Science: perception and participation
edited by Adriana Valente
Bringing into schools and society the wealth and articulation of the scientific debate, including the ‘unavoidable uncertainty’ of science; allowing non scientists and youth to get to grips with the concepts; encouraging and observing the encounter between a society and a science which are both complex and in continuous evolution.
On this basis, the results of two surveys and two extensive testing of models of participation in the scientific debate are described. Main topics: water crisis and climate change, but with constant attention to the ways in which students look to science and its values.
The results of the surveys presented show that answers are never easy, implicit or final, and must be stubbornly sought in the theories and practices of the various social systems.
For this reason, in the second part, the book opens up to the scientific community as a whole, to those who, within universities and research labs, in the media, in public and private institutions, interact with communication and science. Each author was asked for short considerations on the topic added with a third keyword, expression of the experience that he or she has matured and as a contribution to further the debate on science and society.
The result is a fascinating journey, divided among the three topics of ethics, media and education, in which doubts and certainties on science communication are revealed and recalled, such as the struggle between knowledge transfer and participation practices, between guarantee of authoritativeness and search for an active involvement, between commitment, fun and constructive challenge.
Summary
Guido Bertolaso, Foreword
Luciano Maiani, Introduction
FIRST PART
Participation and images of science in secondary schools
1. The scientific debate on the water crisis in schools. Introductions
Susan Costantini
Ethics and Polemics: the UK and Italy face to face
Adriana Valente
Science and society in Ethics and Polemics
Luciana Libutti
Information and education
Andrea Duro, Giacomo Losavio
The water crisis
2. School and participation
Adriana Valente
From the Metaplan to the Open Space Technology:
integrating a participated process in schools
Michela Mayer, Adriana Valente
Expressing oneself in order to participate:
tacit knowledge, learning and the Metaplan
Elena Del Grosso, Alba L’Astorina, Adriana Valente
Testing Open Space Technology in schools
to educate towards citizenship in science and society
Luciana Libutti
Young people and Information Literacy
Alba L’Astorina
Introducing participative practices at school:
a reflection from and with lower secondary school teachers
3. Images of science facing the water crisis and climate change.
Survey results
Maria Girolama Caruso, Loredana Cerbara, Adriana Valente
The kind of satisfaction you get from asking people questions
Sveva Avveduto
Cognition, knowledge, understanding, participation:
students’ cognitive levels
Emanuela Reale
Interest, information and participation in science and technology:
evidence in the framework of environmental research
Adriana Valente, Loredana Cerbara
Science: universal, independent,
but respectful of human values
Adriana Valente, Loredana Cerbara, Maria Girolama Caruso
Pathway and prospects. Science as a profession
SECOND PART
Communication, science and…
Adriana Valente
Like the button game
…ethical issues
Rossella Bonito Oliva, Ethics
Enrico Alleva, Augusto Vitale, Behavioural studies
Fabrizio Rufo, Bioethics
Liliana Cori, Epidemiological research
Daniela Luzi, Rosa Di Cesare, Open Access
Giuseppe Sangiorgi, Institutions
Andrea Cerroni, Anti-science
...media issues
Pietro Greco, Radio
Claudia Di Giorgio, Magazines
Pio Cerocchi, Media
Nadia Tarantini, Creative writing
Marco Ferrazzoli, The press office
Romeo Bassoli, Affection
Nadia Rosenthal, Passion
…education and edutainment
Silvia Caravita, Learning
Elisabetta Falchetti, Museums
Vito Francesco Polcaro, Astronomic observatory
Emilio Balzano, Education
Claudia Ceccarelli, Collaborative systems
Manuela Arata, Not just a festival
Sylvie Coyaud, Blogs
Anna Parisi, Tommaso Castellani, Science cafes
The Authors
