文/郝景芳

看到《外國(guó)專家講科普》這本書(shū)的出版，我感到非常高興。從國(guó)內(nèi)教育大環(huán)境看，資源分布不均衡的情況是客觀存在的。隨著城鎮(zhèn)化的推進(jìn)，各類優(yōu)質(zhì)教育資源越來(lái)越向城市集中，城市中的家庭有著豐富的素養(yǎng)啟蒙活動(dòng)，有更多的機(jī)會(huì)接觸專家學(xué)者及外國(guó)人。但對(duì)于偏遠(yuǎn)鄉(xiāng)村地區(qū)的孩子來(lái)說(shuō)，不僅缺少拓展視野的場(chǎng)景，連基本的科學(xué)課、藝術(shù)課，甚至英語(yǔ)課都難以保證。在我們童行學(xué)院發(fā)起的支教活動(dòng)中，我們的支教老師在一些地區(qū)的學(xué)校需要承擔(dān)全校6個(gè)年級(jí)的科學(xué)、藝術(shù)、英語(yǔ)課。這里的孩子們對(duì)好教師和優(yōu)質(zhì)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(dāng)我了解到，科技部國(guó)外人才研究中心與VIPKID共同打造了外國(guó)專家科普公益課堂項(xiàng)目，通過(guò)3年時(shí)間，邀請(qǐng)一流的外國(guó)專家到偏遠(yuǎn)鄉(xiāng)村學(xué)校、城市務(wù)工人員子女學(xué)校開(kāi)展科普講座，內(nèi)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(shí)源頭的信息是最寶貴的。這些外國(guó)專家在中國(guó)工作多年，多位都曾獲得過(guò)中國(guó)政府友誼獎(jiǎng)，他們是對(duì)中國(guó)有著深厚情感的前沿科學(xué)家。他們?cè)诓煌I(lǐng)域從事研究工作，從相對(duì)論、黑洞、納米技術(shù)，到食品工程、化學(xué)工程、建筑工程，再到影像技術(shù)、跨文化研究，由他們來(lái)講述科普，親身向處于學(xué)業(yè)啟蒙階段的鄉(xiāng)村孩子解讀科學(xué)知識(shí)，更顯得真實(shí)和珍貴。外國(guó)專家們行走在大別山區(qū)、秦嶺山區(qū)、井岡山區(qū)，走進(jìn)鄉(xiāng)村里的課堂，這些在路上的過(guò)程本身就是播種科學(xué)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(wú)論何時(shí)，教育一直是鄉(xiāng)村孩子改變命運(yùn)的最好途徑。對(duì)多數(shù)鄉(xiāng)村孩子來(lái)說(shuō)，這是他們第一次見(jiàn)到外國(guó)人，第一次見(jiàn)到科學(xué)家。用一位外國(guó)專家的話來(lái)說(shuō)，鼓勵(lì)這些孩子們保持好奇、追求學(xué)業(yè)，只需要一個(gè)引子?？破展嬲n堂上的親密交流和接觸，毫無(wú)疑問(wèn)正在發(fā)揮著這樣的價(jià)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(shí)的匱乏使得貧困在代際傳遞。為鄉(xiāng)村地區(qū)的孩子們提供良好的教育資源，拓展他們未來(lái)的發(fā)展方向，我認(rèn)為這是每一家意愿向上、向善的機(jī)構(gòu)和企業(yè)應(yīng)該具有的擔(dān)當(dāng)。讓人敬佩的是，外國(guó)專家科普課堂不僅走進(jìn)鄉(xiāng)村，還將過(guò)程中的每個(gè)珍貴時(shí)刻都保留下來(lái)，通過(guò)技術(shù)的剪輯處理，作為公益課程資源提供給更多有需要的地區(qū)。現(xiàn)在，課堂又以出版物的形式展現(xiàn)在大家面前，未來(lái)也會(huì)捐贈(zèng)到更多的鄉(xiāng)村學(xué)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(shuō)科技向善，就體現(xiàn)在這里吧。

希望這本書(shū)不僅能幫助到更多的鄉(xiāng)村學(xué)校，也能讓更多家庭和孩子打開(kāi)視野，看到更大的世界?。ū疚臑椤锻鈬?guó)專家講科普》后記，本文作者為第74屆雨果獎(jiǎng)獲得者、童行學(xué)院創(chuàng)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

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