Imagine going to a geology lecture and hearing something like “This zenolith is an aggregate of rocks formed as slow-cooling crystals at great depth and brought to the surface by impact or volcanic eruption. When silica content is low in plutonic magma, a cyanide-like rock is likely to be formed, thus producing a feldspathoid . . .”*
When science communication is rooted in highly specific scientific jargon, most people can’t understand what is being communicated. In a world defined by rapidly evolving technology but also awash with misinformation, communicating science effectively is more important than ever.
Angel Kaur, associate professor of neuroscience, has taught a course in effective science communication to first-year students at UNC Asheville since fall 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she observed how a lack of clear and engaging science communication led to misinformation and confusion among audiences worldwide, especially in the U.S.
“I proposed the Science Communication course in Spring 2020 before the pandemic had hit,” said Kaur. “I have been engaging students in science communication work in my courses since 2016 through class projects. Students were tasked with creating audio or video podcasts as a final project in many of the classes. This was a topic I had building expertise in for some time.”
The primary goal of the course is to convey to students that the presentation of scientific information is just as important as the information being presented. Like many courses Kaur teaches, this one follows a team-based learning model, an instructional strategy that makes use of intentionally designed student teams to promote greater engagement and learning.
“The model leverages peer-to-peer learning in a very impactful way and gives students a chance to build learning communities, which can improve their overall experience with the course and college in general,” said Kaur. “This is particularly important for a first-year seminar.”
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