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Two WAYS for Communicating European Research about Life Sciences with Science Festivals & Science Centres/Museums, Science Parliaments & Impact Survey

Final Report Summary - 2WAYS (Two ways for communicating European research about life sciences with science festivals and science centres / museums, science parliaments and impact survey)

Executive summary:

The 2WAYS project of European science communication with 30 partners from 17 states has operated with new innovative communication formats:

- development of new interactive science presentations based on the cooperation of scientists with science communicators of two different countries / cities to explain this research to a lay audience;
- science presentations about the most modern, currently still active scientific research in the field of life sciences, shown at the science festivals in the two participating cities;
- accompanying scientific survey of the impact of these presentations on the audience of the science festivals, allowing for a comparison of these impacts in the involved cities, partly as questionnaires for the visitors, partly at the project's website http://www.twoways.eu;
- organisation of a special format: In all participating cities so-called 'Science Parliaments', each with 60 to 100 pupils, debating 'hot issues' in life sciences, like the use of the information contained in the Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), like the spread of genetically modified organisms, in four committee sessions with invited science experts, and in the final plenary session to formulate resolutions on how to deal with these issues in future, sent to the local politicians;
- organisation of a 'grand' final event, partly at the Brussels's European Parliament with the 'Young Europeans Science Parliament' (YESP) assembling representatives from the local 'Science Parliaments', partly as a show 'European Science Festival 2010' in a Brussels museum of all newly developed science presentation.

The 2WAYS project was managed by seven consortium partners in a Project management team (PMT). These partners were from seven countries:

- EUSCEA / AT.
- Wissenschaft-im-Dialog / DE.
- Dansk Naturvidenskabsformidling / DK.
- Fundacio Catalana per a la Recerca / ES.
- Tiedekeskussäätiö / FI.
- Bloomfield Science Museum Jerusalem / IL.
- Agadem Jan Riise & Co AB / SE.

Project context and objectives:

The 2WAYS project was initiated and coordinated by EUSCEA, the 'European science events association' (now with about 100 members from 36 countries) based in Vienna/ Austria - www.euscea.org - together with six other consortium partners:

- a science communication agency (Dansk Naturvidenskabsformidling) in Copenhagen / Denmark;
- a science museum (Heureka) in Vantaa / Finland;
- a science communication partner (Wissenschaft im Dialog) in Berlin / Germany;
- a science museum (Bloomfield Science Museum Jerusalem) in Jerusalem / Israel;
- a government agency (FCRI) in Barcelona / Spain; and
- a private science communication agency (Agadem) in Göteborg / Sweden.

Representatives of these seven consortium members form together the PMT. In this project, supported by the European Commission (EC), 30 EUSCEA member organisations as 2WAYS partners from 17 states (see their flags on the next page) form so-called pairs of partners, and were selected by a jury, consisting of a science advisory board and the afore mentioned PMT. Six members of the consortium (with the exception of EUSCEA as association) are also 2WAYS partners.

Each pair of partners:

- Selected one recent, modern peer-reviewed European science research project, developed together with the involved scientists a new science presentation and showed them in both their science festivals or special science events.
- Organised 'Science Parliaments' in both cities, where 60 to 100 pupils / students (aged 16 - 20) discussed different controversial issues concerning 'Life sciences' with the aim to elaborate in a democratic way recommendations on how to deal with these issues in future. These resolutions were published and brought to the attention of local / national parliamentarians.
- Carried out an impact comparison study in each of the two festivals to enable the Partners to compare the impact of their presentations onto the visitors, after scientific evaluation of the collected data by an independent evaluator.

The Final Event in Brussels took place from 29 November to 1 December 2010 in the European Parliament and in the Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences (RBINS): All 2WAYS science presentations adapted and translated in English (some also in French and Flemish) were shown in a sort of 'European Science Festival 2010' at the RBINS; a special jury for science communication voted for the best presentation. All national 'Science Parliaments' sent two delegates coming together as the YESP to discuss and to issue the most important recommendations to be brought to the attention of the European Parliament and again to the national parliaments of the Partners. The results of the scientifically based 'Impact Comparison Study' were presented - and the most interesting presentations highlighted.

The project's website www.twoways.eu contains all descriptions of the science presentations and the local 'Science Parliaments' including photographs and the resolutions. This website also offered a questionnaire to the European public to state how they feel about science and, if they have visited a science festival, how they were affected by the presentations.

Project objectives

A. General qualitative objectives and achievements

- Increase the awareness and knowledge about current state-of-the-art European research, and also about 'opportunities and threats' of particular aspects of the 'Life Sciences' by organising presentations/debates and scientists at many European Science Festivals. The assessment study will try to evaluate this point.

Of a maximum total of 34 presentations, 33 presentations were held (the 2WAYS Partner ETH Zurich could not show its presentation due to internal reasons). All presentations showed aspects of modern research in life sciences in forms of two way communication.

- Involve European citizens - and especially youngsters - in an intensive two-way communicating dialogue with science experts and other stakeholders achieved by 'Science Parliaments' (in city halls, museums etc.). The sessions of these 'Science Parliaments' will lead to a list of recommendations of actions within each participating country and in the Finals event also at the European level.

Of a maximum total of 30 'Science Parliaments', 29 local 'Science Parliaments' were organised (with the exception of the 21WAYS Partner ETH Zurich). Each of the 'Science Parliaments' elected 2 representatives as delegates to the Finals in Brussels, for the YESP.

- Join science festival organisations and science museums / centres and other civil society organisations together for a science communication project to exchange experiences.

The 30 partners come from 17 states (CH and IL, and from the 15 EU member states AT, BG, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, IE, IT, LV, PL, PT, SE, UK); their types are: 11 universities, 10 civil society organisations (partly private), 4 museums, 3 research institutions, 1 government agency.

- Determine the impact of the various tools and formats (from experiments to science cafés, from performances to workshops with scientists) on the audience, by checking the grade of change of the visitors' opinions, and by voting mechanisms via the 'Impact comparison study'.

All presentations and all 'Science Parliaments' asked their participants to fill questionnaires to answer questions about science, about the effects on their private life. The results were presented at the finals in Brussels on 1 December 2010, also in a special booklet.

- The 'Cook-book', 'Tool-box' are produced after carefully evaluating the presentations, which parts of them can be for further use by the same and / or by other organisations.

All presentations have sent a description, which was used for the 'Cook-book' and for the 'Tool-box'. Both were produced for download from the project's website and presented at the finals in Brussels on 1 December 2010.

- Since the coordinator EUSCEA has members in all EU member states and neighbouring countries, an objective is to coordinate festival organisers and science museums/centres in at least 27 of these countries by the Exchange of presentations, by common events like launch and finals, by learning from each other (also via the 'Impact Comparison Survey') and thus reach a European-wide dimension of the activities.

The 30 partners come from 17 states (CH and IL, and from the 15 European Union (EU) Member States AT, BG, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, IE, IT, LV, PL, PT, SE, UK); including the finals in Brussels, 18 countries have actively participated. But, in all the science festivals of the partners, presenters and visitors from many other countries participated and had contacts with the 2WAYS project, like for example the students of the 'Science Parliament' in Graz, Austria, who came also from AL, CH, CY, CZ, DE, EL, ES, FI, GE, IE, IT, NL, PL, PT, RS, TR and UA, adding 9 countries to the reach of 2WAYS, thus amounting to 25 states. With the many other visitors and participants in the other festivals and parliaments of the 30 cities, the number of involved states reached far more than 27 states.

- Strengthen networks by assisting in an exchange of experiences and best practises between many stakeholders and organisers for science communication in Europe.

The 30 partners and their stakeholders and organisers have exchanged intensively with each other on different ways to present science for the 2WAYS project, starting with the launch conference in Perugia, Italy, with the intermediate conference in Potsdam near Berlin, Germany - and with many personal visits and communications.

Measurable quantitative objectives

- To create about 15 new science presentations, shown in about 30 science festivals, with the maximum objective of 20 presentations in 40 festivals.

The 30 partners created 17 new science presentations and have organised 33 presentations in 29 science festivals.

- To organise at least 20 'Science Parliaments' in at least 20 different science festivals, and one final 'European Science Parliament'.

Each of the 29 partners organised a 'Science Parliament'. The final YESP took place on 30 November and 1 December 2010 - with two representatives from each local 'Science Parliament'.

- To have results of the impact comparison study from about 15 science festivals, with a maximum objective of 20 festivals.

All 29 active 2WAYS partners (exception: ETH Zurich) participated in the impact comparison study with the presentations in their science festivals and also with the pupils in their 'Science Parliaments'.

Project results:

The project 2WAYS is designed as a science communication activity, where no main Science and technology (S&T) results foreground are required or aimed at.

Potential impact:

The impact of all activities within the project 2WAYS was subject of a separate WP 'Impact comparison survey'. Science events are no longer isolated hands-on workshops created by a couple of 'science freaks', but have become a part of a larger movement promoting public understanding of science. They are influenced by not only the scientific community, but also by the other groups of society and vice versa. They also have a certain effect for the future career choices of young people and students.

Overview over the main results of the impact study:

- The overall satisfactory level of the 2WAYS events was good. The survey showed some differences between the feed-back of the visitors.
- Children (under 15 years old) and middle-aged adults (aged 40-54 years) gave the most positive feedback of the 2WAYS events.
- People visiting the 2WAYS-happenings in different countries in Europe were satisfied with their experience in terms of recommending the happening or similar effort for their friends, families, and other people. The willingness to recommend 2WAYS type of event was highest in Finland and Spain.
- Do people need intellectual activities during their leisure time? Very active people had slightly more positive feedback than others from 2WAYS event.
- The 2WAYS' students felt and reported more meaningful and motivating learning effects related to the 'Science Parliament' event than compared to ordinary classroom environment. One of the main goals of the 'Science Parliament' events was to encourage discussion and dialog between the youngsters and the experts and decision makers. The students felt the 'Science Parliament' environment encouraging more to asking questions and discussion. The result was clear and statistically significant. As key components in the survey were found interactive and team work nature of the 'Science Parliament'.
- The students in European schools do value their studies at school: the content and the context of the education have to be essential for them personally. The strongest effect of the 2WAYS event was the bigger interest in science in the post-test after the visit.
- The vision about the role of the scientists as human persons did change a lot. After their visit to the events the students did agree in a greater level with the statement 'the researchers are interesting and fascinating persons'.
- The students did not automatically consider the learning process in the 2WAYS event as an easy one, but realised the complex nature of the topic.
- Science, research and technology is - naturally - for both genders. That was proven in the lively 2WAYS events around the Europe - attended by majority (57 %) of female visitors.
- The 2WAYS events were oriented and attended by visitors with upper educational background. The majority (59 %) of visitors had academic background, and the second biggest group (24 %) consisted of people having higher vocational education level. Only a very small amount of visitors had the lower vocational education, or the basic education.
- Children and young people visited the happenings mainly during their school days as hands-on, open learning experience and environment.
- Science matters. Also in the everyday life level. There was not remarkable differences between the age groups how they recognises science having an effect on their every-day life. 2WAYS visitors in Switzerland think that science has the strongest impact on their daily life. Young people (16-24) do not think science has a clear effect on their everyday life. Is this due to their critical attitude during the teen years; or has the science education been unsuccessful during that time in the school?
- Real event or virtual experience? As a summary, there were clear differences between the people visiting the real 2WAYS events compared to those who only visited the web-site www.twoways.eu: 'Web-visitors' had less public science activities during the previous 12 months; and they also did not consider the link between science and everyday life as evident as the 'real-visitors'.
- The aim of science education methods is not solely to produce more scientists and technologists; it is also to produce a new generation of citizens who are scientifically and technologically literate.

The total amount of interviews gives an opportunity to make certain statistical comparisons:

- the 2WAYS events with 1 404 questionnaires;
- the YESPs with 797 pre and 728 post-questionnaires;
- the web-survey with 4 672 web-answers.

In addition, the people attending the 2WAYS-type events vary a lot, as do the events in their size, place and nature! Due to this, the results are reported according to all data, and in some cases to show the most typical phenomena or characters of different countries and events.

List of websites: www.twoways.eu