科普啟蒙在路上

文/郝景芳

看到《外國專家講科普》這本書的出版，我感到非常高興。從國內教育大環境看，資源分布不均衡的情況是客觀存在的。隨著城鎮化的推進，各類優質教育資源越來越向城市集中，城市中的家庭有著豐富的素養啟蒙活動，有更多的機會接觸專家學者及外國人。但對于偏遠鄉村地區的孩子來說，不僅缺少拓展視野的場景，連基本的科學課、藝術課，甚至英語課都難以保證。在我們童行學院發起的支教活動中，我們的支教老師在一些地區的學校需要承擔全校6個年級的科學、藝術、英語課。這里的孩子們對好教師和優質資源的渴望更為真摯和迫切。

I am incredibly pleased to see the publication of

Science Classes from Foreign Experts

. The advancement of urbanization has caused quality educational resources to become more and more concentrated in cities. City residents have far greater choices in basic education activities and better access to experts, academics, and foreigners. Children in remote rural areas not only lack opportunities to expand their horizons, but some also do not even have basic science, art, or even English classes. During our Tongxing School Voluntary Education Support Project, some teachers have had to teach science, art, and English to students in every elementary grade. These students need better teachers and quality resources more than anyone else.

當我了解到，科技部國外人才研究中心與VIPKID共同打造了外國專家科普公益課堂項目，通過3年時間，邀請一流的外國專家到偏遠鄉村學校、城市務工人員子女學校開展科普講座，內心由衷感到敬佩。

I genuinely respect and admire the effort of the Foreign Talent Research Center of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China and VIPKID. These two groups have teamed up to launch the Foreign Expert Public Science Classes Project, a program lasting three years to recruit overseas experts to rural schools and the schools of migrant workers’ children.

接近知識源頭的信息是最寶貴的。這些外國專家在中國工作多年，多位都曾獲得過中國政府友誼獎，他們是對中國有著深厚情感的前沿科學家。他們在不同領域從事研究工作，從相對論、黑洞、納米技術，到食品工程、化學工程、建筑工程，再到影像技術、跨文化研究，由他們來講述科普，親身向處于學業啟蒙階段的鄉村孩子解讀科學知識，更顯得真實和珍貴。外國專家們行走在大別山區、秦嶺山區、井岡山區，走進鄉村里的課堂，這些在路上的過程本身就是播種科學的故事。

The closer the information is to the source, the more valuable it is. Most overseas experts have been working in China for many years, and many received the Chinese Government Friendship Award. They are some of the most outstanding scientists and have a deep affection for China. They work in fields as diverse as the theory of relativity, black holes, nanotechnology, food engineering, chemical engineering, construction engineering, imaging technology, and crosscultural research. It was instrumental and valuable to have them talk and explain science to young children from rural areas. These experts went to the Dabie Mountains, Qinling Mountains, Jinggang Mountains and to enter classrooms in these rural areas, planting the seeds of science.

無論何時，教育一直是鄉村孩子改變命運的最好途徑。對多數鄉村孩子來說，這是他們第一次見到外國人，第一次見到科學家。用一位外國專家的話來說，鼓勵這些孩子們保持好奇、追求學業，只需要一個引子。科普公益課堂上的親密交流和接觸，毫無疑問正在發揮著這樣的價值。

Education has always been and will continue to be the best avenue for children from rural areas to change their fortunes. For most children involved in the program, it is their first encounter with a foreigner and a scientist. In the words of one overseas expert, All it takes to encourage these children to stay curious and pursue education is a simple introduction.

資源和常識的匱乏使得貧困在代際傳遞。為鄉村地區的孩子們提供良好的教育資源，拓展他們未來的發展方向，我認為這是每一家意愿向上、向善的機構和企業應該具有的擔當。讓人敬佩的是，外國專家科普課堂不僅走進鄉村，還將過程中的每個珍貴時刻都保留下來，通過技術的剪輯處理，作為公益課程資源提供給更多有需要的地區。現在，課堂又以出版物的形式展現在大家面前，未來也會捐贈到更多的鄉村學校。

Undoubtedly, the interaction and contact with these experts provide this critical introduction. A lack of resources and general knowledge allows poverty to pass from generation to generation. I believe it is the responsibility of every organization and company seeking goodwill to find ways to provide children in rural areas with better educational resources and more opportunities to build a better future. The Foreign Expert Public Science Classes Project was particularly admirable because while bringing science into rural classrooms, each class was recorded, edited, and made available as an open resource. These classes have now become something everyone can enjoy.

可以說科技向善，就體現在這里吧。

希望這本書不僅能幫助到更多的鄉村學校，也能讓更多家庭和孩子打開視野，看到更大的世界！（本文為《外國專家講科普》后記，本文作者為第74屆雨果獎獲得者、童行學院創始人）

Furthermore, The Foreign Expert Public Science Classes Project will donate numerous books to many schools in rural areas. This project was a case point of “science and technology for a good cause”. I sincerely hope that this book will help rural schools and open doors to the wider world for many families and children! (

the author is 74th Hugo Award Winner and Founder of Tongxing School

)