STEM Session 02: Exploring Science Communication
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:
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:
- Visual.ly: Science Infographics
- Easel.ly: 6 Science Infographics that Simplify Complex Concepts
Optional: bring in additional information about science communication that may be useful during the activities:
- Agent Majeur: Science communication skills: our top 10 tips
- Northeastern: 10 Tips for Effective Science Communication
- Forbes.com: The 3 Essential Rules For Effective Science Communication
- TheWire.in: The Difference Between Good and Bad Science Communication During a Pandemic
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:
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 considere