Desert Survivors: the design and implementation of a television program to enhance local scientific literacy

Abstract

Outreach efforts by faculty members are oftentimes limited in scope due to hectic schedules. We developed a program to enhance science literacy in elementary school children that allows experts to reach a tremendous audience while minimizing their time commitment. The foundation of the program is a television series entitled "Desert Survivors." The episodes air on local cable access television and are available to teachers on DVD. Each episode features a guest expert who spotlights a particular organism and how that organism overcomes the myriad of hardships inherent to desert survival. Local classrooms are visited to solicit questions from students regarding the organism of interest. These videotaped questions are integrated into Desert Survivors television production and provide the guest expert with the basis to discuss the ecology, physiology, and evolutionary biology of the organism. The program is bolstered through the use of an interactive website. Assessment strategies are in place to ensure program efficacy. Herein, we describe the development of the program as a model for innovative outreach opportunities.

In science communication, why does the idea of the public deficit always return? Exploring key influences

“…Science communication practice has had a much longer history compared to its scholarly counterpart (Bucchi, 2008) and includes efforts like science centers and museums, public awareness programs, public policy outreach, and science journalism (Bruyas and Riccio, 2013). The general purpose of science communication practice is to improve the relationship between science and society and promote science within the public sphere through a variety of means, including improving scientific literacy (Utz et al, 2007), connecting science and policy (American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 2013), cultivating positive perceptions of science (Aurentz et al, 2011), or disseminating scientific information to the public (Colson, 2011).…”