Science on wheels and social inclusion
Taking science centre activities outside our buildings and into vans and buses is not completely new, but this practice has evolved over the past few years: there is a deeper awareness of the social inclusion agenda and its impacts on our organisations. Science centres and science engagement organisations are not just introducing the usual informal learning activities - they are inventing new formats for new settings, and experimenting with new ways of interacting with people. Moreover, our science vans seem to venture more and more towards the most remote (and/or neglected) villages and urban areas.
This session will start with short case study presentations and most of the time will be dedicated to sharing experiences with the participants. Other organisations running similar projects will be invited to participate and together we will draw up a list of points for attention.
Facilitator
Towards ESOF 2020 Trieste "Science in the City" Programme Manager
Trieste International Foundation (FIT)
Session speakers
Founder / Art and Communication Director
Dotik is a company working in the field of science communication that manages the 10LAB, a small but innovative science centre owned by Sardegna Ricerche, the regional agency for the promotion of technological innovation in Sardinia. 10LAB is particularly dedicated to activities such as tinkering, do-it-yourself and other stimulating ways to put everybody in the shoes of innovators. In 2018 the science centre has outfitted a van (“The science bus. Travelling with science”) to reach the most remote villages and small towns of the island. All the activities have been set in open public spaces, so that conversations were not only with the people involved in the workshops, but also with the passers-by. It has been and unusual and very stimulating way to meet new people and change our way to interact.
In spring 2018 the Psiquadro team developed a project called "Roma Science Van" supported by the Rome Municipality to engage with hard to reach audiences in the Rome suburbs. The van visited three areas during three weekends and was the opportunity to experience a diverse set of audiences in squares and streets. The activities represented training opportunities to learn to listen to people and immediately adapt your communication activities accordingly. An improvisation set of skills was crucial to have effective conversations.
In 2014 Hiša eksperimentov started with the new mobile activity “Little House of experiments” (Hiška eksperimentov). With its collection of more than 50 mobile experiments it travels all around Slovenia and beyond its borders. Until now Hiška visited more than 100 schools and kindergartens.
Mobile House of experiments travels from city to city and from village to village, reaching even the most remote areas. In this way we are giving the opportunity to a wide range of people to experience our hands-on-exhibits, even if they do not live near the capital city. A visit on a school in the countryside is completely different from a visit of a school near our capital city. A country school adds our visit in the school calendar like a special day of experiments, technical-science day or just a special day. We are adding those trips to our calendars as a special day as well. Setting up a pop up science center for a day is a unique learning experience for the people who designed the activity.
