Inspired by the nobel laureates: A typical event-based inspirational motivation in science education

Abstract

© 2015 American Scientific Publishers. Science and technology development is one of the key factors that play important roles in today’s dynamic world, it leads into new findings, innovation, and experimental advantages for benefit of mankind. Producing and developing human resource in science sector is needed to be predominantly concerned especially in developing countries by providing an effective science education and experiences both for young generations and experienced scientists. The transformative learning and effective motivation in science education to inspire a young scientist is always important for not only in formal teaching and learning inside classroom but also supporting activities in various forms is typically accepted, such as visual study, field study, student and scientist forum, research attachment study and etc. This article shows a typical event-based inspirational motivation in science education as additional activities outside classroom, to encourage the activity-based science communication. We utilized great images of Noble Prize laureates and their excellent performances in science researches especially using the inspirational stories and insights of these world’s scientists, to motivate young students and scientists for their further self-directed learning in science. The two key science events of motivating activities were performed, consisted of (A) a set of lunch talk with close-interview and small group discussion plus Nobel Laureate lecture that was organized in 2012; and (B) a set of exhibition-based science communication and Nobel Laureate lecture that was organized in 2014. Participants of the two events were young lecturers and researchers, secondary science school students, university students, general public and media personnel. Post-test evaluating questionnaires were performed to measure ranks of inspirational motivation among the participants upon their participating period. A final satisfaction evaluation of these two sets of the events in 2012 and 2014 revealed that the percentages of participant who gave significant satisfaction scores were mostly in good (score 4) and excellent (score 5) levels of satisfaction. The average score of three evaluated key areas was determined. The mean score of satisfaction that was evaluated for disseminated information among public were 4.30 and 4.11 for events on 2012 and 2014, respectively. The mean scores of the overall satisfaction on motivation and inspiration were 4.27 (year 2012) and 4.45 (year 2014). In addition, two activity-based science communications as lunch talk (set A) or exhibition (set B) were compared. It was found that the activities could encourage the enthusiastic participation with mean scores at 4.42 and 4.45 of years 2012 and 2014, respectively. Hence, it was demonstrated that these typical event-based motivational activities could be able to primarily fulfill and inspire young students and scientists for their further self-directed science motivation study as well as able to build up a typical event-based science communication atmosphere among the public with international environment.