Popular Science to motivate students

1

Popular Science to motivate students

Pep Anton Vieta, May 2010

2

INDEX:

1. Identification of a problematic situation.

2. The impact of this problem.

3. Analyzing the possible causes of it.

3.1 The negative view of science from society

4. Actions that are been developed to solve the problem.

4.1 Examples of concrete actions.


3

1. Identification of a problematic situation

Important # of secondary students perceive Science as a group of

Boring

Useless

Dangerous

Difficult

subjects.

Low interest in Science in schools & high schools.


4

2. The impact of this problem


The # of students in scientific university studies is decreasing

The # of new, young & autochthonous, scientists will decrease

Lack of communication between research world and the society

No discrimination, by society, between science & pseudoscience.


Negative view of Science by society

Frauds

5

3. Analyzing the possible causes of the problem



Why?

Due to the influence from society Due to a wrong science teaching way

Why? Scientific subjects

-Ancient bad chemistry

-Image of scientists in films

-Lack of communication Research world – daily world

-Perceived as difficult ones

-Perceived as useless ones

-Perceived as boring ones

-Perceived as dangerous ones

6



A) Ancient bad chemistry:

Due to:

B) Image of scientists in films:

Crazy or evil ones

7



Due to:C) Lack of communication between research world and daily world

Can cause

No discrimination between science & pseudoscience by society

Can cause

Frauds or medical/psychological diseases

8

4. Actions that are been developed to solve the problem


From University of Girona we are developing Popular Science tools

Chair of scientific culture and digital communication

To motivate secondary studentsto be enrolled in scientific university studies and become researchers

To improve the society in general, its critical sense, scientific culture and respect for the nature

9



Popular science tools that we use:

A: Publication of striking short videos about spectacular scientific processes

10


B: Recreational physics and chemistry live


We think that the best way to motivate secondary students in science is to Bring the most spectacular experiments and processes in their high-schools.

Bell-lloc. Girona, January 2010

11


4.1 Examples of concrete actions

A) Implosion of a metallic drum as a recreational physics process

With this experiment we are going to play with pressure creating a partial vacuum inside of a empty dissolvent metallic drum to achieve the implosion of it.

This is a very visual and funny way to learn about pressures, atmospheric pressure, properties of gases and change of phases process.

12



1/7

13



2/7

14



3/7

15



4/7

16



5/7

17



6/7

18



7/7

19



B) Preparation of an edible green fried egg and a red lemonade

With this experiment we are going to play with acid and base products that we have at our kitchen and a natural pH indicator o obtain a green fried eggand a red lemonade.

This is a very visual and funny way to learn about pH indicators and acid-base chemistry.

20



We begin the experiment talking about the difference between acids and bases,and the way to distinct it in the lab. We present too different acidic and basic daily products like a lemon or an egg and the way to discover its acidity the red cabbage, a natural pH indicator.

Litmus paper, a lab pH indicator Red cabbage, a daily natural pH indicator


21




Red cabbage mixed with

-Acid solution color changes to red

-Netral solution color remains to purple

-Basic solution color changes to green or yellow (extreme)

22



1. Boil the red cabbage in water

23



2. Save the extraction (purple because water is neutral)

24



3. Mix the extract with the egg white (green because egg white is basic)

25



4. Fry the egg.

26



5. We obtain a green edible fried egg (green because egg white is basic)

27


Pep Anton Vieta, May 2010

Popular Science to motivate students

Education

Transcript of Popular Science to motivate students