Speed21-A Science Communication Infographic and Video Project to Engage Remote Chemistry Students

Given the move to a mostly online experience in the Fall 2020 instruction of Chemistry and the Citizen 1 (340 students), Science Communication Projects were created as a way for students to engage with chemistry in the context of online media. Each student created an infographic and video about one of the course’s four discussion topics. With the infographics, they learned how to communicate chemistry to the broader public using bold images and limited text. The video was a 3-minute voice-over narration of their infographic. The four Nebraska-specific discussion topics were Nebraska’s niobium deposits, Livestock methane management, Nebraska’s carbon black production plant, and Nebraska’s climate change report. Students submitted drafts of their infographic and video, which the recitation TAs scored according to a set of criteria. The TAs then made suggestions how to improve. The recitation TAs also worked individually with students during their recitation meetings and office hours. The two most popular topics were livestock methane and climate change. In a survey of students about these projects, they agreed that science communication is important (79% said “strongly agree” or “agree”) and that they learned skills that will useful in future classes (81% said “strongly agree” or “agree”).