Citizen science in educational settings and outreach activities

2. Communication and engagement in citizen science

This module equips learners with strategies for designing and executing communication and engagement activities in CS projects. It underscores the importance of such activities in enhancing data quality, motivating learners, and raising public awareness about CS. The module delves into the creation of effective communication plans, including identifying project aims, engagement levels, and target audiences, and utilizing diverse tactics like digital storytelling and gamification. Learners are taught how to design compelling stories to clearly convey project objectives and processes, fostering a strong sense of community and stakeholder connection.

Module description:

What?	How?	Why?
What makes communication and engagement with learners in CS crucial?	Elaborating on three potential outcomes of communication and engagement in CS projects: Enhanced data quality and reliability, Motivation and retention, and Public awareness and impact	Explaining the key take-aways to the learners: Effective communication and engagement ensures common understanding of goals, methods, and process, while also building a sense of community
Building blocks of a communication plan	Describing the six building blocks of a CS communication plan: Determine project aims, Define the level of engagement, Specify the target audience, Understand audience motivations, Engage in various ways, and Evaluate and improve the materials	Allowing learners to contemplate the six building clocks in a communication plan
Tactics and tools for communicating with learners, stakeholders, and the public	Introducing tactics and tools for communication: Existing networks, Fun and enjoyable experiences, Social media, Digital storytelling, Gamification, and Project ambassadors	Enabling learners to contemplate different tactics and tools for communication
Elements of a good story	Using storytelling (incl. Digital storytelling) to explain expectations, purpose, and skills in a project. Elements of a good story: Structure, character, setting, authenticity, accessible language, and message	Enabling learners to use basic storytelling techniques to communicate their project

Slide (available in slide deck)