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• Date of publication Dec 16, 2016 Category: Commentary

  Communication as intermediation for socio-technical innovation

  by Cees Leeuwis , Noelle Aarts

  The academic interest in 'science and technology communication' has evolved from different societal domains and fields of application, giving rise to different scholarly traditions. This contribution introduces current issues and agendas in a field that has its origin at the interface of (agricultural) innovation studies, rural development sociology and the communication sciences. The paper starts with a brief sketch of the history of the field. When compared to earlier approaches, current thinking about 'communication, innovation and development' pays greater attention to limitations in the potential of orchestrating change and innovation in pre-planned directions, and to political and institutional dimensions of both communication and innovation. In relation to this, new lines of questioning are discussed. The article ends with a reflection on the usefulness of the thinking from different historical periods today. It is argued that approaches to science and technology communication need to be matched with the level of complexity of the issue at hand.

  Volume 15 • Issue 06 • 2016

• Date of publication Sep 21, 2016 Category: Commentary

  Communicating science: trust and the new media ecology

  by

  Science communication and the issue of trust

  by Peter Weingart and Lars Guenther

  Mediated trust in science: concept, measurement and perspectives for the `science of science communication'

  by Mike S. Schäfer

  Trust in technologies? Science after de-professionalization

  by Sascha Dickel

  Misunderstanding trust in science: a critique of the traditional discourse on science communication

  by Matthias Kohring

  Volume 15 • Issue 05 • 2016

• Date of publication Sep 21, 2016 Category: Commentary

  Trust in technologies? Science after de-professionalization

  by Sascha Dickel

  Peter Weingart and Lars Guenther suggest that the public's trust in science has become endangered due to a new ecology of science communication. An implicit theoretical base of their argument is that the integrity of science as an institution depends on the integrity of science as a profession. My comment aims to reconstruct and question this specific institutional understanding of science. I argue that rust in technologies of knowledge production might be a potential equivalent to trust in professions.

  Volume 15 • Issue 05 • 2016

• Date of publication Sep 21, 2016 Category: Commentary

  Misunderstanding trust in science: a critique of the traditional discourse on science communication

  by Matthias Kohring

  Peter Weingart and Lars Guenther have written a short but nevertheless comprehensive stock-taking of science communication and the issue of trust. I fully agree with almost all of their theoretical and critical observations. My aim is to critically discuss the understanding of trust as expressed in the traditional discourse on science communication. From my point of view, this concept of trust in science reveals severe shortcomings. As a consequence, communication strategies following this concept could even jeopardize trust in science.

  Volume 15 • Issue 05 • 2016

• Date of publication Sep 21, 2016 Category: Commentary

  Mediated trust in science: concept, measurement and perspectives for the `science of science communication'

  by Mike S. Schäfer

  Trust in science is, to a considerable extent, the outcome of communication. News and online media in particular are important mediators of trust in science. So far, however, conceptual works on mediated trust in science are lacking. Taking a cue from Weingart & Guenther, this commentary proposes a concept of mediated trust in science and for its measurement, and shows where it could be used in the science of science communication.

  Volume 15 • Issue 05 • 2016

• Date of publication Sep 21, 2016 Category: Commentary

  Science communication and the issue of trust

  by Peter Weingart , Lars Guenther

  Science communication, whether internally or to the general public depends on trust, both trust in the source and trust in the medium of communication. With the new 'ecology of communication' this trust is endangered. On the one hand the very term of science communication has been captured by many different actors (e.g., governments, PR experts, universities and research institutions, science journalists, and bloggers) apart from scientists themselves to whom science communication means different things and whose communication is tainted by special interests. Some of these actors are probably more trusted by the general public than others. On the other hand, the channels that are used to communicate science are also not trusted equally. Particularly the widespread use of social media raises doubts about the credibility of the communication spread through them.

  Volume 15 • Issue 05 • 2016

• Date of publication Jun 22, 2016 Category: Commentary

  Continuing professional development: evolution, complexity and variety in science communication training needs

  by Paola Rodari

  This commentary seeks to spark further discussion on the continuing professional development in science communication, presenting comments from practitioners who were asked to reflect on the competences and skills their profession requires, and to envisage what kind of training might provide them. This introduction presents some common issues that emerge within the comments: the necessity to face rapidly evolving professional landscapes, to answer to new missions and roles, to consider the growing impact and potential of new technologies. Alternative training methods are also discussed.

  How training can fix the existential crisis in science journalism

  by Andy Ridgway

  "Bird of another feather": re-envisioning professional development for museum learning experts

  by Maria Xanthoudaki

  Developing narrative exhibitions and science centres. Training needs of exhibition designers

  by Peter Higgins

  Talk on the wide side: professional development for wildlife and science filmmakers

  by Louis Nadelson and Ru Mahoney

  The Cheshire explainer. Musings about the training of explainers

  by Antonio Gomes da Costa

  Continuing professional development in the largest scientific laboratory in the world: perspectives and needs for a science communicator @ CERN

  by Paola Catapano

  Volume 15 • Issue 04 • 2016

• Date of publication Jun 22, 2016 Category: Commentary

  Talk on the wide side: professional development for wildlife and science filmmakers

  by Louis Nadelson , Ru Mahoney

  Science and wildlife films are very common and widely viewed. Yet, most of the makers of these films have entered the profession because of their knowledge or interest in science and wildlife. Given the potential for a rather circuitous route to the profession many filmmakers benefit tremendously from engagement in professional development. We have detailed the professional development needs of novice and expert science and wildlife filmmakers ranging from keeping current with technology to consideration of engaging audiences beyond the viewing. We have also addressed gaps in the current knowledge of the professional development of these filmmakers and how film festivals may be structured to meet the ongoing educational needs of these professionals.

  Volume 15 • Issue 04 • 2016

• Date of publication Jun 22, 2016 Category: Commentary

  "Bird of another feather": re-envisioning professional development for museum learning experts

  by Maria Xanthoudaki

  The article draws on the case study of the European In-service training course ‘School and Science Museum: Cooperation for Improving Teaching, Learning and Discovering’ aiming to offer insights into the training of educators in museums. It discusses training and contributes suggestions in the context of the contemporary museum context as well as approaches to visitors' learning.

  Volume 15 • Issue 04 • 2016

• Date of publication Jun 22, 2016 Category: Commentary

  Developing narrative exhibitions and science centres. Training needs of exhibition designers

  by Peter Higgins

  In respect of the different modes of science communication including journalism, radio, online, I would propose that the process of making exhibitions and centres dedicated to science & technology is one of the hardest creative typologies. It also provides a very different type of engagement to other modes, in that it works in real time and space with real tangible objects and responsive media. The power of the real is also extended through the direct and collective involvement of people, providing a refreshing antidote to the potential alienating nature of social media and the ever-growing obsession with the virtual. In this paper I will discuss the skills required by a designer in order to solve the challenges contained within the client brief (the project document provided by the client), and therefore the skills a proper exhibition designer training programme should deliver.

  Volume 15 • Issue 04 • 2016