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The Californian, a Stanford biology lecturer in a former life, is currently studying a Masters inScience Communication at Otago University, and recently made a
This is his ‘science rapper’ moniker, where a beat plus rhyming words provides children withanother view of how things work. ’s aYoutube video of him in action.
“Part of the purpose is to reinvigorate, not replace the current science education,” saysMcFadden. “It also helps to get teachers to think about other creative ways they can put acrossscience.”
McFadden’s also the fresh young face promoting the NewZealand International Science Festival’s ‘Science Idol’ music video competition.
He’s using the second year of his study to research the questions:
1.The efficacy (or effectiveness) of a music based video (for science)
2.Authorship – isit better to watch or make your own hip-hop song
As a test in action, McFadden’s an interesting example of someone finding himself at a certaintime and place.
“I suddenly found myself being known as the Science Rapper,” he says.
“It has given me the opportunity to operationalise and test some of that thinking for theMaster’s thesis.