Transcript improving-science-communication-skills-in

Improving Science Communication
Through Scenario-Based Role-Plays
Dr Erik Brogt & Dr Jacqueline Dohaney
Who are we?
Multi-disciplinary Research Team
Erik Brogt, Jacqueline Dohaney, Tom Wilson,
Mark Quigley, Ben Kennedy, Brendon Bradley
– University of Canterbury
Emma Hudson-Doyle, David Johnston – Massey
Jan Lindsay – University of Auckland
Educational researchers, Geologists, Engineers,
Risk Communication and Hazard researchers
Improving Communication Skills
 Graduates have poor communication skills
 Communication not embedded systematically or
explicitly in tertiary science / engineering curricula
 Poorly constrained communication best practices
 Poorly constrained communication performance
measures
Disaster context – Crucial skill needed in times of
crisis and business-as-usual. Expectations from the
public and policy-makers that scientists must
communicate well.
Media
Civil Defence
Emergency
Management
What does this
mean?
What should I
do to be ‘safe’
How can we
prepare/prime society?
Seismologists
and Geologists
Will this lead to a
future Alpine Fault
EQ?
Public
Business
Responding
to an event
What should we
do to survive,
and thrive?
What variables contribute to communication?
Communication
Performance
Scientific
Content
Knowledge
Communication
Experience
Perceived
Communication
Competence
Perceptions
of Science
Communication
How can we assess communication performance?
Proxies for performance (i.e., variables to explore...)
Communication Competence (i.e., confidence)
Communication Experience
Perceptions of Science Communication
Earthquake Content Knowledge
Measures (Self-reported questionnaires)
-> Competence Survey (SPCC; validated)
-> Experience & Perceptions Surveys (created for this study)
-> Earthquake scenario pre-post interview
How can we assess communication performance?
(Actual) Communication Performance
Observations and in-class performances (i.e., press
conferences, interviews, media statements)
Pre-post communication interviews (videotaped)
Scored with validated rubric (2PS)
Why Scenario-Based Role-Plays?
 Real-time feedback, authentic, active
 Flexible: pace, scaffolding and difficulty can be
adjusted on the fly
 Complexity and cognitive load under the control of
facilitators
 Can serve different target audiences
 Previously designed and tested SBRP: Volcanic
Hazards Simulation
 Established method in other fields (e.g. business,
medical sciences, military)
Scenario
Learning Goals
Explain and communicate (in plain speak) the
geology of a given earthquake event.
Predict, list and describe impacts to infrastructure
and society from a large earthquake near
Greymouth NZ.
Propose appropriate recommendations to the
public before, during and after an earthquake
event
Learning Goals
Compose and deliver multiple formats and
styles of communications and to diverse
stakeholders.
Effectively communicate the scientific
uncertainties associated with an ongoing
earthquake event and the likelihood of a
future earthquake event.
Communicate effectively in all scenarios.
Criteria for effectiveness includes information which is
organised, accurate, relevant, readily understood and delivery
which is competent and culturally inclusive.
Customized GIS-based tools & datasets
Perceived Benefits:
Providing experience and feedback to learners
 Learners’ confidence with communicating improves
 Multiple opportunities to watch and participate in
authentic communication styles, formats, and contexts
– Interviews, Team discussions, Press conferences
– Participants will have a higher confidence with science
communication
 Quality of communication increases
– Appropriate to stakeholders information needs
– Appropriate to stakeholders’ backgrounds
– Transparency of decision-making
Project Outcomes
Robust science communication measures
Flexible curricular design with can be used in
different contexts, with different users
Progress to date
 Learning goals discussed with instructors and defined
 Basic version of simulation developed
 Tested in four iterations (to different groups of
students, and instructors)
 Communication proxies in development
 Two international conference presentations given as
well as several international research talks
Next steps
 Data analysis of the first version of the simulation
underway
 Data gathering for research purposes in the next few
months
Thank you!
Contacts:
Erik Brogt
[email protected]
Jackie Dohaney
[email protected]