Science
Empowering science students’ communication skills with economic impact
Bita Zeferanloo
Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology
Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology
This project looks at one of the assessments in the “communication for scientists” unit in the School of Science which is aligned with the lecture: Pitch it Clever and the relevant authentic activities in the tutorial class. Science students will be supported to submit to submit 2 minute video pitching their STEM idea with economic impact, linked with our industrial partner Insurance Australia Group (IAG) vision. This assessment will improve students’ communication skills as an entrepreneur via digital literacy to be ready for their future career.
Resources
Swinburne only resources:
About the project (Spark Page)
Adobe Rush Workshop: "Storytelling with Adobe Rush"
Findings
This project aims to support science students who have had little or no experience in science communication or business creation.
• Industry engagement in this unit: Introducing IAG and their vision - Insurance Australia Group
• Collaborating with IAG: Sharing relevant lecture, authentic tutorial activities and re-design the assessment/rubric: STEM idea with economic impact
• Critically reflecting on ONE real-world challenge by science students: 143 science students (act on real-world problem as global citizen)
• Create 2 minute video of the innovative STEM solution for IAG: Above 90% of students have submitted the assessment that required new digital literacies and communication skills with commercial impact (which was new learning experiences/activities for science students)
• Positive feedback and further mentoring of our science students with the passion and innovative STEM idea with economic impact: GLASS is an example of students’ group work in this unit – they have submitted individual video for their assessment (please follow the comment below from our guest speaker and entrepreneur from IAG):
“I love it!!
This is an area of personal passion for me. I believe personal data sovereignty could provide a market-mechanism for Universal Basic Income. All other mechanisms are tax-funded. I have had correspondence about this idea with Professor Simon Duncan at U Melbourne about this. He would be an excellent local mentor for the team. Also IAGs Academic Director, Professor Viniek Dixit has an interest in the domain.
Well done to your students.”