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Learning Objectives

  • Identify why the aspects of clarity and factualness are important for science communication.
  • Evaluate examples of science communication for clarity and factualness.
  • Describe design aspects that make science communication more effective (i.e., evidence-based, engaging, educative, comprehensible)

Background

The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) states the following science communication:

Although communicating science to the general public is increasingly recognized as a responsibility of scientists (Dahlstrom 2014), K–12 science education does not currently prepare students to be effective science communicators. Communication training for scientists is often focused around storytelling and translating science into narrative forms that are more easily understood by nonscience audiences. However, this type of science communication represents a challenge in science teaching, where students struggle to bridge everyday language with disciplinary discourse (Lemke 1990). Students need opportunities to share knowledge in a nontechnical, yet still scientific, manner and to develop science communication skills in alignment with current demands in STEM fields.

The goal of this session is to have youth explore examples of science communication, understand the important factors for communicating scientific evidence, and evaluate examples of science communication.

Materials and Resources

Technology: iPads (tablet with a web browser)

Non-technology example: use physical materials like newspapers, magazines, library books, and textbooks to search for examples

Example Infographics for Science Communication:

Optional: bring in additional information about science communication that may be useful during the activities:

Additional Resource:

Opening Activity (~15 minutes)

Tell the youth that today you will be exploring science communication and share the first line of the Wikipedia entry:

Science communication is the practice of informing, educating, raising awareness of science-related topics, and increasing the sense of wonder about scientific discoveries and arguments.

Share the following from CK-12 and solicit their reactions related to the statement:

  • The last step of most scientific investigations is communicating the results of the research. When scientists share their findings, they add to the body of scientific knowledge. They may also get useful feedback from other scientists.
  • Scientists may communicate about their research in several ways, such as presenting posters or papers at scientific conferences and publishing articles in scientific journals.

Ask youth to share examples that they have seen of science communication. Answers can include examples such as textbooks, school activities, television programs, and commercials.

Content and Activities: (~60 minutes)

Using a four-square chart on a display/whiteboard, title the columns with the concepts of clarity and factualness and the rows with meaning and evidence. Starting with the first quadrant, solicit definitions for clarity and then factualness.

CLARITY FACTUALNESS
MEANING definitions for clarity definitions for factualness
EVIDENCE examples that show clarity examples that show factualness

Definitions for clarity should refer in some way to how comprehensible the information is for different audiences.

Definitions for factualness should refer in some way to evidence and data to support scientific claims.

Choose examples of science communication that are considered to be good/effective. Option: Shorthand.com: 12 examples of stunning science communication

Explore the media with the youth, having them comment on clarity and factualness of the information. Have them explain – using evidence – how they know something is clear and factual. Reinforce the importance on the use of evidence for effective science communication. Ask them to consider effectiveness and what that means related to science communication.

Next, youth will search for examples and share them with the group. Before sending youth to search for examples of good science communication, ask them to share potential sources for such images. Infographics can be a good source, as well as online media sites that have Science / STEM sections.

As they share examples, on the four-square chart, list phrases that describe the examples in evidence. Optionally, make a list of bad examples and ‘what not to do’ in science communication if youth share such evidence.

Close by asking youth to summarize what you have discussed about science communication and remind them that they will need to consider these aspects when they begin to present the scientific story of their gardening experience.

Closing Activity: (~15 minutes)

Journal Reflection Question:  What do you think is important for creating science communication to share your scientific results with an audience of your peers (aka other middle schoolers)?

License

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I am a Scientist Copyright © by dmboyer; Patricia Whitener; Akiebia Hicks; Maira Patino; Ireoluwawolede Dosunmu; Kevin Ferguson; hpinckn; and Barry Garst is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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