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March 31, 2008

Zoo fun brings children to science

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[Transcript]

American children are falling behind their international peers in the sciences, and a group of Georgia State University faculty and students have a simple solution to the problem: Make science more fun.

The key event in that effort is the sixth annual Brain Expo, held at Zoo Atlanta on April 4 and 5. The expo offers more than 40 booths that are both educational and entertaining, giving hundreds of children a year the chance to do hands-on science activities, as well as get an up-close look at Zoo Atlanta’s animals. Georgia State faculty and students staff the event, which is sponsored by the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, a research consortium affiliated with Georgia State University. Kyle Frantz, an assistant professor of biology at Georgia State, said scientists need to work hard to engage youths in science.

FRANTZ: “Science literacy is a challenge nationwide, and our scores compared with scores of other countries is declining.” (length 0:10)

The most recent Program for International Student Assessment indicated that U.S. students rank 16th in science knowledge among their peers in 30 developed countries. For Laila Majidi, a junior in biology at Georgia State, volunteering at the Brain Expo allows her to encourage younger students that they can follow in her footsteps and succeed in science.

MAJIDI: “Kyle did the research, and the surveys say most kids think when they get older they can't make a C or better in college science. And so we're trying to get them more excited about it at a younger age, so when they get older and they get to college they feel like they can do it.” (length 0:15)

The expo – which is open to select middle school students on Friday and is open to the public on Saturday – features exhibits like Sparky, a massive replica of a neuron, and a booth showing the neurological effects of competing in the Tour de France. Attendants participate in hands-on activities and earn stickers, which they can exchange for prizes such as model brains and books on neuroscience.

Frantz and colleagues partner with seventh grade students at Renfroe Middle School to learn which exhibits the students like best. Frantz said they’re also researching which study lessons given in the weeks before the expo encourages the most participation in events at the zoo.

FRANTZ: “And we found that in some cases, the teaching of the brain before they come to the expo enhances the change in attitude and the content knowledge that the students are taking away from the day at the expo. This kind of study has fairly broad applications to maximizing the impact of school field trips to other kinds of informal education venues, like other zoos, the aquarium, the botanical garden, other places where teachers want to take their students to get them out of the classroom and expose them to more real-world science and engineering and math applications. If we can learn how to maximize those experiences, it's better for the teachers, it's better for the school system, it's better for the students, it's better for the parents. It's better for everyone involved.” (length 0:49)

One of the challenges in the endeavor is balancing fun and learning. The most popular booth at the expo in recent years has been one where participants put on goggles that simulate drunkenness and try to shoot a basketball into a goal. Chisom Ezeoke, a biology master’s student, said he’s tinkering with the booth this year.

EZEOKE: “They just like to play and think it's cool to be visually distorted. So Kyle thinks we should take it in a new direction.” (length 0:10)

While encouraging youths to take interest in science is the primary goal of the Brain Expo, another important result gleaned from Frantz’s research is that the event also is important for the participating scientists. Her studies have shown that faculty volunteers come away from the expo more connected to the public and energized in their studies.

FRANTZ: “One of the things for the expo we tend to take for granted is it's a whole lot of fun. So that's really the draw to bring volunteers in and to recruit partner schools. Coming to the zoo, seeing the animals and learning neuroscience, brain and behavior lessons at the same time? It's a blast. We all have a lot of fun with it.” (length 0:21)

For Georgia State University Radioline, I’m Van Jensen.