Open Practical Laboratories in the Neurosciences: An outreach program for neuroscience communication in middle schools

Abstract

The Open Practical Laboratory in the Neurosciences is an intervention that seeks to improve the knowledge of the neurosciences by elementary school students and to promote better attitudes in relation to neuroscience, science in general, and scientists. It consists in practical and demonstration activitities on the theme of the neurosciences. This intervention strategy was applied in four public schools in a municipality in Southeastern Pará, Brazil characterized by low performance in educational reviews in Brazil. The intervention improved students’ knowledge about the neurosciences, and promoted better attitudes in relation to science and scientists, in comparison to students which did not go through the intervention. Results suggest that scientific outreach strategies can produce results beyond immediate increases in knowledge, promoting better attitudes in relation to science.

Flexible, short‐duration outreach sessions in the human anatomy laboratory provide authentic, humanistic experiences

“…Previous authors have shown that outreach sessions enhance learning and inspire students to consider careers in science (Miranda Feitosa et al, 2021), health and medicine (Hubbard et al, 2005;Zhang et al, 2016) or in higher education more broadly (Saravanapandian et al, 2019). Successful models include half-day, hands-on, organbased exercises (Clarke et al, 2019) or "Mini Med School" programs (Henderson et al, 2015); "Shadow a Scientist" programs in which students are paired with a scientist mentor for a laboratory visit (Clark et al, 2016); and "Grow up, grow out" programs that return to common themes as students age and develop to increase the complexity of lessons ("grow up") and the interdisciplinary aspect of lessons as well ("grow out") (Deal et al, 2014).…”