Creative Discovery Project: Developing Accurate & Accessible Science Communication
Summary
The aim of this project is for students to gain experience in communicating scientific evidence to a
public audience. For example, how is it that science journalists, museum experts, podcasters, and documentarians educate the public about scientific discoveries in an engaging but also
accurate way? To learn how to do this, you will be creating your own media-based presentation or product -- a Creative Discovery Project -- that reflects the key points outlined in the
introduction documents.
This project is forward-thinking. Instead of using this as a critique of the past, or of how other people are conveying science, this is YOUR opportunity to show how to do it better. In doing so,
you will frame your explanation of the science without falling into fallacies. Personal perspectives are not what we are looking for here. We are crafting stories based firmly in scientific evidence. However we do invite an open consideration of your chosen audience, and consideration of accessibility through Universal Design for Learning, throughout the project.
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Context
Audience
Undergraduate majors or non-majors course in evolutionary biology, human biological variation, paleontology, introductory geology for non-majors, and more.
Skills and concepts that students must have mastered
This project is open to all students, although they will benefit from prior experience with:
-Producing pieces of media using technology such as video software or PowerPoint
-Engaging with scientific journal articles
-General awareness of concepts of evolution up to high school biology content
How the activity is situated in the course
This is a six-week, culminating project designed to be run in six lab or discussion sections, or across six lecture/class periods.
Goals
Content/concepts goals for this activity
Students will:
-Find and read original peer-reviewed scientific literature
-Extract information from original peer-reviewed scientific literature and translate this into a format appropriate for a piece of science communication
-Design a piece of science communication with a specific audience and accessibility in mind, through Universal Design for Learning
-Provide constructive feedback through peer review
-Hone their teamwork skills
Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity
Students will:
-Synthesize academic concepts into a format that is accessible for a broad audience, including accessible features such as closed captioning, alt text, colorblind-friendly palettes, and more
-Critically evaluate scientific evidence and communicate that evidence to a broad audience of the student's choice
-Create a new piece of science communication, and work in a team to do so
-Implement solutions to lack of access to science information by critically considering community and accessibility while communicating accurate science
Other skills goals for this activity
-Working in groups as a team, including formative checks and peer-review of products in a low-stakes setting
-Searching academic databases for academic literature, understanding both copyright and bias
-Writing and developing storyboards for a science communication piece such as a video, podcast, social media posting, booklet, or other form of media
Description and Teaching Materials
Creative Discovery Project: Developing Accurate & Accessible Science Communication
Developed and Designed by Professor Leslea Hlusko,
with Dr Taormina Lepore and Dr Peter Kloess for the University of California Berkeley's course IB35AC Human Biological Variation, Fall 2020.
The materials in this folder represent the framework for a discovery-based-learning project in science communication. Over the course of approximately 6 weeks, students learn how to:
Find and read original peer-reviewed scientific literature
Extract information from original peer-reviewed scientific literature and translate this into a format appropriate for a piece of science communication
Design a piece of science communication with a specific audience and accessibility in mind
Provide constructive feedback
Hone their teamwork skills
List of Documents Included in the Project:
Introductory Document and Table of Contents - Start Here! (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 16kB Jan31 25)
1 - Assignment - Four Forms of SciComm (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 20kB Jan31 25)
2_Main Lecture_The_Sci_Comm_Project.docx (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 23kB Jan31 25)
2a - Copyright and Fair Use (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 16kB Jan31 25)
2b - Assignment - Adobe Spark - How to Make A Spark (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 22kB Jan31 25)
3_Discussion_1_Science_Communication.docx (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 28kB Jan31 25)
3a_Primary_Literature_Assignment.docx (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 17kB Jan31 25)
4_Discussion_2_Primary_Literature_to_Target_Audience.docx (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 25kB Jan31 25)
4a_Project_Expectations.docx (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 25kB Jan31 25)
4b_Project_Rubric.docx (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 18kB Jan31 25)
4c_Teamwork_Best_Practices.docx (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 20kB Jan31 25)
5_Discussion_3_Creating_a_Narrative.docx (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 21kB Jan31 25)
6_Discussion_4_Teamwork.docx (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 21kB Jan31 25)
7_Discussion_5_Peer_Review.docx (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 21kB Jan31 25)
8_Discussion_6_Final_Presentations.docx (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 18kB Jan31 25)
9_Final Essay Prompt.docx (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 15kB Jan31 25)
Instructors: Note that the material references several specific links and a common book reading of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. We encourage you to modify the materials as needed for your course topic and timing.
©Leslea J. Hlusko, 2020
This content is protected and may not be shared, uploaded or distributed without proper credit attributed.
Teaching Notes and Tips
We encourage instructors to expand or trim the number of discussion sections or class sections as needed. The Adobe Spark exercise is optional, and the reading of the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot may be substituted for any book or engagement material of the instructor's choice. We also encourage student choice and flexibility in the development process, especially through Universal Design for Learning concepts.
Assessment
Students will produce formative checks along the way to project completion. The instructions for this and for the final science communication piece are provided in file 4a and 4b, which includes detailed instructions and a final assignment rubric.
References and Resources
The major resource for this assignment is the UDL CAST Guidelines:
https://udlguidelines.cast.org/
We also provide several links specific to the science communication project when the topic is related to human evolution and the social construct of race:
1. Infographic: Great Apes Conservation
2. Newspaper article: New York Times: Fossils Found in Spain Seen as Last Link to Great Apes
3. Podcast: Science Friday: Fossil Jaw Turns Back Clock on Human Evolution
4. Popular science communication: John Oliver (The Daily Show) and ape evolution/orangutans
[Instructor note: Any popular science communication will work well for item 4, if this link is not available. Modify items as relevant.]