Developing science programmes for adults is a true challenge for most of science centres and museums.They think they know almost everything, they will come only as accompaniers, and they think they're too old to have fun!
It is a priority to engage with seniors. They will be representing an ever-growing part of our ageing societies and we are convinced that not only can they learn and re-learn, but also that they can contribute important points of views and share valuable know-how.
The session will explore pros and cons, physical constraints and motivations.
Facilitator
Session speakers
Science Communicator Manager
Lagos
Portugal
"High & Lows with Seniors"
Introducing science concepts might not be the right way for communicating science for adult and senior public, but rather transforming their empirical knowledge into scientific information. Ciência Viva Lagos Science Centre developed science activities to active senior groups or to home care institutions. There are several topics that contribute for a successful session-high and lows on the implementation of senior’s activities will be discuss from our experience.
Executive Director
Bragança
Portugal
"Science activities for seniores: can we talk about anything?"
Bragança Ciência Viva Centre has a science outreach program for seniors. The main goals are to acquire knowledge in areas of greater scientific importance such as nanotechnology or astronomy;to stimulate critical thinking and to prevent physical inactivity and loneliness. Until 2015 we had over 800 seniors involved. In this session we are presenting the activities developed, how we keep seniors motivated, and a direct result of this outreach program - an intergenerational Marathon of science.
Acting Director- Planetarium Science Center
Alexandria
Egypt
"Participate & enjoy parenting-our kids, our treasure"
The Planetarium Science Center of Alexandria offers educational, supportive and customized workshop sessions to parents of children aging 5-9. Understanding middle childhood development, encouraging social-emotional competency,responding to school and family life challenges,fostering positive peer relationships, communicating effectively and strategies for effective, positive discipline in the middle years, are some of the topics addressed.
Project Manager at Science and Art Events Lab
Warsaw
Poland
”I feel like I can fly.” “I love this place and don’t know why I come here so late.” “Again I can feel like a very young woman asking lot of questions”.
Although seniors who come to Copernicus Science Centre are very pleased about their visit, even tough they are only 1.4% of our public. Usually they are thinking about themselves as grandparents focusing on arranging good time for grandchildren. They simply don’t know why Copernicus is also a place dedicated to them. We are trying to improve contact with older public in two ways. First, constantly making our offer better according to seniors needs and expectations. Second, we are inviting seniors as mentors, experts and people who are open to learn and discover new things to the most avant-garde, open minded science and culture events in Copernicus.
During this session we will share our experiences from the second way showing examples of our working with seniors, designers, artists or scientists. What is special in this group of public? How they inspired us? What we are winning when meeting in science centre together?