TEACHING SCIENCE COMMUNICATION TO SCIENCE STUDENTS

The skills required to effectively communicate disciplinary science knowledge to public audiences are not explicitly taught as part of all undergraduate science degrees, and yet the importance of clear and effective science communication has arguably never been greater. This workshop will provide foundational strategies and techniques to support science educators to teach effective and engaging science communication to undergraduate and postgraduate students. It will highlight perspectives from practice, research and teaching to provide a framework for science educators who wish to incorporate science communication activities or assessments as part of their regular courses or to develop dedicated science communication courses

SHARING SCIENCE THROUGH FREE AND OPEN ELECTRONIC LABORATORY NOTEBOOKS – A GITHUB CASESTUDY

Electronic laboratory notebooks (ELN) are widely used in industry due to the many advantages offered including version-control, security and shareability. For over five years, through the Breaking Good Initiative (https://www.breakinggoodproject.com), we have been working with high school students and undergraduates across three continents and involving young people in a crowdsourced citizen science project where they make molecules that matter. One of the key challenges for the project has been finding a single appropriate platform that enables students to both share results and data, and talk to members of the open source community. For years we successfully used the open source LabTrove platform for research and crowdsourced projects (Badiola et al., 2014) and have used LabArchives for several years within our teaching and research at the University of Sydney. We now report our experiences using GitHub, a web-based platform originally developed for coders that enables version control (https://github.com). In this talk we will describe the use of GitHub as an open ELN and discussion platform that enables researchers, students and citizen scientists to collaborate in real time, and discuss how this platform can be used as a tool to enhance the learning experience for students in both formal and informal settings. REFERENCES Badiola, K.A., Bird, C., Brocklesby, W.S., Casson, J., Chapman, R.T., Coles, S.J., Cronshaw, J.R., Fisher, A., Grey, J.G., Gloria, D., Grossel, M.C., Hibbert, D.B., Knight, N., Mapp, L.K., Marazzi, L., Matthews, B., Milsted, A., Minns, R.S., Mueller, K.T., Murphey, K., Parkinson, T., Quinnell, R., Robinson, J.S., Robertson, M.N., Robins, M., Springate, E., Tizzard, G., Tood M.H., Williamson, A.E., Willoughby, C., Yang, E., & Yliojia, P.M. (2014). Experiences with a researcher-centric ELN. Chemical Science, 2015(6), 1614-1629

LESSONS FOR SCIENCE EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION FROM MUSEOLOGY

Science communication has much in common with museology. By looking at what each field is trying to achieve rather than its main focus, common goals start to emerge such as fostering communities, raising literacy and encouraging the sharing and creating of knowledge. When teaching science students to communicate their discipline, it is of paramount importance to instil the importance of ethical science communication. This is a growing area of the field that has much to learn from museology, a discipline that has long strived to meet a strong ethical and moral function (Medvecky & Leach, 2019). In this talk I will explain this foundational idea of my PhD, based on previous research and experience as a science communicator within a museum. As science communicators, we can use the framework sitting within museums to support our practice and work out how to have social impact, as well as educational impact. We can understand more about how to shift behaviours and attitudes towards science through our communication efforts, contributing to a more engaged and scientifically literate community. This will help build a foundation for educators to imbed ethical and actionable science communication skills in students

BUILDING INCLUSIVITY IN SCIENCE COMMUNICATION THROUGH MULTIPLE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES

The development of science communication practice is often driven by the evolving needs and embedded values of a specific culture or country (Davies & Horst 2016). These differing perspectives are lost when we focus on Western histories of science and science communication. In the literature, and often in practice, this has resulted in the exclusion of non-Western and Indigenous histories of communicating scientific knowledge (Orthia, 2020). Similarly, science syllabi often privilege Western histories of science, with narratives of white male scientists dominating science history (Pringle & McLaughlin, 2014). These narratives are neither representative of the rich history of science nor the diversity of the student cohorts. Incorporating science history into curriculums can improve student engagement and understanding of concepts (Olsson et al., 2015), highlighting the importance of representing diverse histories. This presentation will explore multiple histories of science communication, including Western, non-Western, and Indigenous histories. It will challenge the ‘deficit to dialogue’ rhetoric by highlighting the broad landscape of science communication in Australia and globally. Finally, it will suggest some ways to broaden histories of science communication and acknowledge those that have been excluded in order to build towards a more inclusive future of science education and communication. REFERENCES Davies, S. R., & Horst, M. (2016). Science Communication. Palgrave Macmillan UK. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-50366-4 Olsson, K. A., Balgopal, M. M., & Levinger, N. E. (2015). How Did We Get Here? Teaching Chemistry with a Historical Perspective. Journal of Chemical Education, 92(11), 1773–1776. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed5005239 Orthia, L. (2020). Strategies for including communication of non-Western and indigenous knowledges in science communication histories. Journal of Science Communication, 19(2), A02. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.19020202 Pringle, R. M., & McLaughlin, C. A. (2014). Preparing Science Teachers for Diversity: Integrating the Contributions of Scientists from Underrepresented Groups in the Middle School Science Curriculum. In M. M. Atwater, M. Russell, & M. B. Butler (Eds.), Multicultural Science Education: Preparing Teachers for Equity and Social Justice (pp. 193–208). Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7651-7_1

LEARNING ORGANIC CHEMISTRY REMOTELY: METHODS TO REDUCE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN EXPERTS AND STUDENTS

Australia has a high distance chemistry education enrolment due to its disparate population (Dalgarno, Bishop, & Bedgood, 2012). While distance education provides extensive opportunities for students to develop theoretical knowledge, there are challenges in teaching organic chemistry remotely due to its emphasis on laboratory-based skills and assessments (Neeland 2007; Rhodes 2010). Here we report on a two-stage research project to explore how distance chemistry education is conducted and perceived: 1) a review of learning theory and methods used for contemporary distance chemistry education; 2) a survey of high school science teachers across school archetypes regarding available resources, and teacher perspectives of successful approaches in science education. Informed by the results of our research, we will develop instructional resources to improve distance teaching of practical chemistry skills. Our initial findings suggest that distance teaching methods employed, are highly dependent on the classroom or home environment and resources available. In this talk, we will share results from both stages of our research project. We will then map out our plans for resource development to enhance distance learning in practical chemistry for school students, undergraduates and citizens. This research is being completed in partnership with the Breaking Good citizen science project (Motion, 2020). REFERENCES Dalgarno, B., Bishop, A. G., and Bedgood, D. R. (2012). The Potential of Virtual Laboratories for Distance Education Science Teaching: Reflections from the Development and Evaluation of a Virtual Chemistry Laboratory. UniServe Science Improving Learning Outcomes Symposium Proceedings (pp. 90-95). Uniserve Science, University of Sydney. Motion, A. “Breaking Good.” Breaking Good. Retrieved June 19, 2020, from (https://www.breakinggoodproject.com). Neeland, E. (2007). A One-Hour Practical Lab Exam for Organic Chemistry. Journal of Chemical Education 84(9), 1453. Rhodes, M. (2010). A Laboratory Practical Exam for High School Chemistry. Journal of Chemical Education 87(6), 613–15

TEACHING CHEMISTRY UNDERGRADUATES TO SHARE THEIR SCIENCE WITH THE PUBLIC

The ability to communicate scientific concepts and new research to public audiences is a key skill for science graduates. Among the extensive science communication literature; chemistry as a discipline is underexplored and relatively few pedagogical examples of chemistry communication are found in the chemistry education literature. The current literature on chemistry communication in educational contexts was analysed to explore different pedagogical methods used by educators to teach chemistry communication to their students, and to highlight areas that invite further investigation. In this presentation, we will share insights from our review, including effective methods for teaching chemistry communication to students. Examples of teaching activities across different media of chemistry communication will also be explored, including visual, auditory, tactile, informal writing, social media, outreach activities, gamification and mixed media. Ultimately, we will build on this review to help chemical educators design better learning experiences for undergraduates and empower them to share our science effectively in informal settings

TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS TO EMPOWER STUDENTS WHO ARE BLIND OR LOW VISION AS INDEPENDENT LEARNERS IN THE CHEMISTRY LABORATORY

In June 1994, representatives of governments and international organisations around the globe ratified the ‘Salamanca Statement on Principles Policy and Practice in Special Needs Education’ (UNESCO, 1994). This rights-based focus on inclusive learning furthered the goals of Education for All (World Conference on Education for All: Meeting Basic Learning Needs, 1990) of providing quality basic education for all children, youths and adults. Today, the importance of inclusion of people with disabilities within education continues to be recognised in the international community and is explicitly mentioned in the targets of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (United Nations). While emerging evidence indicates an increase in the number of students with disabilities enrolling into science, technology, engineering and mathematics, this population is still underrepresented as a result of technological and attitudinal barriers. At the School of Chemistry, at The University of Sydney, we are aiming to build an inclusive learning environment for all. This paper will discuss the advanced technological developments over the last ten years which have helped students who are blind or low vision (BLV) to work independently in the Chemistry laboratory (Devi et al., 2021). This paper will also highlight our future endeavours to further enhance the laboratory learning experience of BLV students. REFERENCES Devi, P., Motion, A., Bhattacharya, J., Supalo, A. C & Schmid, S. (2021) Unpublished results, The University of Sydney. United Nations. Sustainable Development Goals and Disability. Retrieved June 6, 2021 from https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/about-us/sustainable-development-goals-sdgs-and-disability.html. UNESCO (1994). The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education, World Conference on Special Needs Education: Access and Quality, Salamanca, Spain, 7- 10 June. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000098427. World Conference on Education for All: Meeting Basic Learning Needs, (1990). World declaration on education for all and framework for action to meet basic learning needs adopted by the World Conference on Education for All: Meeting Basic Learning Needs, Jomtien, Thailand, 5-9 March 1990. https://bangkok.unesco.org/sites/default/files/assets/ECCE/JomtienDeclaration.pd

BENEFITS AND BARRIERS OF ONLINE SCIENCE ENGAGEMENT: AUDIENCE AND PRESENTER EXPERIENCES OF 2020 NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK

Online engagement has unique benefits and challenges compared to face-to-face delivery, and requires a different approach and design considerations to take advantage of its different capabilities (Roddy et al., 2017). To reap the potential benefits of online engagement, there is a need to understand what the challenges of digital platforms are, and how they can be used to the best of their ability. Building on preliminary data presented at ACSME 2020 (McRae et al., 2020), this work presents additional analysis from interviews with 17 presenters and 22 audience members from 2020 National Science Week. The data from our study provide insights into best practice for online delivery of science education and outreach and highlight challenges within this format. We discuss how to enhance benefits such as the ease and flexibility provided by the online environment, and new interaction or production modes enabled by the online format. We also explore the barriers associated with the learning curve of new platforms, and more abstract issues such as the sense that online engagement is “missing something” compared to face-to-face delivery. Through the lenses of benefits and barriers of online engagement, we explore implications for educators and communicators working in the online environment. REFERENCES McRae, O. F., Downing, E., Motion, A., O’Reilly, C., & Pullen, R. (2020). A new ecosystem of online science: Online events as a tool for public engagement in science. Proceedings of The Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education, 0(0), 56. Roddy, C., Amiet, D. L., Chung, J., Holt, C., Shaw, L., McKenzie, S., Garivaldis, F., Lodge, J. M., & Mundy, M. E. (2017). Applying Best Practice Online Learning, Teaching, and Support to Intensive Online Environments: An Integrative Review. Frontiers in Education, 2. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2017.0005

Inclusion of students who are blind or low vision in chemistry

In the School of Chemistry of The University of Sydney we aim to build an inclusive culture for all our staff and students. We have embraced changes in the undergraduate curriculum that offer diverse pathways for science students. In first-year chemistry, approximately half of all contact hours are spent in the chemistry laboratory. Laboratory work is particularly challenging for students who are blind or low vision. Historically, these students have worked with laboratory assistants that performed the experiments and informed them of the results and observations. While this allows students to adequately meet the requirements of the degree, it is not a satisfactory arrangement for them and restricts their learning potential in the laboratory. While the number of students with disabilities enrolling into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) continues to increase, they are still underrepresented as a result of technological and attitudinal barriers. This project aims to empower blind and low vision students to be in command of their own learning, with wide-ranging beneficial effects of improving their self-efficacy, self-confidence, and laboratory skills, and building a highly inclusive learning culture. According to the World Blind Union, there are more than 285,000,000 blind and visionally impaired persons around the world today. In this presentation we will discuss advanced technological developments (Supalo et al., 2016) that will help blind or low vision students to work independently in the Chemistry laboratory (Devi et al., 2023), including the use of commercially available talking scientific data loggers and braille embosser technologies to assist with data collection and analysis tasks. We aim to create a blueprint for other Schools in our own institution and beyond, and lead strategies in inclusive higher education for Australia. We have already mapped out a complete set of experiments that can be adapted, so that students who are blind or have low vision can carry them out independently. This presentation will discuss those experiments and our strategies towards implementing the whole laboratory program. REFERENCES Devi, P., Motion, A.,  Bhattacharya, J., Supalo, A. C., & Schmid, S. (2023) Unpublished results, The University of Sydney. Supalo, C. A., Humphrey, J. R., Mallouk, T. E., Wohlers, H. D., & Carlsen, W. S. (2016). Examining the use of adaptive technologies to increase the hands-on participation of students with blindness or low vision in secondary-school chemistry and physics. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 17(4), 1174-1189

Attitudes and motivations for studying STEM courses and pursuing a STEM career

Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is responsible for the great innovations that make our world a better place to live. Studies in the US have revealed that advancements in STEM have accounted for more than half of economic growth in the later part of the 20th century (Jobs for the Future, 2005). Despite the considerable research interest, an insight into student choices and influences primarily has focused on a single underlying factor (Tyson, Lee, Borman, & Hanson, 2007). Using the theoretical framework of self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977), the current research took a holistic approach of students’ motivations and career aspirations in the STEM field. This was achieved by investigating if tertiary educational experiences, socioeconomic and cultural background influenced students’ motivation and career aspirations in STEM. Surveys were administered to first and final year STEM students (N=1200) at an Australian university that measured students’ general self-efficacy, subject specific self-efficacy, career aspiration, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds while further insight of their motivations and career goals were sought with one-on-one interviews (N=15). Analysis of the survey data indicates students’ high school subject experiences and parental guidance influenced their initial choice in studying a STEM course at university. Furthermore, interviews revealed the important role academics play in motivating students to continue studying a STEM course and pursuing a STEM related career