Enseñar a comunicar la ciencia: ¿a ciegas o con metodología? Una propuesta para el diseño y evaluación de talleres para dar charlas de divulgación.

Camila Del Río Castro; Ana Cecilia Rosen Ferlini

doi:10.19136/etie.a6n12.5766

Authors

Camila del Río Institute of Cellular Physiology, UNAM https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0469-2665
Ana Cecilia Rosen Ferlini Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6759-7900

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.19136/etie.a6n12.5766

Keywords:

evaluation, training, science communicatio, outreach talks, methodology, science communication

Abstract

Except for those with an innate talent, most scientists find themselves “navigating uncharted territory” when it comes to public science communication. Despite the diversity of training options available today, most of them are not based on empirical data, nor there is a systematization of approaches and methodologies used. Consequently, those who design and deliver such courses and workshops also run the risk of proceeding “blindly” when training scientists. To help address this issue, we tested a methodology for designing and evaluating a workshop aimed at enhancing skills in the planning of outreach talks. This 8-hour workshop was conducted with a group of academics at the Institute of Cellular Physiology at UNAM. The evaluation of the workshop and the talks indicate that the methodology adopted can contribute to solving the practical problem faced by scientists and trainers, although its true potential must be tested in future studies. The reward for this hard work is promising: that neither scientists nor trainers go “blind” when teaching and planning a popular science talk.

Author Biography

Camila del Río, Institute of Cellular Physiology, UNAM

Graduated from UNAM with a degree in Neuroscience, Camila is interested in social neuroscience and science communication. In October 2020, he founded “Lo Neuro de las Cosas” together with some friends from the undergraduate degree. In this project, dissemination talks are given mainly by students of the degree in Neurosciences on different topics dealt with by neurosciences. He recently completed his undergraduate thesis on the evaluation of training workshops in public communication of science with Dr. Cecilia Rosen in the Coordination of Communication of the Institute of Cellular Physiology. She is also a scholarship holder of the PAPIME project "Communication Guide for Scientists".

References

AAAS, A. A. for the A. of S. (2022). AAAS Communication Toolkit. https://www.aaas.org/resources/communication-toolkit

Bankston, A., & McDowell, G. S. (2018). Changing the Culture of Science Communication Training for Junior Scientists. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1128/JMBE.V19I1.1413

Barba, M. D. L. P., Castillo, J. P. G. D., & Massarani, L. (2019). Public engagement in science: Mapping out and understanding the practice of science communication in Latin America. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 91(1), 20171000. https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765201920171000

Barel-Ben David, Y., & Baram-Tsabari, A. (2020). Evaluating science communication training: Going beyond self-repo. En Theory and Best Practices in Science Communication Training (1st edition, pp. 122-138). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781351069366-9/evaluating-science-communication-training-yael-barel-ben-david-ayelet-baram-tsabari

Besley, J. C., Dudo, A., & Storksdieck, M. (2015). Scientists’ views about communication training. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 52(2), 199-220. https://doi.org/10.1002/TEA.21186

Bullock, O. M., Amill, D. C., Shulman, H. C., & Dixon, G. N. (2019). Jargon as a barrier to effective science communication: Evidence from metacognition: https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662519865687, 28(7), 845-853. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662519865687

Jensen, E. A., & Gerber, A. (2020). Evidence-Based Science Communication. Frontiers in Communication, 0, 78. https://doi.org/10.3389/FCOMM.2019.00078

Luna, D. S., & Bering, J. M. (2020). The construction of awe in science communication: https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662520963256, 30(1), 2-15. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662520963256

Massarani, L. (2018). Estado del arte de la divulgación de la ciencia en América Latina. Journal of Science Communication, América Latina, 1(1), A01. https://doi.org/10.22323/3.01010201

McPhetres, J. (2019). Oh, the things you don’t know: Awe promotes awareness of knowledge gaps and science interest. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2019.1585331, 33(8), 1599-1615. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2019.1585331

Mercer-Mapstone, L., & Kuchel, L. (2015). Core Skills for Effective Science Communication: A Teaching Resource for Undergraduate Science Education. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2015.1113573, 7(2), 181-201. https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2015.1113573

Mercer-Mapstone, L., & Kuchel, L. J. (2016). Integrating communication skills into undergraduate science degrees: A practical and evidence-based approach. Teaching and Learning Inquiry, 4(2), 122-149. https://doi.org/10.20343/TEACHLEARNINQU.4.2.11

Miller, S., Fahy, D., & Team, T. Esc. (2009). Can Science Communication Workshops Train Scientists for Reflexive Public Engagement?: The ESConet Experience. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1075547009339048, 31(1), 116-126. https://doi.org/10.1177/1075547009339048

O’Connell, C., McKinnon, M., & LaBouff, J. (2020). One size does not fit all: Gender implications for the design of outcomes, evaluation and assessment of science communication programs. Journal of Science Communication, 19(1), A06. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.19010206

Oliveira, L. M. A. de, Cordeiro-Spinetti, E., Neves, F. P. G., Sujii, P. S., Ribeiro, R. L., Lyra, S. S. de, Pinto, T. C. A., & Bonatelli, M. L. (2021). Going Online in Pandemic Time: A DivulgaMicro Workshop Experience†. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1128/JMBE.V22I1.2493

Oliveira, L. M. A., Bonatelli, M. L., & Pinto, T. C. A. (2019). DivulgaMicro: A Brazilian Initiative To Empower Early-Career Scientists with Science Communication Skills. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education, 20(1), 40. https://doi.org/10.1128/JMBE.V20I1.1616

Orozco, C. E. (2018). Diez años de investigación de la comunicación pública de la ciencia en y desde América Latina. Un estudio en tres revistas académicas (2008–2017). Journal of Science Communication, América Latina, 1(1), A02. https://doi.org/10.22323/3.01010202

Pham, D. (2016). Public engagement is key for the future of science research. Npj Science of Learning, 1(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.1038/npjscilearn.2016.10

Ponzio, N. M., Alder, J., Nucci, M., Dannenfelser, D., Hilton, H., Linardopoulos, N., & Lutz, C. (2018). Learning Science Communication Skills Using Improvisation, Video Recordings, and Practice, Practice, Practice. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1128/JMBE.V19I1.1433

Rakedzon, T., Segev, E., Chapnik, N., Yosef, R., & Baram-Tsabari, A. (2017). Automatic jargon identifier for scientists engaging with the public and science communication educators. PLOS ONE, 12(8), e0181742. https://doi.org/10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0181742

Rodgers, S., Wang, Z., Maras, M. A., Burgoyne, S., Balakrishnan, B., Stemmle, J., & Schultz, J. C. (2018). Decoding Science: Development and Evaluation of a Science Communication Training Program Using a Triangulated Framework: https://doi.org/10.1177/1075547017747285, 40(1), 3-32. https://doi.org/10.1177/1075547017747285

Rodgers, S., Wang, Z., & Schultz, J. C. (2020). A Scale to Measure Science Communication Training Effectiveness: https://doi.org/10.1177/1075547020903057, 42(1), 90-111. https://doi.org/10.1177/1075547020903057

Rosen, C., & Cortassa, C. (Documento de trabajo, sin publicar). Sistematización antecedentes para encuesta a científicos.

Rubega, M. A., Burgio, K. R., MacDonald, A. A. M., Oeldorf-Hirsch, A., Capers, R. S., & Wyss, R. (2020). Assessment by Audiences Shows Little Effect of Science Communication Training: https://doi.org/10.1177/1075547020971639, 43(2), 139-169. https://doi.org/10.1177/1075547020971639

Sánchez-Mora, M. del C., & Macías-Nestor, A. P. (2018). El papel de la comunicación pública de la ciencia sobre la cultura científica: Acercamientos a su evaluación. Revista Eureka sobre Enseñanza y Divulgación de las Ciencias, 1(1), 1103. https://doi.org/10.25267/Rev_Eureka_ensen_divulg_cienc.2019.v16.i1.1103

Silva, J., & Bultitude, K. (2009). Best practice in communications training for public engagement with science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Journal of Science Communication, 8(2), A03. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.08020203

Spektor-Levy, O., Eylon, B.-S., & Scherz, Z. (2009). Teaching Scientific Communication Skills in Science Studies: Does it Make a Difference? International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education 2009 7:5, 7(5), 875-903. https://doi.org/10.1007/S10763-009-9150-6

Varner, J. (2014). Scientific Outreach: Toward Effective Public Engagement with Biological Science. BioScience, 64(4), 333-340. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biu021

Ziegler, R., Hedder, I. R., & Fischer, L. (2021). Evaluation of Science Communication: Current Practices, Challenges, and Future Implications. Frontiers in Communication, 0, 73. https://doi.org/10.3389/FCOMM.2021.669744