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Poster presented on March 6-8, 2002 at the conference on Communicating the Future: Best Practices in Communication of Science and Technology to the Public, co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, and NIST. Poster topics were selected as "best practices" through a formal peer review by a committee of distinguished science writers, educators, and researchers. Communicating
Science to Children in Brazil |
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Abstract Educational experiments have shown that in general children are very receptive to ideas related to science and are extremely curious. Therefore, scientific popularization initiatives for this age can succeed. Based upon our experience producing a science magazine and a book series for children, and taking into account practical examples, we will discuss the benefits, the obstacles, and the limitations of this activity aimed for the juvenile public. Both the science popularization magazine and the book series are products of Brazilian scientific community initiatives, involving science communication professionals. There is, therefore, in these cases, an intimate association between scientists and communicators in the task of transmitting science for children. The magazine is Ciência Hoje das Crianças (Science Today for Children), a monthly publication of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science (equivalent to the American Association for the Advancement of Science or AAAS). The criteria for the choice were: it is the most significant science popularization magazine in Brazil aimed at children and takes very seriously the issue of content accuracy (including analysis of articles by scientific referees). As the magazine editor for five years, I have several practical reflections on science popularization for children. With around 200,000 copies, Ciência Hoje das Crianças has as its objective to stimulate, in young readers, interest about science, literature, and Brazilian culture. Most of its articles (at least 80 percent) are signed by scientists from universities and research institutions. However, the texts are “translated,” adapting them for children’s language, by the editorial team prior to publication. The other product considered in our poster is a children’s book series, created this year by the Museum of Life, the science popularization unit of Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (an important Brazilian scientific institution). To design the book series, we are using the know-how generated by my experience. The subject of the first volume is the importance of scientific collections (comparing scientific collections with the children’s habit of collecting things). Some of the general aspects to be considered in the process of science popularization for children are: to deal with young readers as intelligent people, capable of understanding complex thoughts; to make associations with everyday life; to make reference to history and popular culture, but, at the same time, to be aware of international science scenarios; to associate art and science; to make use of analogies, metaphors, and humor; to promote intimate associations between scientists and communicators; to actively involve children in science popularization, rendering them into actors of the process; to present risks, uncertainties, and ethical and moral aspects of science. The team for the children’s book series includes about 10 professionals, with different backgrounds (biologists, journalists, educators, and designers). The evaluation includes also different background professionals and children, embracing quantitative and qualitative research. Budget
Contact Back to Best Practices home page Back to Best Practices posters page Created: 7/22/2002 |
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