The construction of meanings by the public from a planetarium show

T117 - The construction of meanings by the public
from a planetarium show about the Sun-Earth
interactions
Authors:
Radma Almeida de Freitas
Auta Stella de Medeiros Germano
Silvia Calbo Aroca
FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF RIO GRANDE DO NORTE
DIGITAL MOBILE PLANETARIUM BARCA DOS CÉUS
BRAZIL, NATAL-RN
POPULARIZATION OF SCIENCE AND ASTRONOMY
Questioning the objectives and assigned meanings to
science communication.
 Science popularization:
• Target the popular classes in communication;
• Allow dialogue between the parts involved;
• Respect the values, beliefs and worldviews of
population.
Astronomy, maybe more than other sciences, allows that
bridges may be shown or built between life experiences and
knowledges (regional and universal) assimilated by popular
culture about the sky and the sciences. (KANTOR, 2012;
JAFELICE, 2010; GERMANO; KUlESZA, 2007; FREITAS; 2015).
FORMAL, NONFORMAL AND INFORMAL EDUCATION
Particularities in learning in nonformal educational
contexts
• Demarcation criteria (ALVES; 2008):
curricular composition
space
intentionality
methodology
agents of the teaching-learning process
motivation
evaluation
• There is a difficulty in using these terms to characterize
types of learning (FALK, 2005a; 2005b).
FREE CHOICE LEARNING
Characteristics:
• No sequencial; self guided; voluntary
• Driven mainly by interest and intrinsic needs of the
individual.
The planetarium as a characteristic space of free
choice learning:
 The visitor prioritizes the content and information of
interest;
 Expectations about learning and evaluation.
CONTEXTUAL MODEL OF LEARNING
What factors influence the free choice learning ?
Personal context
Motivation and
expectation about the
visit
Prior knowledge and
experience
Prior interest
Choice and control
Sociocultural Context Physical context
Mediation in own social Advanced organizers
group
Physical space
orientation
Mediation with other
Large-scale
social groups
Architecture and
Environment
Design and mode of
exposing
Subsequent events
Some results: emphasis on the use of "advanced
organizers" to inform the big idea' or 'conceptual message'.
THE PLANETARIUM SHOW “A Journey to the Sun”
General message: The phenomena that occur in the Sun can
affect our planet and consequently our lives. (FREITAS; 2015).
Cores of information:
The apparent movement of the Sun can be used as a reference
to the cycles of our planet;
Our life depends on the sun;
The Sun is a star;
The Sun is a huge ball of very hot gas;
The Sun can be compared to several magnets;
The surface of the sun may have dark spots;
The Sun blows a steady wind that hits Earth;
Some explosions take place on the surface of the Sun;
These explosions and the solar wind can cause auroras and can
interfere with telecommunication systems and power
transmission.
INVESTIGATING THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING
ABOUT THE SHOW
METODOLOGICAL ASPECTS
Nature of the Research: Qualitative Study.
Sample: 10 individuals randomly selected, during an
Astronomy Exibition in Serra Caiada-RN (2015).
Instruments:
 Personal Meaning Map (MSP): SUN as the catalyst
word.
 Semistructured interviews: associated to the map;
before and after the shows.
Example of Map
DATA ANALYSIS AND THE MAIN RESULTS
Frequency of categories of information in the maps,
before and after the show:
Sol e energia
Expressões subjetivas
Características físicas
Localização
Dinâmica
Pós-sessão
Astronomia cotidiana
Pré-sessão
O que faz
Infuencia
Definição
outros
0
2
4
6
8
10
Main General Results


Before the Session: Ideas come more like everyday
experiences.
After Session: Items added are of scientific nature and
contemplate information from the show.
Specifics characteristics of the maps after the show:






Physical Characteristics: Composition of the Sun.
Solar Dynamics: Only emerged after the show.
Everyday Astronomy: Local cycle of sunrise and the
relationship between light and the environment.
Subjective Expressions: Beauty of sunrise and sunset.
Definition of the Sun as star x energy production: some
doubts about difference between planet and star.
Relationship between solar dynamics and magnetism: no
map mention it.
The General Message
 Perceived
in a good amount of maps, but most
associated with daily life; the majority does not refer
directly to the solar dynamics.
Ideas refer to:
• light, heat and climate;
• Our life dependence on the sun;
• The sun and dry wheather;
• Surprise over the coronal ejections, like:" ... did not think
it could hurt us."
• Interference of solar storms in the media.
Aspects that can be improved:
The speed of speach;
 Quantity of information provided;
 Images used in the session;
 Insertion of participatory moments related to:
Energy production in the Sun;
Sunspots as a result of solar dynamics;
The solar magnetism and influences on our planet.

Some final considerations
The tools PMMs and interview: suitable for the situation.
 Possibility of a second contact with the public;
 New researches.

“The experience of going to a Planetarium can
inspire and encourage one for looking at the sky,
allowing the human beings to see themselves
again as part of the universe.”
REFERENCES
ALVES, Milton T. Schivani; ZANETIC, João. O ensino não formal da astronomia: um estudo
preliminar de suas ações e implicações. In: EPEF, 2008. Atas. Curitiba: SBF, 2008
FALK, John. H.; DIERKING, Lynn D.Using the contextual model of learning to understand
visitor learning from a science center exhibition. Science Learning in Everyday Life. V.
89, p. 744-178, 2005.
FALK, John. H.; STORKSDIECK, Martin. Museus e o aprendizado de ciência. História,
Ciência, Saúde – Manguinhos. Rio de Janeiro, v.12 (suplemento), p. 117-43, 2005.
FREITAS, R. A. Construção de uma sessão de planetário para público
geral com a temática “interações Terra-Sol”. Dissertação de Mestrado,
PPGECNM – UFRN, Natal-RN, 2015.
GERMANO, M. G.; KUlESZA, W. A. Popularização da Ciência: uma revisão
conceitual. Caderno Brasileiro de Ensino de Física, [s.l.], v. 24, n. 1, p.7-25, abr. 2007.
JAFELICE, Luiz Carlos (Org.). Astronomia, educação e cultura. Natal:
EDUFRN, 2010.
KANTOR, C. A. Educação em Astronomia sob uma perspectiva
humanístico-científica: a compreensão do céu como espelho da evolução
cultural. 2012. 142f. Tese (Doutorado em Educação) – São Paulo: USP, 2012.
Obrigadas!