Science Theatre at School: Providing a context to learn about socio‐scientific issues

Wieringa, Nicoline; Swart, Jac. A. A.; Maples, Tony; Wilmondt, Lea; Tobi, Hilde; Windt, Henny van der

doi:10.1080/21548455.2010.544090

Cited by 19 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Some empirical reports on educational science theater outside of museums have also focused on spectators. Wieringa et al (2011) studied audience reaction and expert opinions on a play presenting socioscientific issues for 15-17-year olds. The study suggested that the societal context of science elicited more interest among students than the science itself, the use of caricature to portray scientists may have hampered the rapport with the audience, and a discussion held after the play was crucial.…”

Section: Research On Science Museum Theatermentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding Producers’ Intentions and Viewers’ Learning Outcomes in a Science Museum Theater Play on Evolution

Peleg

Baram‐Tsabari

2015

Res Sci Educ

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Science museums often introduce plays to liven up exhibits, attract visitors to specific exhibitions, and help visitors to "digest" difficult content. Most previous research has concentrated on viewers' learning outcomes. This study uses performance and spectator analyses from the field of theater studies to explore the link between producers' intended aims, the written script, and the learning outcomes. We also use the conflict of didactics and aesthetics, common to the design of both educational plays and science museum exhibits, as a lens for understanding our data. "Darwin's journey," a play about evolution, was produced by a major science museum in Israel. The producers' objectives were collected through indepth interviews. A structural analysis was conducted on the script. Viewer (n=103) and nonviewer (n=90) data were collected via a questionnaire. The results show strong evidence for the encoding of all of the producers' aims in the script. Explicit and cognitive aims were decoded as intended by the viewers. The evidence was weak for the decoding of implicit and affective aims. While the producers were concerned with the conflict of didactics and aesthetics, this conflict was not apparent in the script. The conflict is discussed within the broader context of science education in informal settings.

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Section: Research On Science Museum Theatermentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding Producers’ Intentions and Viewers’ Learning Outcomes in a Science Museum Theater Play on Evolution

Peleg

Baram‐Tsabari

2015

Res Sci Educ

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“…The idea that drama and theatre can play an inspirational role in deliberations on the future societal implications of science and technology, for instance, is wide-spread [30, 31]. Usually, this involves the performance of a play by professional or amateur actors before a live audience of, say, students or lay citizens, as happened for example during one particular MLE event where three scenarios were performed by a university theatre group presenting risks and various options, side effects and future perspectives of DBS.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reflection as a Deliberative and Distributed Practice: Assessing Neuro-Enhancement Technologies via Mutual Learning Exercises (MLEs)

Zwart

Brenninkmeijer

Eduard³

et al. 2017

Nanoethics

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In 1968, Jürgen Habermas claimed that, in an advanced technological society, the emancipatory force of knowledge can only be regained by actively recovering the ‘forgotten experience of reflection’. In this article, we argue that, in the contemporary situation, critical reflection requires a deliberative ambiance, a process of mutual learning, a consciously organised process of deliberative and distributed reflection. And this especially applies, we argue, to critical reflection concerning a specific subset of technologies which are actually oriented towards optimising human cognition (neuro-enhancement). In order to create a deliberative ambiance, fostering critical upstream reflection on emerging technologies, we developed (in the context of a European 7th Framework Programme project on neuro-enhancement and responsible research and innovation, called NERRI) the concept of a mutual learning exercise (MLE). Building on a number of case studies, we analyse what an MLE involves, both practically and conceptually, focussing on key aspects such as ambiance and expertise, the role of ‘genres of the imagination’ and the profiles of various ‘subcultures of debate’. Ideally, an MLE becomes a contemporary version of the Socratic agora, providing a stage where multiple and sometimes unexpected voices and perspectives mutually challenge each other, in order to strength-en the societal robustness and responsiveness of emerg-ing technologies.

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“…Braund illustrates this by noting that of the 700 papers presented at 'one of the world's largest international science education research conferences in 2011' [namely the conference of the European Science Education Research Association (ESERA) in Lyon, France], only 2 papers addressed the added value of drama experiences, compared to over 100 papers dealing with the learning experiences involved in 'discussion and argumentation' (Braund 2015, p. 103). So far, only a few empirical studies have been published concerning the impacts of the use of theatre in science education (Shepherd-Barr 2006;Wieringa et al 2011;Cakici and Bayir 2012).…”

Section: Science and Drama: Pedagogical Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance: Will drama merely 'illustrate' the issues involved (Livingston 2006, p. 11), or will it rather provide a stage where scenarios and concerns can be actively explored and tested, so that drama becomes a kind of ethical laboratory? In many papers describing the use of drama in science education (such as Wieringa et al 2011), students are typically involved as spectators. They are exposed to drama, but usually they do not actively perform themselves.…”

Section: Research Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Performing the Future

Toonders¹,

Verhoeff

2016

Sci & Educ

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Drama is a relatively unexplored tool in academic science education. This paper addresses in what way the use of drama may allow science students to deepen their understanding of recent developments in the emerging and controversial field of neuroenhancement, by means of a case study approach. First, we emphasise the congruency between drama and science, notably the dramatic dimension of experimental research. Subsequently, we draw on educational literature to elaborate the potential of using drama as a teaching modality, specifically focusing on the ethical and moral dimensions of future techno-scientific innovations. Our case study consisted of a drama experiment as a module in a philosophy course on human enhancement. Twenty-two students from various science disciplines performed multiple roles, as authors, actors, audience and reviewers. Qualitative data were collected on the educational process and student performance during the course, i.e. observations and video recordings of class discussions, group work and plays, interviews and questionnaires. Our drama experiment proved to be effective in enabling students to explore and relate to a future life world affected by enhancement technologies. It allowed them to deepen their awareness of social and ethical implications of neurotechnologies and of the different viewpoints people may have on this issue in academic, professional or everyday settings. Moreover, drama allowed them to develop a reflexive position of their own in the neuro-enhancement debate by enacting a moral dilemma in front of an audience. Our results confirm the potential of drama as a tool for exploring techno-scientific futures in science education.

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Science Theatre at School: Providing a context to learn about socio‐scientific issues

Cited by 19 publications

References 27 publications

Understanding Producers’ Intentions and Viewers’ Learning Outcomes in a Science Museum Theater Play on Evolution

Understanding Producers’ Intentions and Viewers’ Learning Outcomes in a Science Museum Theater Play on Evolution

Reflection as a Deliberative and Distributed Practice: Assessing Neuro-Enhancement Technologies via Mutual Learning Exercises (MLEs)

Performing the Future

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