I
got to meet several of the staff members at the Paleontological Research
Institution (PRI), which has two educational venues, the Museum of the Earth
and the Cayuga Nature Center (CNC). I discussed opportunities, plans, and ideas
for education outreach about The Syracuse University Lava Project with Dr. Rob
Ross, who is a
paleontologist and the Associate Director for Outreach (education and
exhibits). I helped out with a
few events that included nature hikes for children mostly aged 4-12 (and their
parents) at the CNC, guest lecture presentations at the Museum, and I attended
a meeting that focused on communicating scientific information to the public, specifically
on climate change. For extra credit, I attended an academic lecture by Dr.
Scott Sampson. “Dr. Scott” as the children call him, is the host of a science-educational
PBS program called “Dino Train”. I wish I knew his source on this, but during
the lecture, he gave a horrifying statistic. He said that “the average American
child spends 4-7 minutes outside and about 7 hours in front of a screen.” The
screen meaning a phone, iPad, computer, television, etc. This was staggering to
me! A big proponent of his show is to get kids outdoors and exploring nature.
At the end of each show, he basically tells the kids to turn off the TV and go outside.
During this internship, a new goal I have made for myself is to genuinely
inspire students to go outside on their own and make their own discoveries in
the natural world around them.
Brett, this internship sounds awesome! That statistic is really scary. I grew up in a place where my parents always told my brother and I to go outside and play (I think the statistic was reversed for us), but even now I find myself on Netflix instead of going outside, and I'm sure there's even more temptation for children now. Thanks for bringing that up, I think I can encourage some outside discoveries in the guides I'm making. Happy interning!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Yeah it made me really depressed thinking about how different the world is today for children. The way he delivered that statistic was profound too. He first had us close our eyes and picture the sights and smells and feelings of a place that "played a major role in our childhood and inspired us to study what we do." Then we all opened our eyes and he said, "Alright, now raise your hand if that place was anywhere outdoors." Unanimously the entire room had their hand up. Then he delivered the news that these days children only spend 4-7 minutes outside! Let alone at that special place! (Mine was the beach of course.) Can you imagine? Man I really wish I knew who studied that and how they got that number because it almost seems physically impossible!
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