Novo artigo: Engaging children in geosciences through storytelling and creative dance
As ciências naturais têm sido tradicionalmente disseminadas em atividades de extensão como apresentações formais e unilaterais. No entanto, estratégias inovadoras estão, cada vez mais, a ser desenvolvidas usando as artes, os jogos e o desenho, entre outros. Este trabalho teve como objetivo testar uma forma alternativa e inovadora de envolver públicos não especialistas em geologia oceânica e costeira por meio de uma combinação de explicações de conceitos científicos e danças criativas.
Authors:
Ana Matias, A. Rita Carrasco, Ana A. Ramos, and Rita Borges
Abstract:
Natural sciences have traditionally been disseminated in outreach activities as formal, one-way presentations. Nevertheless, innovative strategies are being increasingly developed using arts, gaming, and sketching, amongst others. This work aimed at testing an alternative and innovative way to engage non-expert audiences in ocean and coastal geology through a combination of scientific concept explanations and creative dancing. An informal education activity focusing on ocean dynamics was designed for 10-year-old students. It combines coastal science concepts (wind, waves, currents, and sand), storytelling techniques (narrative arc), and creative dance techniques (movement, imaginative play, and sensory engagement). A sequence of six exercises was proposed, starting with the generation of offshore ocean waves and ending with sediment transport on the beach during storm/fair-weather conditions. Scientific concepts were then translated into structured creative movements, within imaginary scenarios, and accompanied by sounds or music. The activity was performed six times with a total of 112 students. It was an inclusive activity given that all students in the class participated, including children with several mild types of cognitive and neurological impairment. The science and art activity aroused emotions of enjoyment and pleasure and allowed for effective communication between scientists and the school community. Moreover, the results provide evidence of the activity’s effectiveness in engaging children and developing their willingness to further participate in similar activities.
Keywords:
Public engagement with science
Science and art
Inclusive science communication
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22323/2.20020205
Published:
6 July 2020
Download:
GEOSCIENCE_COMM_2020.pdf