the scene
… If Europe is to continue to be at the forefront of global science and to built a knowledge-based economy, then it needs to lure more young people to science. The Union and the Member States are doing this through a mixture of educational initiatives, science competitions and awards, as well as festivals and popular science events targeted at young people.
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Messages to be communicated
Science is above all a quest for knowledge and it can be used to improve our lives, lifestyles, and our living world
But Science Communication Methods are more than a 'quest for knowledge', it is also about having fun
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Show Cases for Science communication Since 2004
National Science Festivals and National Science Weeks
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Show Cases for Science communication
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Show Cases for Science communication
Athens – Eugenidis FoundationAthens – Eugenidis Foundation Sofia – Technical UniversitySofia – Technical University
Bucharest – The General Association of the Bucharest – The General Association of the Engineers in Romania (AGIR) Engineers in Romania (AGIR) Liberec – Research Library Liberec – Research Library
Tallinn – Youth Technology and Science Tallinn – Youth Technology and Science Centre Centre
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Athens ExhibitionExhibition Area (Projects Presentation) Exhibition Area (Projects Presentation)
Technology Enhance Classroom (TEC)Technology Enhance Classroom (TEC)Conference Center Conference Center
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Results
TARGETS RESULTS
NoMeasurable Information
TargetsGreece Romania Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Estonia Total Greece Romania Bulgaria Czech
RepublicEstonia Total
Publicity Actions - Events Difference
1Number of journalists and media organisations to be contacted and informed
1010 4 5 10 7 36 6060 22 39 24 100 245581%
2 Number of press conferences 11 1 1 1 1 5 11 1 1 1 1 5 0%
3Number of participating journalists 55 4 5 15 5 34 77 5 13 5 3 33
-3%
4Number of articles, publications in the press 33 2 2 15 3 25 55 1 7 2 24 39
56%
5Number of presentations through local TV stations 11 1 1 5 2 10 11 3 3 10 0 17
70%
6Number of interviews in local radio stations 11 1 1 3 2 8 11 3 4 4 2 14
75%
7Number of schools authorities and schools to be contacted directly
5050 20 25 100 60 255 8080 40 25 120 73 33833%
8Number of publicity posters / leaflets that have been distributed
100100 100 100 180 100 580 200200 100 250 226 650 1.426146%
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TARGETS RESULTS
NoMeasurable Information
TargetsGreece Romania Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Estonia Total Greece Romania Bulgaria Czech
RepublicEstonia Total
Exhibition Difference
9Number of schools contacted and invited to participate 5050 20 40 100 60 270 8080 40 25 120 221 486
80%
10Number of participating schools 3030 15 25 25 25 120 6060 43 23 26 63 215
79%
12Number of participating students 3.0003.000 2.500 2.500 2.500 2.500 13.000 3.3633.363 2.559 2.853 2.520 3.188 14.483
11%
13 Number of additional visitors 1.0001.000 200 200 800 300 2.500 1.0001.000 300 1.000 650 320 3.270 31%
14Number of submitted evaluation questionnaires (Feedback from teachers)
5050 20 25 50 20 165 4242 100 60 57 53 31289%
Workshop
15Number of invitations – number of contacted parties 500500 200 150 100 200 1.150 200200 200 150 226 600 1.376
20%
16 Number of participants 150150 50 60 60 50 370 130130 60 100 52 161 503 36%
17
Mass media presence & coverage (number of journalists, local TV stations, etc.)
1010 5 5 5 3 28 88 8 8 2 2 28
0%
18Number of articles in the press regarding the workshop outcome
55 2 2 1 1 11 2020 1 2 1 5 29164%
Results
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Registrations: Around 95 teams of 250 individuals
Participating Projects: 60
Winners: 11 teams, 25 persons
Countries: 25 (EU and non EU)
Results from the 1st contest
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Sky-Watch Contest Sky-Watch Contest European Science Week 2005European Science Week 2005
3 Years since 2005
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Sky-Watch 2006 (CERN)
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Supporting Science ContestsSupporting Science Contests
Sky-Watch 2007 Contest, the continuation Sky-Watch 2007 Contest, the continuation
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National Science Festival and National Science Weeks
2nd Festival for Research and Technology in Heraklion of Crete, Greece 28/2 – 9/3 2005, presentation of 4 projects, part of the School Foresight Exhibition. Organizing by the General Secretariat for Research and Technology.
3rd Festival for Research and Technology in Florina, Greece 10–18/5 2005
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National Science Festival and National Science Weeks
Greek Science Week of 2005 (General Secretariat for Research and Technology) in Zapeion Conference/Exhibition Center, Athens, Greece, 30/6 – 7/7.
Greek Science Week of 2006 (General Secretariat for Research and Technology) in Zapeion Conference/Exhibition Center, Athens, Greece, 28/6 – 5/7.
Greek Science Week of 2006 (General Secretariat for Research and Technology) in the 71st International Fair of Thessaloniki, Greece, 8-17/9.
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Total Eclipse Web casting
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Scenarios of use
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Educational Activities
Scenarios provide students the opportunity:
To make astronomical observations To collect data To analyze the astronomical data To exchange opinions To communicate their results
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Training and Dissemination workshops
Training Workshop at the Observatory Science
Centre, UK
Dissemination Workshop
April 1st 2006, Ampelakia, Larissa, Greece
Astronomical Summer School, Bulgaria
The Observatory Science Centre Astronomy Festival
(September 2005)
Training Workshop in Crete, Greece, November 2006,
50 teachers of secondary education were participate
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Publicity Activities BBC Focus (40.000 readers)BBC Focus (150.000 readers)
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eTEN Best Communicating Project of the Year 2006
2nd place
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Continuation
The aim of the proposed project is to present the vision for the future operation of museums, science centres and thematic parks and to give to the wider public the opportunity to experience the new technological achievements during their visits in those places. A rich collection of examples of futuristic scenarios and visions will be presented and discussed in detail. These will offer a glimpse of a future in which visitors could explore worlds and cultures beyond their own, both in distance and time, as if they were there.
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Continuation
The possibility of AR and VR to make convergence of education and entertainment is becoming more and more challenging as the technology is optimised and expands to other areas. Natural or historical events and characters, reconstructed monuments and sites could be simulated and augmented to the real world.
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Continuation
Visitors of Museums, Science Centers and Archaeological Areas in France, Austria, Germany, Finland, Portugal, Estonia and Greece will be involved in a series of episodes of playful learning during a journey of joy, where technology meets culture and science. Within the project will be designed a variety of scenarios that will offer to the user a unique experience, varying from visualisations of physical phenomena to in site augmentations of ancient monuments. Thanks to broadband infrastructure more people from remote location will have the chance to attend the event as the tools that will be used allow the direct connection with internet.
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Thank you!