12 February 2024
Transforming science communication pedagogy in the age of AI
2pm (CET), Wednesday 22 May 2024
From writing science news stories, to visualising data, generative AI is transforming science communication practice. This transformation is raising questions about the skills we need to teach for our students to thrive in the world of generative AI and creating challenges in how we assess them.
In this online webinar, we will reflect on these issues and consider how science communication teaching needs to adapt with the advent of powerful tools such as ChatGPT and how our assessments need to change to ensure they remain effective. Taking some of the earliest examples of science communication practice that have changed given the affordances of AI technology, we will discuss five key themes:
- What should we teach our students about AI – are there specific techniques and approaches to using AI tools they should be aware of?
- What are the key AI technologies students are likely to encounter and need to be equipped to use in the workplace?
- What skills do we need to teach students to compete with generative AI? In other words, how can we future proof our students so they will have marketable skills as AI continues to advance?
- How can our assessments adapt so they remain effective given the growing abilities of generative AI? Also, do our assessments need to incorporate and test AI competencies?
- How can we develop competencies for using AI in more ethical ways and what are the key considerations for doing so in science communication?
We invite speakers to share their experiences of teaching AI techniques relevant to science communication, their knowledge of how science communication practice is changing in the face of AI and their experiences (both good and bad) of assessing students at the dawn of the AI age. Within the session we are seeking to hear from speakers who can provide perspectives on how AI helps with different forms of science communication practice, whether it’s written, visual, spoken or any other form. We are also inviting perspectives on the implications of AI for inclusivity in the context of science communication.
Submission process
If you would like to contribute to the webinar as a speaker, please complete the online form before 5pm (CET) on 26 February 2024. We will then evaluate the proposals and send you a response by email.
Frans van Dam, Melanie Smallman and Andy Ridgway, webinar convenors
PCST Teaching Forum
