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Learning to participate in the scientific debate Adriana Valente*, Luciana Libutti*, Michela Mayer°, Alba L’Astorina^

Learning to participate in the scientific debate Adriana Valente*, Luciana Libutti*, Michela Mayer°, Alba L’Astorina^.

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Learning to participate in the scientific debate Adriana Valente*, Luciana Libutti*, Michela Mayer°, Alba L’Astorina^

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  1. Learning to participate in the scientific debate Adriana Valente*, Luciana Libutti*, Michela Mayer°, Alba L’Astorina^ The methodology and results of the Perception and Awareness of Science (PAS) Project, carried out by the Italian CNR, the British Council and the Rosselli Foundation within the cycle of initiatives “Ethics and Polemics” is here described. Within the PAS Project 4 initiatives were held in Bologna, Rome, Naples and Milan (with a teleconference link to Rome) for the communication of science through a public debate. Italian and British scientists discussed GMOs (2002-2003), electromagnetic pollution (2003-2004), space exploration (2004) and the impact of climate change on cities (2006-2007). For this last event a “follow up” meeting was organized consisting of a restricted round table among students, citizens, scientists and administrators in which the deliberative/proposal aspect was emphasized. This part of the project gave evidence of communication as a two ways process. Awareness Science of Perception and Innovative methods of public debate have been recently adopted to enhance interaction between institutions and citizens and make the public take an active part in the political and decision-making process. The aim of the PAS Project is to promote public debates among secondary school students, lifelong learning people and experts on the critical, ethical and interdisciplinary components of “in action” science, in order to enhance participation and to reduce the distance between young people and science. In presence of a linear model of public communication of science, where people are only considered as the final part of a unidirectional process, it is difficult to think that young people become aware to be important part in the scientific debate. The PAS Project revealed that to participate in the scientific debate knowledge is indeed important but only when it is critical, problematic and interdisciplinary. Furthermore, active participation implies deliberation/proposal steps, the most important aspects of the interaction between institutions and citizens, and this passage is not easily made for both of them. Each PAS Project initiative is divided into two main phases: 1) the structuring of the debate within student groups; 2) the completion of a survey on perception of science and its values (with two questionnaires before and after each initiative). Each group coincides with a class and emphasis is given on the chances of an informed dialogue between students to create tacit understanding and “collective wisdom”. Professors play the role of tutors in this process promoting study and discussion activities before taking part in the debate with scientists, experts, stakeholders and administrators. In the course of the project didactic material is given to all classes beyond traditional textbooks in which the debate on in progress science is either not present or briefly treated in a linear, not problematic style; the material is selected on the basis of different criteria, but especially able to grant plurality of the scientific sources. The experts contacted for the public debate represent different points of view in the debate. Some groups have been involved in the “meta-plan” technique in order to enhance personal involvement and participation. SOME TIPS: This methodology is useful as a way to involve people/students in a long term process. Joining didactics, it allows a deep awareness on science and its values. Consisting of modular steps, it also allows the inclusion of more participatory models and techniques. It is not easy to really represent the different points of view of science: much effort must be directed on the selection of the documentation and experts. References: Adriana Valente (editor), La scienza dagli esperti ai giovani e ritorno/ Science: from specialists to students and back again, Biblink, Roma, 2006. L. Libutti, A. Valente, Science communication and information dissemination: The role of the information professional in the “Perception and Awareness of Science” Project”, Journal of information science, 32(2), 2006 * Institute of Research on Population and Social Policies of the National Research Council (IRPPS-CNR) ° Unesco Commission, Education for Sustainable Development ^ Institute for Electromagnetic Sensing of Environment of the National Research Council (IREA-CNR)

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