A Case Study in University and Community Integration: Science Meets with Children at University

Abstract

This study was undertaken to investigate whether children’s perceptions of science and scientists changed following their participation in the science education program within the scope of “Science Meets with Children at University”- the project which was initiated at Ankara University by Ankara Development Agency, and it was also intended to find out whether the science education program affected children’s future job choices. Within the scope of the project “Science Meets with Children at University”, 6319 children attended half-day education sessions. “Questionnaire of Views on Science and Scientists” was administered to 4688 of the children who volunteered to take part in the study. The results indicated that there were changes in the views of the children following the education program, their views on science and the scientist changed positively after education program 90,4% of children reported they would like to choose a science-related career in the future and 90.1% of them said they would like to attend the education program again.

Keywords

• Science
• Science Education
• University and Society
• Society and Science