The Oman Science Festival (OSF) at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre is a testament to the importance of science and instilling a scientific temperament among the youth today.
While curiosity and the ability to be open to new ideas is always necessary for a productive society, it has never been as important as it is today.
Society is now at the brim of technological advances which are exciting, but are also challenging our world. Environmental concerns, together with the seemingly endless possibilities of Artificial Intelligence, are posing new questions to us every day.
On the one hand, the world is opening up with endless possibilities in robotics, driverless technology, augmented reality and workplace automation. All of this has implications for the way we work, and whether we work at all in the traditional occupations which still exist.
On the other hand, these technologies come with a whole set of challenges: the ever-present fear of unemployment, finding oneself at the rear of the technological race and trying to play catch up, and other important concerns which are ethical and security-related.
But staying away from these debates or not confronting these issues is counterproductive.
As is often said, change is the only constant. Equipping the young with a scientific temperament will go a long way in ensuring that our society is in good hands for the future.
Studies worldwide have shown that students are keen to explore new opportunities in science and technology when they can see the direct effect it is having on their own communities. Examples include creating a model for flash flooding prevention, using mobile technology to access a nearby market to sell vegetables or actively engaging in conservation in school.
Engaging young learners in science is not only beneficial to society, but it also makes education more meaningful. Inviting nutritionists to a class to speak about food choices, having an in-class astronomy session or a first-aid class with a demonstration using students are all strategies which can be easily adopted for short bursts in a classroom.
As we all know, students learn better by doing. Short classroom experiments involving everyday objects to understand principles of physics or chemistry will go a long way in creating sustained interest in children. This will help them with opportunities to create, share and collaborate on simple projects which use technology and are directly linked to their community.
Today, students can easily create real-world models of a sustainable city, whether in a diagram on paper or using 3-D technology to which they could be introduced. They could also work together on creating websites on areas which would be of interest to their community – including some on responsible consumption and careful use of natural resources.
A scientific spirit is built on a combination of curiosity, skepticism and openness. It is never too early to introduce science and technology to youngsters as it is an integral part of our lives today. In fact, not doing so would be a disservice to them as they are then not equipped to deal with the challenges facing them in their future.
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