Exploring Science where it is made An open air and digital museum in a Brazilian university

Author: Tárcio Minto Fabricio – Center for the Development of Functional Materials (CDMF) / Open Laboratory for Interactivity in S&T Public Communication (LAbI) / São Carlos Federal University (UFSCar), Brazil

Co-authors:

• Adilson Jesus Aparecido de Oliveira – Physics Department / CDMF / LAbI / UFSCar, Brazil
• Mariana Rodrigues Pezzo – Open Laboratory for Interactivity in S&T Public Communication (LAbI) / Sà£o Carlos Federal University, Brazil

The open air and concomitantly digital museum “Caminhos do Conhecimento” (Knowledge Paths), created by the Open Laboratory for Interactivity for Science and Technology (S&T) Public Communication at the Federal University of São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil (LAbI – UFSCar), offers different possibilities of mediation in the dialogue between scientific knowledge and diverse audiences, other than those already consolidated in traditional museums and science centers. The conception of the project is anchored in the theoretical frameworks of Educating Cities and science education with STS (Science-Technology-Society) approach.

The project proposes itineraries on science to be followed on the University Campus. These itineraries are indicated by the project signposts that, besides presenting texts by famous scientists and other intellectuals, contain QR codes that allow access to video content and exclusive texts related to the scientific areas of the places where they are. Such itineraries can also be accessed on the web at www.caminhos.ufscar.br. In addition, the project will offer guided tours, in which participants will be able to visit the University’s laboratories, getting to know, together with where and how science is produced, who produces it.

The museum has two itineraries already operating. The first one, named “Epistemological Trail”, goes through 17 signposts narrating the history of the knowledge areas present at the University. The other, the “Light Trail”, goes through 6 signposts, presenting information about the nature of light aimed at children. Since its implementation, in 2015, the project has registered 2,790 spontaneous accesses through QR codes, with the largest number of accesses registered in 2019, what may be associated with increasing popularization of mobile internet access and, also, familiarity with the use of QR codes.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Visual presentation
Theme: Technology