Geotourism – practices, challenges and potentialities in Algarve

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Azevedo Rodrigues ◽  
Axel Bamberger ◽  
Astrid Blum
Keyword(s):  
Informal Education ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Field Trips ◽  
Science Museum ◽  
Geological Features ◽  
Science Centre ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
Primary Focus ◽  
And Training

<p>Algarve is one Portugal regions’ in where the tourism activities are most relevant both socially and economically. Although Algarve’s most important touristic products are beaches resorts and summer weather conditions, as well as golf and gastronomy, this region still preserve a wide variety of topographies and geographical features that could constitute the basis for Geotourism activities.</p><p>Here we present some examples of how Science Communication (SC) and a Science Museum/Centre (SCM) are the ideal intermediates between the tourists and the tourist site or scenic resource. We also disclose how SCM’s could act independently or with less obvious partners, private and public, in developing or complementing Geoutourism activities.</p><p>Geoutourism activities’ and intervention areas of the Lagos Ciência Viva Science Centre and its partners could be grouped and will detailed in:</p><ol><li>a) Scientific advice and training of tour operators or visit co-guiding; b) scientific residencies programs and field trips; c) production of materials - exs. thematic guides, 3D reconstructions, and printed and mobile interpretative information; d) SCM partners participation in research projects (Citizen Science).</li> </ol><p>Finally, we present examples of how SC and SCM could adapt the informal education techniques into tourist operators training contributing this way to an increase and diversity of the tourist professionals that work in Algarve and enrich the tourist experience further than the landscape appreciation.</p><p>Here we use and adopt the following definition: “Geotourism is sustainable tourism with a primary focus on experiencing the earth’s geological features in a way that fosters environmental and cultural understanding, appreciation and conservation, and is locally beneficial” (Dowling & Newsome, 2006).</p>

scholarly journals Birth of a science centre. Italian phenomenology

2006 ◽  
Vol 05 (02) ◽  
pp. F
Author(s):  
Paola Rodari
Keyword(s):  
San Francisco ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Science Museum ◽  
Cultural Economic ◽  
The Public ◽  
European Science ◽  
Science Centre ◽  
Total Investment ◽  
Science Centres ◽  
The Cost

In May 2004 the Balì Museum, Planetarium and interactive science museum, was opened to the public in Italy: 35 hands-on exhibits designed according to the interactive tradition of the Exploratorium in San Francisco, an astronomic observatory for educational activities, a Planetarium with 70 places. With a total investment of about three million euros, about two thirds of which were spent on restructuring the splendid eighteenth-century villa in which it is housed, the undertaking may be considered a small one in comparison with other European science centres. Three million euros: perhaps enough to cover the cost of only the splendid circular access ramp to the brand-new Cosmocaixa in Barcelona, an investment of one hundred million euros. But the interesting aspect of the story of the Balì Museum (but also of other Italian stories, as we shall see) lies in the fact that this lively and advanced science centre stands in the bucolic region of the Marches, next to a small town of only 800 inhabitants (Saltara, in the Province of Pesaro and Urbino), in a municipal territory that has a total of 5000. Whereas in Italy the projects for science centres comparable with the Catalan one, for example projects for Rome and Turin, never get off the ground, smaller ones are opening in small and medium-sized towns: why is this? And what does the unusual location of the centres entail for science communication in Italy? This Focus does not claim to tell the whole truth about Italian interactive museums, but it does offer some phenomenological cues to open a debate on the cultural, economic and political premises that favour their lives.

scholarly journals Moon, Mars and Mundus: primary school children discover the nature and science of planet Earth from experimentation and extra-terrestrial perspectives

2015 ◽  
Vol 95 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.G. Kleinhans ◽  
A.J. Verkade ◽  
T. van Wessel ◽  
M.A.S. Bastings ◽  
W.A. Marra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Planetary Science ◽  
Science Museum ◽  
University Education ◽  
Primary School Children ◽  
Science Museums ◽  
Asking Questions ◽  
The Right

AbstractLike earth and planetary scientists, most children are curious about the world, the solar system and the rest of the universe. However, for various reasons primary schools emphasise language and calculus rather than natural sciences. When science is taught, examination systems often favour knowledge of the ‘right’ answer over the process of investigation and logical reasoning towards that answer. In order to continue to spark children's curiosity and their motivation to learn and discover, science education hubs at universities and science museums could collaborate more with schools and teachers, and are beginning to do so. The objective of this position paper is to report on recent experiences in earth and planetary science education for pupils in primary and secondary education, to provide examples and inspiration for scientists. We report three examples of initiation and consolidation of science education in primary schools in the Netherlands: (1) a focus on asking questions and seeking information to reason towards the answer, initiated with a classroom game, Expedition Mundus, (2) bringing pupils and teachers together outside their school in the science museum to gain confidence and self-efficacy, and (3) having children ask their own questions and do their own research guided by the empirical cycle, for example on experimentation on sandbox scale models of channels and crater lake deltas as found on Mars. The focus on other planets, fictitious and real, stimulates pupils to ask questions about planet Earth. Finally, we argue that involvement of more scientists in science education would not only benefit primary and secondary schools and future students but also university education and science communication with society.

scholarly journals Collaboration for chemistry communication: Insights from a research-practice partnership

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (04) ◽  
pp. N01
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Kunz Kollmann ◽  
Marta Beyer ◽  
Emily Howell ◽  
Allison Anderson ◽  
Owen Weitzman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Informal Education ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Public Perceptions ◽  
Research Practice ◽  
Science Museums ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
The Public ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Perceived Relevance ◽  
Data Collections

As several recent National Academies of Sciences reports have highlighted, greater science communication research is needed on 1) communicating chemistry, and 2) building research-practice partnerships to advance communication across science issues. Here we report our insights in both areas, gathered from a multi-year collaboration to advance our understanding of how to communicate about chemistry with the public. Researchers and practitioners from science museums across the U.S. partnered with academic social scientists in science communication to develop and conduct multi-strand data collections on chemistry communication and informal education. Our focus was on increasing interest in, the perceived relevance of, and self-efficacy concerning chemistry through hands-on activities and connecting chemistry to broader themes concerning everyday life and societal impacts. We outline challenges and benefits of the project that future collaborations can gain from and illustrate how our strands of work complemented each other to create a more complete picture of public perceptions of chemistry.

scholarly journals Road Signs Perception Evaluation by Means of a Semi-immersive Tool

2011 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 39-47
Author(s):  
Roberto Vigano ◽  
Edoardo Rovida ◽  
Riccardo Vincenti ◽  
Marco Ramondino
Keyword(s):  
European Commission ◽  
Virtual Environment ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Road Accident ◽  
Visualization Tool ◽  
Traffic Signs ◽  
Road Signs ◽  
Safety Systems ◽  
Direct Use ◽  
And Training

To reduce the number of road accident victims the European Commission has encouraged the European member states to implement a series of actions in this field. These actions include the development of intelligent and integrated safety systems as well as educational and training initiatives. Educational initiatives include the training of the drivers to improve their ability and sense of responsibility. In addition to the direct use of the vehicle, the training includes the recognition of the traffic signs. Since the recognition may be influenced by both the position of the signal and the weather conditions, the authors have studied the possibility of evaluate the drivers' perception of road signs by means of a virtual environment tool able to perform different operative conditions. A series of tests was conducted to evaluate the visualization tool created and its ability to replace other recognition tests. This paper reports first tests results.

scholarly journals An Evaluation-Driven Design Process for Exhibitions

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Leister ◽  
Ingvar Tjøstheim ◽  
Göran Joryd ◽  
Michel de Brisis ◽  
Syver Lauritzsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Informal Education ◽  
Graphical Representation ◽  
Working Relationship ◽  
Efficient Design ◽  
Learning Game ◽  
Science Centre ◽  
Science Centres

Museums and Science Centres are informal education environments that intend to engage the visitors with their exhibits. We present an efficient design process that allows an improved working relationship between museum practitioners, exhibition designers, and visitors. We present the principles and a graphical representation based on the Engagement Profile from previous work. Elements of the design process are evaluated using a learning game at the science centre Engineerium. The evaluation is based on a study with over five hundred visitors to the science centre.

scholarly journals Avengers Assemble! Using pop-culture icons to communicate science

2014 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 118-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Paul Zehr
Keyword(s):  
General Public ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Pop Culture ◽  
Frame Of Reference ◽  
Middle Ground ◽  
Scientific Concepts ◽  
Real Science ◽  
Response To Exercise ◽  
Exercise And Training ◽  
And Training

Engaging communication of complex scientific concepts with the general public requires more than simplification. Compelling, relevant, and timely points of linkage between scientific concepts and the experiences and interests of the general public are needed. Pop-culture icons such as superheroes can represent excellent opportunities for exploring scientific concepts in a mental “landscape” that is comfortable and familiar. Using an established icon as a familiar frame of reference, complex scientific concepts can then be discussed in a more accessible manner. In this framework, scientists and the general public use the cultural icon to occupy a commonly known performance characteristic. For example, Batman represents a globally recognized icon who represents the ultimate response to exercise and training. The physiology that underlies Batman's abilities can then be discussed and explored using real scientific examples that highlight truths and fallacies contained in the presentation of pop-culture icons. Critically, it is not important whether the popular representation of the icon shows correct science because the real science can be revealed in discussing the character through this lens. Scientists and educators can then use these icons as foils for exploring complex ideas in a context that is less threatening and more comfortable for the target audience. A “middle-ground hypothesis” for science communication is proposed in which pop-culture icons are used to exploring scientific concepts in a bridging mental landscape that is comfortable and familiar. This approach is encouraged for communication with all nonscientists regardless of age.

Accessing Science Museum Educators' Discourse Through Multimodal Narratives

2019 ◽  
pp. 340-355
Author(s):  
Susana Afonso ◽  
Ana Sofia Afonso
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Science Museum ◽  
Modus Operandi ◽  
Intended Audience ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Way ◽  
Museum Educators

Museum educators play an important role in science communication, as they connect elements of an exhibit with visitors through emotion-driven experiences that are meaningful to them. Language is their main modus operandi in face-to-face interactions, but little is known of how they use it to communicate science, in part because little attention has been given to their practices and professional development. Nowadays, museums are changing, and science communication has become more demanding as these institutions exhibit hot themes of science. In this context, it is important that museum educators become aware of how they communicate science with an intended audience and reflect on how their practice can be improved. In this chapter, the authors focus on the way multimodal narratives can be used as a tool to access museum educators' discourse as well as how to promote museum educators' reflection about their practice and their professional development.

The Australian Science Centre Movement 1980–2000: Part 1—Questacon, the National Science and Technology Centre

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Bryant ◽  
Mike Gore ◽  
Sue Stocklmayer
Keyword(s):  
Driving Force ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Human Face ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Science Centre ◽  
National Science ◽  
National University ◽  
Australian Science

Part 1: Scholarly concerns over science communication and in particular public attitudes towards and engagement with science have continued for almost half a century, but the establishment of a ‘hands-on' science centre in Canberra in 1980 put practice ahead of theory and led to the building of Questacon—the National Science and Technology Centre in 1988. The driving force behind this development was Australian National University physicist Dr Mike Gore. Funding came from the Australian and Japanese Governments—the latter a bicentennial gift—and a team of ‘explainers' at the centre helped visitors to appreciate that this science centre was not a museum but a place where science had a human face.

scholarly journals Examining Middle School Students’ Gestures on Geological Field Trips

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-115
Author(s):  
Yoon-Sung Choi ◽  
Seung-Urn Choe ◽  
Chan-Jong Kim
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Gifted Education ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Field Trips ◽  
Formation Processes ◽  
School Students ◽  
Instructional Resource ◽  
Novice Learners

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine middle school students’ gestures during a geological field trip. Previous research on gestures has focused on understanding human development and exploring students’ gestures can be helpful in improving understanding of students’ communication in learning environments. In this study, middle school students from a gifted education center engaged in fieldwork along the Hantan-River to learn about and explain river formation processes. Using hermeneutics to interpret meaning from student gestures, researchers identified three types of frequently used gestures: deictic, imageable, and depictive, which served either a social communication purpose (explaining, asking, insisting, and giving evidence) or science communication purposes (visualization and temporal or spatial). Researchers offer implications about the role of gestures for helping novice learners communicate geoscience content and about the potential for gestures to be used by educators as an instructional resource for learners.

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