Effective Chemistry Communication in Informal Environments (2016) / Chapter Skim
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Part B: COMMUNICATING CHEMISTRY: A FRAMEWORK FOR SHARING SCIENCE
Part B: COMMUNICATING CHEMISTRY: A FRAMEWORK FOR SHARING SCIENCE
Pages 109-138
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From page 111... ...
Whether the event will be a discussion on the chemistry of beer at a local bar or a hands-on experiment on cloud chemistry at a science fair, the goal of this guide is to help chemists improve their informal communications with the public. At the heart of this guide is a framework, which was presented in the report Effective Chemistry Communication in Informal Environments (NASEM, 2016)
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From page 112... ...
Four leading goals of chemists emerged from a recent land scape study1 commissioned by the Committee on Communicating Chemistry in Informal Settings at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on the motivations for chemistry communication: • increase public appreciation and excitement for chemistry as a source of knowledge about the world, • develop scientifically informed consumers (i.e., consumers who can use chemistry information to make decisions or solve problems) , • empower informed citizen participation in democratic processes, and • encourage workforce development in the chemical sciences.
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From page 113... ...
They can also expose a lack of understanding about terms a chemist often uses to describe his or her research, or difficulties in understanding concepts. Excerpts from interviews conducted by Inverness Research Associates in 2009 illustrate what scientists gain from public communication activities: • "Every time I've seen a scientist engaged with the public, they get a better understanding of their own research and its contact with society, and how their research actually impacts people and the environment." • A benefit of this work is "just understanding what the concerns are of the general public, what they know, and what they don't know." 113
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From page 114... ...
For example, a recent survey of social media sharing habits indicated that articles written by chemists were the least shared of all the articles of the disciplines evaluated (right graph; Milkman and Berger, 2014)
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From page 115... ...
. The main goal of the five elements is to reinforce a focus on participants -- SIDEBAR 1: their interests, values, and The Framework for Effective perspectives -- and to Chemistry Communication encourage awareness of and reflection on the needs Element 1: Set communication goals and and resources of both the outcomes appropriate to the target participants.
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From page 116... ...
Evaluation consists of three stages, which occur during the design, implementation, or assessment of a communication activity: 1. Front-end evaluation: A 2009 National Research Obtain information about Council report, Learning participants to help Science in Informal Environments, characterizes informal science develop or modify learning as predominantly goals and outcomes "learner-motivated, guided by (Element 1)
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From page 117... ...
Other communication activities may include giving public lectures; being interviewed on a radio program; participating in hands-on learning activities in museums; writing books, articles, blogs, and Web-based materials; and using online engagement platforms to improve public access to and understanding of chemistry. Current modes of digital communication on the Internet, such as video sharing (e.g., YouTube)
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From page 118... ...
A goal is a broad statement of what the communication activity intends to accomplish. An outcome is a specific change in an individual, group, or community as a result of participation in a communication activity.
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From page 119... ...
Will your participants be environmental activists, the local garden club, a group of local farmers, high school students, or some combination of the above? As you can imagine, each of these groups would have different perspectives and interests, as well as varying degrees of knowledge of the topic.
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From page 120... ...
Communication goals may be diverse. For example, chemists may be interested in encouraging workforce development in the chemi cal sciences, raising awareness about a particular area of chemical 120
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From page 121... ...
After learning about the expected participants and their interests, you might set your primary goal to increase awareness of the chemistry of fertilizers and their role in the home and in agriculture. Targeted outcomes for the participants could be • increasing their understanding of how some fertilizers can contribute to eutrophication, • increasing their awareness of available alternative fertilizers, • increasing their awareness of the variety of chemistry-related research being done on fertilizers and environmental impacts, • providing participants with information on how to contact the local agricultural extension office for guidance on home fertilizers, or • teaching participants how to use home soil-testing kits to monitor their own soil's needs.
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From page 122... ...
Partnering with an organization such as a science center could allow a chemist to safely implement a demonstration or hands on activity, for example. Organizations such as the American Chemical Society and the Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education may help you identify potential collaborators and opportunities to obtain funds to support the activity.
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From page 123... ...
The organization regularly engages in outreach activities and runs several educational programs -- from field experiences for students to teacher professional development classes -- to boost understanding of the Bay's poor health and of actions to improve water quality in local communities. Perhaps this organization could provide ideas for hands-on demonstrations, worksheets and online tools for participants, and also expertise in the types of participants who will likely attend and how best to work with them.
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From page 124... ...
You could also consider collaborating with an environmental researcher who is an expert on the local lake and who can demonstrate eutrophication in a way that you cannot.
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From page 125... ...
Many chemists rely on a presentation format to deliver information. However, event designs that encourage participants to think, play, and interact (with one another, with the science communicator, and with the materials and content)
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From page 126... ...
You could decide to bring soil samples from a variety of locations so that participants can compare the soil near their local lake to soil from more and less polluted areas. How can I test the event in advance to see whether it is suitable for my participants?
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From page 127... ...
Testing can uncover po • Curiosity -- the visitor is surprised and intrigued litical, social, or • Confidence -- the visitor has a sense of competence cultural issues that • Challenge -- the visitor perceives that there is could limit partici something to work toward pants' engagement • Control -- the visitor has a sense of self-determination and learning, and can and control inform strategies to • Play -- the visitor experiences sensory enjoyment address those issues. and playfulness • Communication -- the visitor engages in You could rehearse your pre- meaningful social interaction sentation with your colleagues and encourage them to think of the potential participants (environmental activists, local farmers, etc.)
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From page 128... ...
You can set up a Twitter account and plan to pass out your Twitter handle at the event or set up a blog where you will post relevant articles and accept comments and plan to pass out the website address to participants. The Goodman Research Group conducted an evaluation of The Amazing Nano Brothers Juggling Show, a live theater performance (DVDs also available)
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From page 129... ...
• Gravity affects the movement of individual atoms. • Products using nanotechnology are already in stores.
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From page 130... ...
Other options are announcing the event through partner organizations and posting alerts on relevant social media outlets. Advertise through platforms that the target par ticipants access regularly, whether in virtual or physical spaces, to in crease the visibility of the event.
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From page 131... ...
Invite the faculty and students of local high schools and community colleges to attend; also consider elementary and middle school audiences and parent groups. Contact local news outlets and add your event to community calendars.
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From page 132... ...
Unless you are sure that the audience has a technical background, avoid technical details like chemical structures, formulas, and technical names or use them sparingly and define them clearly. During the event, remember your evaluation plans (see the introduction and Element 3)
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From page 133... ...
Perform a quick tributing to environmental Internet search, including social media platforms, degradation. If participants to see current discussions on topics related to your express concern (and even event.
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From page 134... ...
Popular tools that enable ongoing, two-way communication include the following: • Reddit is a popular moderated online forum in which a chemist can participate in an Ask Me Anything: scheduled forum time to answer questions and interact with people interested in science; see https://www.reddit.com/r/science for more information • Twitter discussions such as #scistuchat, which is a themed, informal online discussion that occurs once per month created by a high school science teacher so that students can interact with scientists outside of school; see http://www.scistuchat.com for more information • ResearchBlogging.org is a website where scientists can post information about peer-reviewed work for discussion with both peers and members of the public You could begin building trust by disclosing up front your affiliations and motivations for speaking. Ask to hear participant concerns before you begin, and acknowledge that the concerns are legitimate (even if the science behind them may not be)
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From page 135... ...
Your presentation on fertilizer use and impacts is over. You could ask yourself these questions: Did the evaluation sufficiently determine whether you achieved your goal of increasing awareness of the chemistry of fertilizers and their role in the home and agriculture?
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From page 136... ...
SIDEBAR 4: Using the Framework for Written Communication If you are thinking of writing an article or a blog post, the same five elements apply. Element 1: Are you trying to provide information?
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From page 137... ...
2016. Effective Chemistry Communication in Informal Environments.
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