Building on scientific literacy in evolution towards scientifically responsible Europeans
EuroScitizen is a network of researchers that aims at identifying the strategies which will increase the level of scientific literacy in Europe using evolution as a model.
Project Information
Funded by: COST action for the international cooperation of researchers, scientists, and other stakeholders
Трајање пројекта: 09/2018 – 03/2023
Website: http://www.euroscitizen.eu/
Contact: dr Tanja Adnađević – tadnadjevic@cpn.rs
Members of the network
Members of the network are scientific research organisations, universities, science centers, education researchers, educators and science communicators, museum professionals and the media. The Center for the Promotion of Science is one of the research groups.
Action coordinator: dr Tania Jenkins, Swiss Academy of Natural Sciences
Project Description
EuroScitizen is an action initiated with the aim to develop and promote scientific literacy in the transdisciplinary area of evolutionary biology within Europe. The general problem of the level of scientific literacy is especially apparent in recent years. The lack of willingness on the one part of the public to critically discern the valid, scientifically founded and useful information in the plenitude of information offered, is to a great extent a consequence of the unfamiliarity with the scientific mechanisms and of the lack of understanding the ways in which the research results are being used to solve social problems.
The action assumes having different groups – evolutionary biology researchers, museum and scientific center experts, science educators and communicators, and others – involve and engage in a harmonious effort. The intention is to offer a model to encourage scientific literacy and mediation in the area of evolutionary biology, which would be applicable in other scientific areas, as well, through a joint research and educational and communicative experience, as well as through the available potential of different actors.
The Role of CPN
The CPN will be focused on informal education, that is on learning about the evolution in an informal context. The activities will be directed at:
- identification of existing events and actions in the area of popularisation of science that are related to the evolution, and data gathering about their impact on the public;
- summing up of the thus far experiences and offering guidance and recommendations for the future exhibitions and other program activities, as well as their evaluation;
- encouraging the relatedness with the formal education to reach a greater acceptance of the evolution and an increase of the general scientific literacy in Europe.
The CPN team will also promote an efficient interaction between the scientific and the scientific and educational communities, and the public.