Identifying focus areas for science communication training in the context of undergraduate science education

Abstract

In this paper, we present recommendations for integrating science communication training into undergraduate science curricula. Science communication training is increasingly acknowledged as an important element of science education. It is essential to introduce this training early in academic development, ideally at the undergraduate level. The current study was aimed at identifying specific focus areas for such training within an undergraduate biomedical sciences program. Therefore, we tasked undergraduate biomedical students with translating general instructions for engaging in science-society interactions into concrete communicative behavior. Following the thematic analysis of 121 written student responses, we identified two primary focus areas, resulting in two recommendations. Firstly, training should concentrate on helping students to operationalize complex communicative concepts, such as respect and listening, into tangible communicative behavior. A special emphasis should be placed on aspects of nonverbal communication. Secondly, science communication training should prioritize fostering informed views of the nature of science, while connecting to building knowledge and understanding of models of science communication. This approach could enhance students’ receptivity to important aspects of the dialogue model, such as accepting diverse forms of knowledge and recognizing scientists and non-scientists as equal participants in dialogue. For both recommendations, we contemplate potential educational interventions and/or pedagogical approaches.