New Perspectives in Science Education

Edition 13

Accepted Abstracts

Science Museum and Children: An Analysis of the Scientific Literacy Process

Graziele Scalfi, University of São Paulo (Brazil)

Martha Marandino, University of São Paulo (Brazil)

Abstract

Science museums offer a unique point of view for studying children's conversations, enabling researchers to gain an accurate and dynamic record of how children and their families interact during the visiting experience. Nevertheless, there are few investigations that focus on understanding how these spaces contribute to the process of Scientific Literacy (SL). Considered as educational spaces, the experiences lived by the audience in museums are projected beyond delight and fun,offering visitors opportunities to understand the nature of science, scientific research, the relationship between science, technology, society and environment, among others. Thereby, this study, part of a doctoral research in progress, aims to understand how the dialogues produced by children with their families contributes to the SL process in the experience of visiting scientific museums. From a qualitative approach, the research is conducted in two Brazilian science museums, focusing on children from 7 to 11 years old. Data collection instruments include observation, filming, sociocultural questionnaire and interviews. Data analysis has as its main orientation the theoretical-methodological tool of the Scientific Literacy Indicators proposed by Marandino et al. (2018)2and which is composed of four indicators: Scientific, Social Interface, Institutional and Interaction - and their respective attributes. This study aimed to include the articulation of each indicator and attribute of the tool with the specificities of the child, which implies rethinking times, spaces, forms of interaction, materials, language, in order to enhance and promote the effective inclusion of children in their peculiarities in the non-formal context for the promotion of SL. The results indicate that all indicators were expressed. However, we emphasize that, within the same indicator, there are oscillations between attributes, that is, they appear unevenly and that it is necessary to consider the contributions that science museums have promoted regarding the understanding of SL defended in this study. In summary, the Interaction and Scientific Indicators had greater expressiveness in the dialogues, in relation to the Social and Institutional Interface Indicators. We conclude that the museums analyzed have the potential to contribute to the SL process of children in families' visits to the museums, making it possible to bring children's cultures closer to elements of scientific culture. Nevertheless, it is still necessary that visits offer more than an opportunity to learn about science, but also to know how science is produced, shared and integrated into society.

Keywords: Scientific literacy, Child, Indicators, Non-formal education.

References:
[1] Rennie, J.; Willian, F. (2002). Science Centers and Scientific Literacy: Promoting a Relationship with Science. Science Education, v.86, n.5, p.706–726.
[2] Marandino, M. et al. (2018). Ferramenta teórico-metodológica para o estudo dos processos de alfabetização científica em espaços de educação não formal e comunicação pública da ciência. JCOM – América Latina v.01, n.01, 2018.

Back to the list

REGISTER NOW

Reserved area


Media Partners:

Click BrownWalker Press logo for the International Academic and Industry Conference Event Calendar announcing scientific, academic and industry gatherings, online events, call for papers and journal articles
Pixel - Via Luigi Lanzi 12 - 50134 Firenze (FI) - VAT IT 05118710481
    Copyright © 2024 - All rights reserved

Privacy Policy

Webmaster: Pinzani.it