Alom Shaha on science communication

[Daughter of Darwin]

Great article on the main page. I was interested to see that the author thought that people who make science 'fun' for kids are not as useful to society as people whose job it is to promote 'serious' science/policy etc. I would have thought that it's a losing battle explaining serious science to people who were brought up not to know or care about it, and the 'Dr Bunheads' of this world are playing a long game, trying to charm kids into studying science so that the next generation is more primed to receive more serious science messages. So beyond the 'Alka-Seltzer Rockets', it's a bit more valuable and important than the author has implied, perhaps?

[Dbl Helicks]

I think you need a mix, the daft and the dead serious. But a lot of the battle would be won, IMHO, if we just had better science education in schools. It's a captive audience, unlike museums and festivals which you can't force people to attend.

[Aben8]

That doesn't matter.
What really matters is this video: [link deleted by mod]/ (may require codec download)

[tideliar]

This was too funny to delete...sorry...

[Dbl Helicks]

Yes, we must laud this person for his graceful, erudite segues and sequitors.

[The Prof]

I liked Shaha's new piece about web films (featured on the main page now). Did anyone else check out his two films on Labreporter? Very good - especially the African one.

[Dr Mike]

Yah, they're good, aren't they? I particularly like the short length. It's hard on the web to enjoy anything more than 5 minutes.

You know what might be good - online Protocols videos. People demonstrating lab techniques! I reckon that newbies would really appreciate something like that - and then the postdocs could be left in peace!

[hedge]

I like it, Mike...anything for the quiet life!!

[The Prof]

Surely one of the joys of postdoctoral existence is indoctrinating the Youth into the secrets of the craft? I'm not actually being sarcastic - I still like doing a bit of this myself. There's a tremendous feel-good factor for me...

[Mad Dan Eccles]

Surely one of the joys of postdoctoral existence is indoctrinating the Youth into the secrets of the craft? I'm not actually being sarcastic - I still like doing a bit of this myself. There's a tremendous feel-good factor for me...

I have a feeling I would have enjoyed working for you.

[Editor]

I certainly get a buzz out of teaching. Maybe some PIs go off it because they are just too stressed out by all the other obligations - anything can become a chore if there isn't enough time to do it.

[Beatrice]

Agreed. I am having this problem that I am trying to squeeze so many activities into each day, not just lab work but hobbies etc., that I never feel I'm doing anything properly - and worse, when I force myself to take down time (e.g. Saturday) I spend the whole day feeling vaguely anxious and guilty.

[Wondergrad]

I think if Alom Shaha really wants to be a hit with younger people, 5 minute clips are too long. I reckon 2-3 minutes, the average Mtv length, is just about enough.

[amy c.]

I think if Alom Shaha really wants to be a hit with younger people, 5 minute clips are too long. I reckon 2-3 minutes, the average Mtv length, is just about enough.

I dunno. I think it depends on which kids you're trying to reach & what you're trying to communicate, and I imagine this is a problem in general with conceiving science ed for kids. My 3-year-old is capable of sitting zombielike in front of a movie for 1.5 hours, and she'll follow argument & instruction through 45 minutes of educational kid video, if the narrator's friendly.

It's easy, too, to underestimate what the kids will pay attention to. Last summer I wrote a short piece on Shostakovich's 5th symphony for some remedial 9th-grade classes, for a unit questioning how important freedom of expression is to self-knowledge. I thought, well, this is culturally imperialist, and what do they care about a Russian guy with round glasses from a hundred years ago, but I don't care; I'll write about him & the music anyway because String Quartet No. 8 scares the hell out of me and I'm a Cold War antique. Which is not a great attitude businesswise, but as it turned out it was a hit; it seems the kids paid attention and got it.

[hedge]

Point taken. But I think there's a fundamental difference between a TV/video and the internet (despite the obvious physical similarities). I'm parked happily in front of a DVD film for 2.5 hours, but care barely suffer through 5 minutes of whatever hot youtube clip is being touted. Is it the knowledge of the infinite number of pages just a click away that makes my patience so short for the latter situation? Is it the uncomfortable seating arrangement?