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HOW BRAIN AWARENESS CHANGES YOUNG MINDS: THE BRAIN FAIR ISTANBUL
Havva Demirand 1 co-author
Istanbul University Cerrahpasa, Institute of Neurological Sciences
FENS Forum 2026 (2026)
Barcelona, Spain
Board PS04-08PM-682
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Date TBA
Board: PS04-08PM-682
Event Information
Poster Board
PS04-08PM-682
Poster
View posterAbstract
Brain Awareness Week (BAW) is a global campaign to foster public enthusiasm and support for brain science. It goes beyond acquiring scientific knowledge; it encompasses well-being through stress management, healthy eating, and systematic exercise.
The Brain Fair Istanbul is a BAW project, supported by FENS and Dana Foundation. In 2025, 667 middle school students attended the events. Based on Zardetto-Smith’s articles, we administered pre- and post-tests to these students. Three open-ended questions measured the knowledge and wonder about the brain and neuroscientists. Post-tests also included event evaluation questions. Responses were rated ranging from 0 (lowest) to 3 (highest).
Mean post-test scores indicated positive evaluations of the activities, including fun (2.3 ± 0.71), interest (2.18 ± 0.68), and perceived learning (2.12 ± 0.68). Two researchers evaluated open-ended questions. Inter-rater reliability for all questions was high (weighted Cohen’s κ = 0.82; ICC(2,1) = 0.82, n = 125), indicating robust agreement between the two raters. Because pre- and post-test responses were collected anonymously, individual-level pairing was not possible. Therefore, pre- and post-test scores were treated as independent samples and compared using the Mann–Whitney U test. No statistically significant differences were observed between pre- and post-test scores for any of the three questions (all p > 0.05), with small effect sizes (r = 0.13–0.17).
These preliminary results may not fully reflect the broader population, as the evaluated data were collected exclusively from an all-male school. In addition, the instructional team was predominantly female, a factor that may have influenced students’ engagement and perceptions.
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