Science Outreach and Communication

Catalog description

SC 451 will provide students with the skills and experience necessary to design outreach activities based on their research and interests, communicate their science in multiple modes, and engage with diverse audiences. Lectures will provide foundational material via a focus on the fundamentals of science communication and outreach, as well as some of the pedagogical basics of science education. Guest speakers will build upon this groundwork by leading modules on lesson planning for effective outreach and communicating with audiences through a variety of platforms, including social media, personal or professional blogs, media interviews, and press releases. These guest modules will be supplemented by panel discussions (with outreach and research professionals from Penn State) on science engagement in different settings (e.g., museums, extension meetings, public science lectures, K-12 classrooms, etc.), disseminating research via social media, and creating and integrating research-related outreach into broader impact statements for grant proposals. The design of student outreach projects will provide a unifying thread throughout the semester, as students work in small groups to create, refine, and implement unique outreach activities following best practices outlined in lectures and panel discussions. Students will be encouraged to choose topics outside of their normal studies, expanding their ability to communicate science with which they are less familiar. Students will have multiple opportunities to both receive feedback from their peers and instructors and offer feedback on their peers¿ projects. Students will exhibit their activities at an event, and in doing so, practice the communication and engagement skills they developed throughout the semester. Through this process, students will gain experience disseminating science, as well as confidence in their ability to accomplish successful science outreach. Afterward, students will evaluate and reflect on their experience and use this self-evaluation to refine their activities for future use.