Neuroexplica: construção, validação e aplicação de um podcast de divulgação científica de neurociência

Abstract

With the advancement of Digital Information and Communication Technologies (DICTs), new strategies for teaching and scientific dissemination emerge, such as podcasts, a practical and easily applicable tool. The term podcast originated from the Apple iPod and broadcasting, referring to radio broadcasting, with podcasts being published as digital files via the internet. In this regard, neuroscience dissemination has gained prominence in the media through the use of streaming platforms that offer a variety of podcasts. The present study aims to promote scientific dissemination using DICTs through the creation, validation, and application of a neuroscience podcast for high school students. The first stage of the research consisted of validating the content and appearance of the podcast, with 22 validation specialists selected. The Item-level Content Validity Index (I-CVI) and the Scale-level Content Validity Index (S-CVI/AVE) were used. Items with I-CVI ≥ 0.80 and S-CVI ≥ 0.90 were considered approved. Five episodes of neuroscientific dissemination, titled the “Neuroexplica” podcast, were produced. The episodes were related to the themes: 1) Sleep; 2) Circadian rhythm; 3) Memory and learning; 4) Addictions and procrastination; and 5) Physical exercise, learning, and mental health. The second stage of the research involved the application of “Neuroexplica” in three public high schools, initially totaling 71 students. The content validation of the episodes showed I-CVI scores ≥ 0.80 for most items, except for the item related to soundtracks 4.5 (0.54 to 0.72), while the overall S-CVI/AVE was 0.93 to 0.94, with adjustments suggested by the specialists. For content validation, all episodes obtained I-CVI and S-CVI/AVE of 1.00, indicating ideal agreement. Initially, 91.74% responded to at least one of the five forms related to the validated episodes. It was observed that over the course of the episode questionnaires, there was a reduction in the number of respondents. The overall performance of the students was evaluated by the percentage of correct answers in the questionnaires, with a median of 60% [Interquartile Range = 28%], a value significantly higher than the reference point of 50% (95% Confidence Interval: 8.0 to 20.0, P < 0.001, point-biserial correlation: 0.51 [95% CI: 0.27 to 0.69], large effect). There was no significant difference between boys and girls (Mann-Whitney U = 407.5, P = 0.616). The Adolfo Ferreira de Sousa school achieved the highest overall performance among the institutions, 80% [IQR: 22%], with post hoc analysis between Adolfo Ferreira x Brunilo Jacó (Pbonf = 0.008) and Adolfo Ferreira x Saraiva Leão (P < 0.001). Furthermore, post hoc analysis revealed significantly higher performance of the Adolfo Ferreira School compared to the Saraiva Leão school in episode 1 (sleep) (Pbonf = 0.009) and episode 3 (memory and learning) (Pbonf = 0.031). The technical course in Nursing obtained a higher performance of 80% [IQR: 13%] compared to students without a technical course (Pbonf = 0.002). Regarding student performance per episode, episodes 1 (sleep) and 4 (addictions and procrastination) showed significant differences compared to episode 2 (chronotypes) (P < 0.001) and (Pbonf = 0.015), respectively. The students' perception was predominantly positive, with 81.81% agreeing that the podcast contributed to neuroscience learning and 77.27% considering it useful for scientific dissemination. However, 36.36% partially agreed on the comprehension of the subject, a value close to those who fully agreed (59.09%). Thus, the results showed that the validated podcast presented a higher content score compared to its appearance, requiring adjustments, especially in the sound design. Although the scores exceeded the reference point (50%), the median performance (60%) still indicates a sufficient level of knowledge. Variations in performance were observed between schools with or without courses, with emphasis on the vocational school Adolfo Ferreira and the technical course in Nursing. Furthermore, the students' perception seems to demonstrate the effectiveness of the “Neuroexplica” dissemination, even with limitations due to the complexity of neuroscience topics. Therefore, additional research should be conducted considering the limitations of this study, allowing valuable contributions to neuroscientific dissemination.