Abstract:

MUDIC-BS-CV is the Jesús Carnicer Didactic and Interactive Science Museum (MUDIC) of Vega Baja del Segura of the Valencian Community (VBS-CV) in Spain. MUDIC Jesús Carnicer VBS-CV offers scientific workshops and different modules, that is, interactive activities that help high school and bachelor students to understand scientific concepts. This museum is established as a foundation whose patrons are the Orihuela City Council, the Miguel Hernández University (UMH) and the Hypatia Science Teachers Association of Alexandria. It is located at “Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH)”, where different degrees related to Agro Food Science and Technology is offered and several European, National and Local Projects are carried out. On the other hand, Food Quality and Safety Research Group (CSA) from CIAGRO-UMH participates in ThinkInAzul Marine Science programme which brings together several autonomous communities, including Valencian Community, with the commitment to integrate and strengthen marine research and to promote a network of centres of excellence to cooperatively address challenges in marine research, aquaculture, and blue economy initiatives. Therefore, CSA created a permanent STEAM workshop at MUDIC-VBS-CV to introduce the basic concepts of the marine world and food production. The aim of this paper was showing the specific activities carried out related to ThinkInAzul project at MUDIC-VBS-CV. The project combined knowledge from marine biology, food quality, geography, biology, mathematics, and language.

The activity which takes 50 minutes was organized in 4 blocks of activities:
i) what aquaculture is and where are located using “Acuivisor app” by Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food,
ii) what fishes are farmed using worksheets developed by CSA group;
iii) what their production cycle is like and the relationship with feed (eminently practical activity),
iv) how to differentiate the type of production and species through labelling (this activity will be carried out using food industry terminology to ensure food traceability), and,
iv) what kind of condiments could be used for cooking fish products through sensory analysis.

Consequently, the students developed a service-learning activity which can have a positive impact on the personal, social, cognitive, and academic development of adolescents. One of the most important contributions of this paper is to provide public material (worksheets, tools) for future workshops.

Keywords:

Food Technology, Marine Science, Education.