Teaching Science Communication to Master’s Students in STEM
Abstract: Introduction: In times of crisis like COVID-19, science communication is a means to provide orientation to the public. Science communication places high demands on the capabilities of those who conduct it, and, thus, interventions should be developed and evaluated for their effectiveness....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Hogrefe Publishing Group
2025-02-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Psychology Open |
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| Online Access: | https://econtent.hogrefe.com/doi/10.1024/2673-8627/a000073 |
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| author | Julian Fick Friederike Hendriks Noemi Kumpmann Barbara Thies |
| author_facet | Julian Fick Friederike Hendriks Noemi Kumpmann Barbara Thies |
| author_sort | Julian Fick |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract: Introduction: In times of crisis like COVID-19, science communication is a means to provide orientation to the public. Science communication places high demands on the capabilities of those who conduct it, and, thus, interventions should be developed and evaluated for their effectiveness. Aim: This paper introduces an intervention to support science communication knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, and performance. The manualized one-day training program covered communication basics and specific strategies to enhance comprehensibility, involvement, and credibility in communication. Method: In developing the intervention, we used a constructive alignment approach, resulting in closely linked evaluation, instructional methods (including peer and video feedback), and content. 16 STEM master’s students attended the training program. Results: The evaluation revealed an increase in participants’ knowledge, their positive attitude toward science communication, and self-efficacy beliefs. Coding videos from short presentations additionally revealed an increase in involvement strategy usage but not in comprehensibility or credibility strategy use. Discussion: While we confirmed the overall effectiveness of the intervention, we also discuss the challenges that emerged with assessing the performance and evaluating the evidence. Further, we discuss how psychology can support the handling of public crises through education and by fostering researchers’ science communication skills. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bf6758d8fd8147fe994a1ab1a5f5ba6e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2673-8627 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Hogrefe Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Psychology Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-bf6758d8fd8147fe994a1ab1a5f5ba6e2025-02-04T09:13:17ZengHogrefe Publishing GroupEuropean Journal of Psychology Open2673-86272025-02-0110.1024/2673-8627/a000073Teaching Science Communication to Master’s Students in STEMJulian Fick0Friederike Hendriks1Noemi KumpmannBarbara Thies2Institute for Communication Science, Technische Universität Braunschweig, GermanyInstitute for Communication Science, Technische Universität Braunschweig, GermanyInstitute of Educational Psychology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, GermanyAbstract: Introduction: In times of crisis like COVID-19, science communication is a means to provide orientation to the public. Science communication places high demands on the capabilities of those who conduct it, and, thus, interventions should be developed and evaluated for their effectiveness. Aim: This paper introduces an intervention to support science communication knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, and performance. The manualized one-day training program covered communication basics and specific strategies to enhance comprehensibility, involvement, and credibility in communication. Method: In developing the intervention, we used a constructive alignment approach, resulting in closely linked evaluation, instructional methods (including peer and video feedback), and content. 16 STEM master’s students attended the training program. Results: The evaluation revealed an increase in participants’ knowledge, their positive attitude toward science communication, and self-efficacy beliefs. Coding videos from short presentations additionally revealed an increase in involvement strategy usage but not in comprehensibility or credibility strategy use. Discussion: While we confirmed the overall effectiveness of the intervention, we also discuss the challenges that emerged with assessing the performance and evaluating the evidence. Further, we discuss how psychology can support the handling of public crises through education and by fostering researchers’ science communication skills.https://econtent.hogrefe.com/doi/10.1024/2673-8627/a000073science communicationevaluationtraining programevidence-basedhigher education |
| spellingShingle | Julian Fick Friederike Hendriks Noemi Kumpmann Barbara Thies Teaching Science Communication to Master’s Students in STEM European Journal of Psychology Open science communication evaluation training program evidence-based higher education |
| title | Teaching Science Communication to Master’s Students in STEM |
| title_full | Teaching Science Communication to Master’s Students in STEM |
| title_fullStr | Teaching Science Communication to Master’s Students in STEM |
| title_full_unstemmed | Teaching Science Communication to Master’s Students in STEM |
| title_short | Teaching Science Communication to Master’s Students in STEM |
| title_sort | teaching science communication to master s students in stem |
| topic | science communication evaluation training program evidence-based higher education |
| url | https://econtent.hogrefe.com/doi/10.1024/2673-8627/a000073 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT julianfick teachingsciencecommunicationtomastersstudentsinstem AT friederikehendriks teachingsciencecommunicationtomastersstudentsinstem AT noemikumpmann teachingsciencecommunicationtomastersstudentsinstem AT barbarathies teachingsciencecommunicationtomastersstudentsinstem |