Comms Pathway

This is where we are standing up a strategy & design plan for communications skills-building. Our initial focus is on Mentors, but we are thinking inclusively about the needs and capacity of the entire Openscapes community.

PURPOSE:
Mentors have requested skills-building. A haphazard approach introduces more cognitive load without providing clarity about why it's worth doing. This wastes energy and undermines enthusiasm. Comms skills are hard enough to acquire - we need all the clarity and dedication we can get.

OBJECTIVES:
a visible scaffolding that shows how each skill and concept fits into the whole and supports learners at any point in their own development, and in whatever domain they're drawn to first.

Collaborators on this project

Liz Neeley (lead) + Julie Lowndes

The problem

We want to build out a thoughtful program for support self-guided and mediated communication skills development. We need to help people figure out where to start, what to focus on, and in which order.

Background reading

• Coletti, A. et al. (2023) ‘Examining Oral Communication Skills in Communication Training Programs for STEM Professionals: A Systematic Quantitative Literature Review’, Science Communication, 45(6), pp. 693–723. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/10755470231202773.
• Lewenstein, B.V. and Baram-Tsabari, A. (2022) ‘How should we organize science communication trainings to achieve competencies?’, International Journal of Science Education, Part B, 12(4), pp. 289–308. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2022.2136985.
• Ho, S.S., Goh, T.J. and Chuah, A.S.F. (2022) ‘Perceived behavioral control as a moderator: Scientists’ attitude, norms, and willingness to engage the public’, PLOS ONE. Edited by J. Wang, 17(10), p. e0275643. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0275643.
• Fähnrich, B. et al. (2021) ‘RETHINKING Science Communication Education and Training: Towards a Competence Model for Science Communication’, Frontiers in Communication, 6. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2021.795198.
• Dudo, A., Besley, J.C. and Yuan, S. (2020) ‘Science Communication Training in North America: Preparing Whom to Do What With What Effect?’, Science Communication, p. 107554702096013. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/1075547020960138.
• Baram-Tsabari, A. and Lewenstein, B.V. (2017) ‘Science communication training: what are we trying to teach?’, International Journal of Science Education, Part B, 7(3), pp. 285–300. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2017.1303756.