Communicating Knowledge of Plant Genetic Resources
- A study of demonstration-projects in the Danish Rural Development Programme
PhD-defense by Louise Windfeldt
The Department of Science Education announces the public defense of the PhD-dissertation "Communicating Knowledge of Plant Genetic Resources" by Louise Windfeldt.
The defense takes place in the Auditorium of Geological Museum (access through main entrance, go to first floor).
The defense is followed by a reception hosted by Department of Science Education. The reception takes place at the old Observatory, Øster Voldgade 3 (in the Botanical Garden).
Please contact secretary Christina Larsen if you have any questions regarding the defense.
Supervisors
Associate Professor Marianne Achiam and Associate Professor Lene Møller Madsen.
Assessment committee
Associate Professor Jan Alexis Nielsen , DSE
Associate Professor Martha Marandino, School of Education, University of São Paulo
Associate Professor Ola Tveitereid Westengen, Department of International Environmental and Development Studies, Norwegian University of Life Sciences
Abstract
This thesis analyses how knowledge of plant genetic resources was communicated to the public through demonstration-projects in a governmental grant-scheme, which was part of the EU Rural Development Programme 2007 to 2013. The grant-receivers were museums and other Informal Learning Environments. Three studies were made using frameworks from educational research, communication theory, and network theory: At first an analysis of the conditions influencing the formulation of the grant-scheme was made, secondly a study of the grant-receivers’ communication was conducted, and finally the cooperation between the grant-receivers was analysed. It was found that the potential to disseminate knowledge of plant genetic resources to the public through the grant-scheme was high but limited in scope due to the conditions that made it. With these limits the grant-receivers were successful communicators, and their diversity as well as cooperation between them were found to enhance the potential of learning and learners.
Recommendations are given to the work with plant genetic resources: It is important that international strategies and an overall national programme govern the conservation, growing and development of plant genetic resources. Informal Learning Environments can be successful communicators, and collaboration may increase efficiency, lower costs, and may also help building up stable, long-term relations and trust between stakeholders and the State.