Our team has designed and conducted different educational activities and
contents to popularize our project and related synthetic biology knowledge.
Offline Education
activity A -
Education Session
Our team went to Foshan Community Service Station - Biguiyuan District and
held a successful education session with a group of young audiences aged 7-12 years old.
1.Reward system
Throughout the event, we designed a reward system for collecting stamps to
motivate the children to participate and keep them focused on our science and activities. The children were
particularly excited about the prospect of earning stamps, and it was heartwarming to see them working hard
to earn as many as possible. The children were eager to show off their collections to each other. This
created a sense of friendly competition among the children, which further motivated them to participate in
our science and activities. Overall, the reward system was a huge success, and we are proud to have been
able to inspire and motivate the children to learn more about science and technology.
Figure 1
2.
Introductory session
To make this science popularization less rigid, we decided to include an
interactive element. We began by asking the children if they had ever experienced a stomach ache before the
official start, and they were all very excited to share their stories. We used this as a segue to introduce
the topic of norovirus, using a video to provide a brief overview of the virus. After the video, we engaged
the children in a discussion, asking them questions about what they had learned and what they could do to
prevent the spread of the virus. To encourage participation, we offered stamps to those who raised their
hands to answer questions, and the competition to earn stamps became quite intense. Overall, this approach
helped to make the science more accessible and engaging for the children, while still conveying important
information about health and disease prevention.
Figure 2
3.
Popularisation of science
After the questions and videos, we used a PowerPoint presentation to
consolidate what the children had learnt in order to ensure that they performed well in the next part of the
competition. There were five sections in the PowerPoint which talked about structure, principles,
prevention, solutions and our plan. However, since the audience was younger and using too much jargon would
be confusing for them, we tried to make the terminology as simple as possible or explain it in order to make
it easier for them to understand. There was a clear focus from the children during the session and although
some of the younger ones were distracted by other things, given the good response to the knowledge
competition afterwards, we think they were listening and memorizing。However, our shortcomings are still
obvious, for example, I often have the problem of mouthing off and speaking too fast during the
popularisation of science, and I don't cope well with the coldness of the audience during the presentation,
but overall it's still OK!
Figure 3&4
4.
Knowledge quiz
The next activity is a knowledge quiz designed to test and reinforce the
knowledge that the children have just learned from the PowerPoint presentation and short videos. We have
created three tiers of points: 100, 200, and 300. Each tier has four questions, making a total of 12
questions. The children are divided into four groups, with each group having the opportunity to answer three
questions. Correct answers will earn the corresponding points, and there will be no deduction for incorrect
answers. This quiz format with rewards aims to increase the children's motivation and make the activity more
enjoyable.
Figure 5
It will also encourage the children to recall the knowledge they have learned
and deepen their understanding through the process.
5.
"Norovirus Kill"
game
Figure 6
We have set up a game called "Norovirus Kill", we have set up a lot of
questions about how to prevent Norovirus infection and how to stop the spread of Norovirus in order to let
the children know more about Norovirus. In the game, children had to answer the questions correctly in order
to succeed. In the course of the game, we realized that many of the children had not fully grasped the
questions. So we checked and remedied the gaps after the game to further strengthen their knowledge about
Norovirus and its prevention.
6.
End of the session
Figure 7
At the end of the activity, children can use the stamps they have earned
through interactive participation, answering questions, playing games, and doing crafts to spin the wheel
for a chance to win prizes. Every four stamps can be exchanged for one spin. The prizes include pencils,
Spider-Man toys, candies, and a grand prize of a hamster plush toy. This spinning wheel approach
greatly enhances the fun of the activity and leaves a lasting impression on the children about today's
event.
Offline Education
activity B -
Prize
C
ompetition
1.
Advertising
To increase foot traffic, posters were created to attract more attention. The
layout of the poster was simple and clear: the rules and the "prize" were displayed directly. After the
prototype was created, we printed over 60 copies and posted them in high school, middle school and every
middle school classroom in high-traffic areas. Of course, due to time constraints, we only had 10 color
posters (typed inside the group's home) and the rest were in black and white (typed at school)
Figure 8
2.
Preparing
We purchased some general prizes for junior high school students (and also
elementary school students): carbonated beverages (Coke + Sprite), konjac coolers, dried fish, and the grand
prizes: snacks of fish skin and 5 models. At the same time, we made two raffle boxes from discarded
cardboard boxes at the school and put small slips of paper in them. We also borrowed a whiteboard for
displaying and decorating the answers.
Figure 9
3.
The Competition
On the day of the actual race, we arrived early to set up at the designated
spot. We didn't anticipate a large crowd, and due to financial reasons, there weren't many prizes. However,
by the time our target demographic got out of school, the crowd was much larger than we expected, and the
high volume of people made it a bit chaotic, but overall it was manageable. The students were very
enthusiastic about answering the questions, and their answers were generally very good, some even coming
just to answer the questions! However, we did find some shortcomings in the event: for example, most of the
crowd was drawn on the susceptibility of the virus and prevention methods. For example, the crowd mostly
drew questions on susceptible groups, prevention methods, transmission routes, and rarely drew questions on
vaccines, and most people were unable to distinguish between norovirus and rotavirus. Therefore, we decided
to focus on these omissions in the next (if organized) event.
In the offline quiz, there were ones who distribute the prizes to the students
who got the right answers. During the activity, they actively helped each other with the students who drew
the prizes and the students who got the right answers while setting up the wheel and make sure
students who answered 3 questions correctly can have chances to spin the wheel and get the prizes. they must
ensure that the activity was positive and fair.
Figure 10
4.
Photography section
Organizing a knowledge quiz contest aimed at promoting awareness about the
Norovirus was a challenging yet fulfilling experience as a photographer. As the event's primary
photographer, I had the responsibility of capturing moments that would showcase the contest's objective and
participants' enthusiasm.
Photography played an essential role in conveying the contest's message and
creating a lasting impression on participants and viewers alike. I took shots of the quiz, participants, and
their submissions, which were used to create promotional materials to spread awareness about the Norovirus.
The contest's success relied on careful planning, execution, and promotion,
which was a collaborative effort by the entire organizing team. We worked tirelessly to ensure that the
event ran smoothly, and participants had a meaningful and engaging experience.
As a photographer, it was heartening to see the contest make a positive impact
by raising awareness about a severe health issue and educating people about preventive measures. It was a
satisfying experience to use photography as a tool for a noble cause and contribute to a larger societal
concern.
Offline Education
activity C -
S
cience
P
opularization
L
ecture
In response to the problems identified in the last Prize Competition event
(e.g. unfamiliarity with the concept of vaccines, knowledge of norovirus, etc.), we organized this
gap-checking seminar to provide more detailed additions to students who participated in the last competition
and to answer their confusions.
Figure 11-14
Our team recognized the importance of providing children with accurate and
age-appropriate information about the Norovirus. Therefore, we worked closely with healthcare professionals
and experts in the field to develop a curriculum that is informative and engaging.
During the workshop, we utilized interactive activities and multimedia
materials, such as videos and illustrations, to help students better comprehend key concepts. We also
facilitated discussions and Q&A sessions to further clarify any confusing or complex points.
Overall, the lecture was a great success, and we were thrilled to see the
children's curiosity and enthusiasm for learning about science and public health. We hope that they will
continue to apply the knowledge and skills they have learned to stay safe and healthy during the pandemic
and beyond.
Online Education
To further expand our influence, we decide to use the power of the internet.
According to our survey, the popular platform used by our target audience are xiaohonngshu, bilibili and
zhihu. Therefore, we had posted several articles about Norovirus and Rotavirus to increase people's
awareness to these two diseases.
Figure 15&16
Also, please find our education slides and promotion poster below!
Figure 17
(Get the attachment by clicking here - attachment 1)
Figure 18&19
(Get the attachment by clicking here - attachment 2)
