What’s our target group and why did we choose them?

Despite the growing prevalence of Mandarin usage in China, there remains a significant portion of the population, comprising nearly 20%, who do not use Mandarin. The majority of these non-Mandarin speakers are elderly individuals and those residing in remote areas.

Insightful conversation to understand the need and value.

In order to gain a deeper understanding of the needs and value of our target group, we went to one of the regions where dialects are widely used, Fujian, to communicate with the locals. We went visiting a local park where people were conversing in Minnanyu (a local dialect).

In the end, we conducted interviews with dozens of citizens.

Feedback received:

1.Many elderly do not speak Mandarin because they were taught in dialect during their school years and did not receive formal education in Mandarin. As they age, their learning abilities decline, and most of them are unwilling to start learning Mandarin from scratch.

2.Even those who can speak Mandarin use the dialect in their daily conversations, especially when communicating with their elders or younger generations.

3. Dialects have strong regional characteristics, and even within the same city, there may be slight differences in word usage, but mutual understanding is still possible.

4. Dialects serve as a concentrated reflection of local culture, and while many young individuals can comprehend dialects, they may not be proficient in speaking them. Numerous citizens express the desire to pass down dialects to future generations.

(Before the interview, we have explained our purpose and obtained their consent for their consent for recording and filming.)

Solution incorporation

Based on the literature survey and field interviews, we have decided to create an educational video on synthetic biology that can switch between various dialects. Besides, we also made a version for sign language for the hearing impaired.

To conclude, this video holds significance, inclusivity, and diversity.

Significance: 20% of the population still cannot use Mandarin, and we aim to make science accessible to them.

Inclusivity: Dialects are closer to people's daily lives, and our video allows viewers to connect with scientific knowledge on a personal level. Additionally, to better serve the hearing impaired , we have included a sign language version for added accessibility.

Diversity: Due to the regional nature of dialects, we have invited residents from various regions across the country (n in total) to provide voice-overs for our video.

HERE'S VIDEO

You can also watch our educational videos on the Bilibili platform.Search "BNU-China" on bilibili platform.

Click to see Dielect Version: