| CODE | GSC5507 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Ocean Science Communication | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Geosciences | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit will introduce students to the importance of education, outreach, and the broader impact of ocean sciences research. It helps students develop their communication skills at various outreach platforms: conducting radio and TV interviews, article-writing, stage performance and presentations, social media principles, and best practice. The design of adequate questionnaires and use of digital arts are explained. The study-unit showcases the success stories of citizen science campaigns. The study-unit includes site visits to suitable science communication venues (such as Esplora, Aquarium and Museums) to introduce the students to different styles of ocean communication, and the best current practices in Malta. Study-Unit Aims: This study-unit aims to create a generation of future oceanographers who understand the importance of outreach in parallel with the rest of their research. Students learn to write concisely, storyboard their presentation, design slides to accompany their delivery, present effectively and employ narrative to engage with multiple audiences. The ultimate aim of this study-unit is to prepare students to later effectively communicate their project during their dissertation public seminar/conference, constructively reply to technical questions during their VIVA, present better the work and findings in their thesis, and improve skills in publishing their research. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Identify the salient points to communicate an ocean phenomenon to a non-technical and technical audience through creative writing, interviews, presentations and posters; - Plan a technical and a dissemination presentation; - Demonstrate skills in delivering a presentation within the given time constraints and engage with an audience both during the actual presentation and during the answering of questions; - Write an article for a magazine and a newspaper about an oceanographic research topic. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Perform engaging ocean talks through the development of public speaking skills; - Organize the material of the presentation in the form of an academic and a dissemination poster; - Write an article for various media using a creative approach; - Develop interviewing skills. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Bowater, L. and Yeoman, K. 2013. Science Communication: A Practical Guide For Scientists. Sussex: John Wiley & Sons. - Bennett, D.J. and Jennings, R.C. 2011. Eds. Successful Science Communication: Telling It Like It Is. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Supplementary Readings: - Patricia G. Patrick (Ed),(2017) Preparing Informal Science Educators: perspectives from science communication and education. Springer International Publishing. - Hilliard R. L, (2015) Writing for Television, Radio and New Media, Cengage Learning,USA. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Fieldwork, Independent Study & Seminar | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Alan Deidun Edward Duca Danielle Martine Farrugia Anthony Galea |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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