Engagement for digital native storytellers – Making students the science communicators

Author: Kaitlyn Martin – Centre for Science Communication, University of Otago, New Zealand

Co-authors:
Lloyd Davis – Centre for Science Communication, University of Otago
Susan Sandretto – College of Education, University of Otago

Students around the world are losing their passion for science, and they’re losing it at school. Like many countries who do not require science in every year of schooling, New Zealand only requires science to be taken up to Year 10 (of 13) in high school. After this, students must actively choose to stay in science classes or drop the subject – forever. In order to engage students before they choose to stay or leave science, we are testing a new type of initiative in Otago that brings communication into the science classroom. We know that our current adolescents are digital native storytellers – accustomed to curating their lives with photos, videos, and stories on social media. In this project, students become the science communicators as they create their own science films on common mobile devices. Does the process of planning, filming, editing, and presenting their own science films engage students in an untapped learning experience? We hypothesize that through making their own science films, students will become more actively engaged in the interpreation, understanding, and presentation of scientific information which could affect their choice to stay in science.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Show, tell and talk
Theme: Stories
Area of interest: Investigating science communication practices