Abstract
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 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.
Highlights
The act of dissemination is part and parcel of doing research
There is a vast range of approaches for engaging public audiences with scientific concepts (Bultitude, 2011); Mesure (2007) identified over 1500 active initiatives within the UK alone
There are three main forms of media used in science communication with the public: traditional journalism, live or face-to-face events, and online interactions
Summary
The act of dissemination (and communication) is part and parcel of doing research. The main vehicle of scientific information lies within the scientific community through peerreviewed periodicals generally focused on specific research areas and directed at well-circumscribed, specialized audiences (e.g. Gravina et al, 2017). The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO states that only through ocean literacy will it be possible to create an educated society capable of making informed decisions and caring for the preservation of the ocean’s health (Santoro et al, 2017) In this context, effective geoscience communication activities addressing Principle 2 of ocean literacy defined by the IOC, namely that “The ocean and life in the ocean shape the features of the Earth”, are in great need. Aligning with SDG 14 and IOC Principle 2 of ocean literacy, the objective of this work was to develop an alternative and innovative activity to engage children in geosciences by combining scientific concept transmissions with creative dance. Led by a research centre (CIMA – Universidade do Algarve), included the Tavira Ciência Viva Science Centre (devoted to disseminating science to the public), the partner responsible for facilitating the bridge between researchers and primary school students
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
