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

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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

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

Laura Vatta,

winner 2005

Finalists of 2006

Deshnie Govender,

winner 2006

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

SAASTA Schools Debates

Winners, 2008

John Hobson, SA Science Lens 2007

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

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Non-scientific community

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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

John Hobson, SA Science Lens 2007

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: roosi@saasta.ac.za

– Retha Claasen-VeldsmanSAASTATel: 27 12 392 9374E-mail: retha@saasta.ac.za

A business unit of the National Research Foundation