The museum activity is more and more often aimed at integration with local communities, organization of scientific debates and intercultural dialogue, expansion of social network and framework for communication and mediation of scientific issues. Museums generate learning potential and create a social culture. The aim of the research was to diagnose the viability of natural history museums as the spaces of open training and increasing social participation in education for balanced development. Furthermore, it examined the possibility to create a strong interaction between schools at all levels and institutions of informal education, exchange of experience in the field of educational projects and the development of cooperation principles to strengthen the university-school-natural history museum relations. In the research conducted in the years 2016-2017 participated 110 students of teaching specialization in various fields of studies. The results of the research are connected with students’ attitudes towards new role of museums as institutions popularizing knowledge and sharing knowledge. The outcomes enable the diagnosis in terms of preparing young people to pursue participatory activities for the local community and may be the starting point for the development of proposals of educational solutions increasing students’ awareness in the field of natural history museums’ educational potential. Keywords: knowledge-based society, natural history museum, science education.
Ecological awareness involves natural knowledge, subjective perceptions, emotional commitment, and personal activity. It is shaped in a complex process under the influence of generally accepted social norms, information from mass media, formal and informal education. Increasingly young people are using new, new media to raise awareness. Research is concerned at the use of mobile applications in natural sciences on the example of air pollution. The aim of the research was to test the effectiveness and attractiveness of mobile applications devoted to the problem of air pollution among youth. Research has conducted focus interviews with middle school students on the use of applications in natural science lessons, and analyzed mobile applications and websites on air pollution. Keywords: environmental awareness, high school students, mobile applications, new media.
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