Enhancing student engagement through a gallery walk: applying multiple strategies to communicate scientific concepts

ABSTRACT Effective science communication skills are essential for scientists across sectors to engage with non-specialist audiences. This paper describes a gallery walk activity designed to help science students learn and practice strategies for making complex scientific concepts accessible to diver...

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Main Authors: Watumesa Agustina Tan, Sarah Perrault
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Society for Microbiology 2025-08-01
Series:Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.00207-24
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author Watumesa Agustina Tan
Sarah Perrault
author_facet Watumesa Agustina Tan
Sarah Perrault
author_sort Watumesa Agustina Tan
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Effective science communication skills are essential for scientists across sectors to engage with non-specialist audiences. This paper describes a gallery walk activity designed to help science students learn and practice strategies for making complex scientific concepts accessible to diverse audiences. The activity was implemented in a Science Communication course with 24 students from the Biotechnology and Food Technology programs. It introduces students to a range of rhetorical strategies, such as etymology, analogy, and personal storytelling, which are applied in exercises that encourage students to communicate scientific topics in engaging and relevant ways. The gallery walk encourages students to interact with eight stations, each focused on a specific communication strategy. By generating examples and discussing varied approaches, students may gain insights into adapting their communication for different contexts and audiences. The activity is a flexible and engaging approach to teaching science communication that may foster critical thinking and build students' confidence in applying communication techniques. Its adaptable format makes the gallery walk suitable for various classroom settings, supporting both large and small class sizes.
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publisher American Society for Microbiology
record_format Article
series Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education
spelling doaj-art-76b1f6755b7d43d89b6761a0fb2f57502025-08-21T13:02:26ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologyJournal of Microbiology & Biology Education1935-78771935-78852025-08-0126210.1128/jmbe.00207-24Enhancing student engagement through a gallery walk: applying multiple strategies to communicate scientific conceptsWatumesa Agustina Tan0Sarah Perrault1Biotechnology Study Program, School of Bioscience, Technology, and Innovation, Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, Tangerang, Banten, IndonesiaCollege of Liberal Arts, School of Writing, Literature, and Film, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USAABSTRACT Effective science communication skills are essential for scientists across sectors to engage with non-specialist audiences. This paper describes a gallery walk activity designed to help science students learn and practice strategies for making complex scientific concepts accessible to diverse audiences. The activity was implemented in a Science Communication course with 24 students from the Biotechnology and Food Technology programs. It introduces students to a range of rhetorical strategies, such as etymology, analogy, and personal storytelling, which are applied in exercises that encourage students to communicate scientific topics in engaging and relevant ways. The gallery walk encourages students to interact with eight stations, each focused on a specific communication strategy. By generating examples and discussing varied approaches, students may gain insights into adapting their communication for different contexts and audiences. The activity is a flexible and engaging approach to teaching science communication that may foster critical thinking and build students' confidence in applying communication techniques. Its adaptable format makes the gallery walk suitable for various classroom settings, supporting both large and small class sizes.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.00207-24science communicationgallery walkactive learningstudent engagement
spellingShingle Watumesa Agustina Tan
Sarah Perrault
Enhancing student engagement through a gallery walk: applying multiple strategies to communicate scientific concepts
Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education
science communication
gallery walk
active learning
student engagement
title Enhancing student engagement through a gallery walk: applying multiple strategies to communicate scientific concepts
title_full Enhancing student engagement through a gallery walk: applying multiple strategies to communicate scientific concepts
title_fullStr Enhancing student engagement through a gallery walk: applying multiple strategies to communicate scientific concepts
title_full_unstemmed Enhancing student engagement through a gallery walk: applying multiple strategies to communicate scientific concepts
title_short Enhancing student engagement through a gallery walk: applying multiple strategies to communicate scientific concepts
title_sort enhancing student engagement through a gallery walk applying multiple strategies to communicate scientific concepts
topic science communication
gallery walk
active learning
student engagement
url https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.00207-24
work_keys_str_mv AT watumesaagustinatan enhancingstudentengagementthroughagallerywalkapplyingmultiplestrategiestocommunicatescientificconcepts
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