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ABS010 - Learning about “offstage interests” acquired through science cafe activities

Theme:
1.3 Learning, knowledge and agency
What:
Poster in a Structured Poster Session (SPS)
When:
11:00 AM, Tuesday 29 Aug 2017 (1 hour)
Breaks:
Midday Meal   12:00 PM to 01:30 PM (1 hour 30 minutes)
Where:
How:
In this paper, I clarify the features of the learning acquired by college students who participated in science cafe projects.
Science Cafe events were held six times during one year through projects in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. In these events, the participants lectured citizens on psychology and facilitated group work through events at cafes and the community center. In the projects, they played various roles such as planner, spokesperson, lecturer, facilitator, and manager.
To clarify the features of the leaning that students acquired, I collected data through interviews of six college students, after all events had been completed.
By analyzing the data, I clarified the following three points. First, the college students learned about “offstage interests,” implying that they became interested in others’ offstage activities such as regional contribution activities and concerts. The offstage activities are out-of-sight from the onstage activities that they appreciate, or in which they participate. Second, their learning about “offstage interests” involves taking a keen interest in, and empathizing with, others’ offstage activities. Third, fostering learning about “offstage interests” requires two factors: 1) undertaking various roles in the science cafe projects, and 2) creating a framework of activities from scratch. They acquired an interest in others' offstage activities and empathized with others through such projects.
They knotted together various actors such as citizens, administrative staff, cafe staff, and community center staff in the science cafe events. Thus, their activity was a kind of knotworking.
Participant
Hamamatsu Gakuin University
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