a business unit of the national research foundation using competitions and debates to develop...
TRANSCRIPT
A business unit of the National Research Foundation
Using competitions and debates to develop
science communication skills
Ina Roos & Retha Claasen-Veldsman
SAASTA stands for…
• The mandate of the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) is to advance public awareness, appreciation and engagement of science, engineering and technology in South Africa.
SAASTA consists of
• 3 Core units– Science Education– Science Awareness Platforms– Science CommunicationScience Communication
↓↓
Competitions:• Young Science Writer’s Competition• SAASTA School Debates• SA Science Lens Competition
SA Science Lens • Photographic competition to communicate
science through medium of art• Took place in 2002-2007; 2009• In 2007 partnered with the British Council &
Canon• Skills training of young photographers• www.saasta.ac.za/sciencelens
Young Science Writer’s Competition
• Took place in 2005 (400) & 2006 (100)• In 2009 – Young Science Communicators
Competition• Open for researchers and registered science
students, in all disciplines, aged 20-35, studying or working at South African Higher Education Institutions.
• Aim is to encourage young researchers and science students to write up their research in such a way that it engages and excites the general public.
Young Science Writer’s Competition (cont.)
• Articles judged on suitability for publication in the general media
• Criteria:– 1. Originality– 2. Newsworthiness/News values– 3. Creativity– 4. Quality of writing– 5. Knowledge of research applied– 6. Balanced and fair writing– 7. Contextualising/whether the writer had a full grasp
of the extent of the subject– 8. Analysis of the situation/subject/material.
Young Science Writer’s Competition (cont.)
• Media partner – publishes the three winning articles and profiles of the winners.
• “Writing for the media” training offered to all participants
• Exciting prizes – overall winners attended the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual meeting two years running
SAASTA Schools Debates
• Pilot project in 2007• In 2008 – 7 provinces represented (245 learners
in grades 10-12 and 44 educators)• Goal to enlarge reach and include all 9
provinces• Partnered with the South African Schools
Debating Board• Karl Popper style of debating – research and
evidence are very important
SAASTA Schools Debates
• Topics
– Provincial level• Biotechnology: bio fuels, stem cells & cloning, GM
foods
– National level• International Year of Planet Earth: water, earth
observation, earth conservation, megacities and non-renewable resources of Africa
SAASTA Schools Debates
• Process:– Partnership with SA Schools Debates Board– All schools provided with information packs on the
debating themes– Internal school debates – Training is offered on the debating subjects to
learners and teachers– Provincial tournaments– National tournament– More than just debating… engaging with science
SAASTA Schools Debates
• All schools provided with information packs – to be used as a class room resource
• Internal debates – wide reach – teachers and parents
• Participants in the national round had the opportunity of interaction with scientists, night sky viewing at Observatory and training as British Council Climate Champions
• All provincial winners and educators were sponsored on a tour to Sutherland to see SALT
Skills development
• Science communication skills– Translate science to be understandable,
appropriate and useful for a particular audience
– Critical thinking – consider science in context– Effective communication skills– Empowerment
Skills development
• Young Science Writers competition – expert to public communication
– Exposure to science communication– Teach science communication skills through training
and participation– Translate science / repackage science– Effective communication skills– Young researchers think about how to communicate
their work to the lay person– Exciting science stories get published in the national
media
Skills development
• School debates – engaging with scientific information – Increased awareness of science, especially for non-
science learners– Greater appreciation of science and its impact– Improvement of scientific literacy– Increase scientific knowledge/understanding– Development of communication skills – Awareness of career opportunities in areas that
support science, such as environmental law– Stimulation of discussion & knowledge sharing
• “Given that a commonly held goal of science communication is nurturing critical thinking and deeper understanding, generating conversations about science can be an important strategic goal for science communication professionals”
- (Hwang & Southwell, 2007: 202)
Greater impact of Science Communication
Scientific community
↓ ↓
Non-scientific community
↓↓
Communicating to lay public
Engage with science messages and scientific information
Greater impact of Science Communication
Scientific community
↓↓
Communicating to lay public
Non-scientific community
↓↓
Engage with science messages and scientific information
Practical suggestions
• How can competitions be used to cultivate tomorrow’s science communicators?– Photographic competition: Merging of science
and art; young scientists get the opportunity to express their work in art form and to communicate in an exciting, innovative manner
– Young Science Communicators: Tomorrow’s scientists learn to communicate their work to non-peers
– Debates: Non-science learners engage with science topics; learn about career opportunities that supplement science careers
Practical suggestions
Successes– Young Science Writers Competition
• Valuable relations forged with media partner• Created interest among science students in science
communication • Nobel Prize winner demonstrated excellent science
communication skills at prize giving• Prize winner won prize for poster at AAAS, USA
– School Debates • High level of debating between teams in the finals• Interest shown by participants in science topics
Practical suggestions
Concerns – Partnerships – need close monitoring
– Delivery e.g. standard of training & materials need monitoring
– Science Lens: training must be standardised and expanded
– Science Writers: • Individual feedback to the participants• Wider participation: greater input from all HEI’s not
just the Big 5…
Practical suggestions
Recommendations• SAASTA Schools Debates:
– Provide better training and assistance with research– Have two members on team that take science at
school to assist with research
• Young Science Communicators:– Put in extra effort to promote in especially the
previously disadvantaged HEIs– Provide even more training for participants– Provide individual feedback to participants as part of
training
Conclusion
• Competitions – incentives are needed to motivate participation
• Participation – engagement with science communication: communication process (researchers) or the product (learners)
• Dual impact – – Personal level – empowerment, greater
understanding, informed decision making, various skills, making scientific information accessible
– External level – increased scientific literacy, informed decision making
Conclusion
Recommendations to Africa’s S&T Consolidated Plan of Action:
• A competition is an effective tool in drawing science and society closer together
• Competitions for the youth invite engagement with science
• Competitions reach wider than the participants
Thank you very much
– Ina RoosSAASTATel: 27 12 392 9317e-mail: [email protected]
– Retha Claasen-VeldsmanSAASTATel: 27 12 392 9374E-mail: [email protected]
A business unit of the National Research Foundation