ABSTRACT

Non-formal, yet educative, activities such as science festivals can positively influence the public regarding their attitude towards Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) subjects and students’ willingness to pursue STEM-related careers. We evaluate the changes made to adapt the Oxford Brookes Science Bazaar, a science festival that has been delivered face-to-face since 2008, to a virtual format in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The online festival included 28 pre-recorded and 12 live activities of different types (hands-on, demonstration, games, lectures, podcasts, virtual tours). Hands-on activities and virtual tours had the highest number of unique viewers, while lectures and podcasts were the least watched. The videos were watched also after the advertised date of the festival and reached a broader audience than the physical events. The number of participants, the holding time, and the proportion of people who filled the feedback forms, however, were lower in the online than the physical events. STEM organisations should consider hybrid events, with both virtual and in-person contents, to reach a broader audience and to create more inclusive events. We provide recommendations on how to maximise the benefit of virtual formats, including expanding blended virtual activities to reach a wider variety of age groups.

摘要

科学节等非正规但具有教育意义的活动可以对公众对科学、技术、工程和数学 (STEM) 学科的态度以及学生从事 STEM 相关职业的意愿产生积极影响。我们评估了因 COVID-19 大流行而在 2021 年将牛津布鲁克斯科学集市（一个自 2008 年以来面对面举办的科学节）调整为虚拟形式所做的更改。在线音乐节包括 28 项预先录制的活动和 12 项不同类型的现场活动（动手、演示、游戏、讲座、播客、虚拟旅游）。实践活动和虚拟导览的独立观众人数最多，而讲座和播客的观看人数最少。这些视频也在电影节的广告日期之后被观看，并且比实体活动吸引了更广泛的观众。然而，在线活动的参与者人数、持续时间和填写反馈表的人数比例低于实体活动。STEM 组织应考虑采用虚拟和面对面内容的混合活动，以覆盖更广泛的受众并创建更具包容性的活动。我们就如何最大限度地发挥虚拟形式的好处提供建议，包括扩展混合虚拟活动以覆盖更广泛的年龄组。通过虚拟和面对面的内容，接触更广泛的受众并创建更具包容性的活动。我们就如何最大限度地发挥虚拟形式的好处提供建议，包括扩展混合虚拟活动以覆盖更广泛的年龄组。通过虚拟和面对面的内容，接触更广泛的受众并创建更具包容性的活动。我们就如何最大限度地发挥虚拟形式的好处提供建议，包括扩展混合虚拟活动以覆盖更广泛的年龄组。