Reporter@s de la Ciencia: The Adventure of Knowledge is a project of the Gabinete de Comunicación y Educación of the Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB), which aims to encourage critical thinking and scientific vocation in students of Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO), through a video game based on escape rooms. It has the collaboration of the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology-Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (FECYT).
Reporter@s de la Ciencia aims to educate, raise knowledge and awareness of science among secondary school students. To do so, it uses pedagogical strategies adapted to the profile of this audience (12 to 16 years old) and to their media usage habits, especially digital platforms such as social networks.
Specifically, the project configures and presents students with a gamified experience based on a series of challenges inspired by the universal history of science from a gender perspective. The young people will have to learn and apply the scientific method, adopting the position of a reporter who investigates, documents, contrasts and elaborates information. This participation can take place independently or in a virtual tournament together with other schools in Spain.
The project is committed to the gender perspective in its different actions. In addition, the initiative stands out for its environmental commitment and uses current global challenges, various international anniversaries and celebrations in the field of science, as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a cross-cutting thread.
Santiago Tejedor, director of the Gabinete de Comunicación y Educación, is the leader of this initiative. The FECYT supports and finances this proposal as part of the actions for the promotion of scientific, technological and innovation culture 2020, undertaken by the Ministry of Science and Innovation of the Government of Spain.
Likewise, Reporter@s de la ciencia has the collaboration of Radio Televisión Española (RTVE), in terms of audiovisual content and dissemination. It also has the support of the Master’s in Environmental Communication and the Master’s in Communication and Education, both from the UAB.