The science journey that began in village schools in Ağrı under the coordination of Üsküdar University’s Science Communication Office achieved great success at the 11th TRT Future Communicators Competition.
The digital content platform “A Child Asked” (Bir Çocuk Sordu), which connects children’s questions with the language of science, was awarded second place in the Digital Content Management category.
The journey of curiosity that began in village schools in Ağrı came to life under the coordination of Üsküdar University’s Science Communication Office through the “A Child Asked” platform. The project, carried out by Advertising Department students Bahar Mutaf, Melda Zeynep Sarı, and Taha Demirci under the supervision of Asst. Prof. Nihal Toros and Asst. Prof. Burak Çeber, gave voice to children’s curiosity through the language of science and received an award at the 11th TRT Future Communicators Competition.
“A Child Asked,” which aims to make scientific knowledge accessible to children and to many segments of society, stands out as Üsküdar University’s first digital content platform launched under the coordination of the Science Communication Office.
It all started with the question “What are you most curious about?”
The platform serves as a social responsibility project that brings together the questions of children and young people with the world of science. It focuses particularly on the journeys of curiosity that begin with the question “What are you most curious about?” among children studying in village schools. The second-place award received by the platform in the Digital Content Management category of TRT’s nationally held 11th Future Communicators Competition highlights the project’s success in digital content production.
The project was carried out by Advertising Department students Bahar Mutaf, Melda Zeynep Sarı, and Taha Demirci, under the supervision of Asst. Prof. Nihal Toros and Asst. Prof. Burak Çeber, who is also the Assistant Coordinator of Science Communication.
“We became the children’s voice”
Sharing her thoughts about the project, Asst. Prof. Nihal Toros said, “I often ask myself why this project is so important, and every time I arrive at the same answer: because they are children. Instead of remaining silent in the face of the inequalities children experience, we launched this project to be their voice. Thirty children from small villages where some dreaming of becoming pilots and flying, others of becoming doctors and saving lives, and each inspired us. They asked, and we answered. Every time they smiled, we felt an immense sense of gratitude.”
Every question is the first step toward learning
Asst. Prof. Burak Çeber added, “In today’s world of education, it is as important to value children’s questions as it is to give them answers, because every question marks the first step in learning. This project was designed to amplify children’s voices, multiply their curiosity through design, and inspire other children.”
Wheels of Knowledge sparked the sense of discovery
Within this project, which emphasizes the importance of valuing children’s curiosity, 30 students from three different village schools in Ağrı expressed their interests through questions covering a wide range of topics from the seas to the universe, and from animals to forests.
These questions were transformed on the platform into original and interactive designs through “Wheels of Knowledge,” interactive tools created for each category. The project team emphasized that these wheels not only convey information but also awaken a sense of exploration. As a result, knowledge is not merely presented but is experienced through discovery.
The project, which can be described as a point where curiosity meets design, and its award-winning content can be accessed via bircocuksordu.com.
