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dc.contributor.authorEdmonston, J.
dc.contributor.authorDawson, Vaille
dc.contributor.authorSchibeci, R.
dc.date.accessioned2017-01-30T14:13:48Z
dc.date.available2017-01-30T14:13:48Z
dc.date.created2011-03-10T20:01:23Z
dc.date.issued2010
dc.identifier.citationEdmonston, Joanne Elizabeth and Dawson, Vaille and Schibeci, Renato. 2010. Undergraduate Biotechnology Students' Views of Science Communication. International Journal of Science Education. 32 (18): pp. 2451-2474.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/38209
dc.identifier.doi10.1080/09500690903514598
dc.description.abstract

Despite rapid growth of the biotechnology industry worldwide, a number of public concerns about the application of biotechnology and its regulation remain. In response to these concerns, greater emphasis has been placed on promoting biotechnologists’ public engagement. As tertiary science degree programmes form the foundation of the biotechnology sector by providing a pipeline of university graduates entering into the profession, it has been proposed that formal science communication training be introduced at this early stage of career development. The aim of the present study was to examine the views of biotechnology students towards science communication and science communication training. Using an Australian biotechnology degree programme as a case study, 69 undergraduates from all three years of the programme were administered a questionnaire that asked them to rank the importance of 12 components of a biotechnology curriculum, including two science communication items.The results were compared to the responses of 274 students enrolled in other science programmes. Additional questions were provided to the second year biotechnology undergraduates and semi‐structured interviews were undertaken with 13 of these students to further examine their views of this area. The results of this study suggest that the biotechnology students surveyed do not value communication with non‐scientists nor science communication training. The implications of these findings for the reform of undergraduate biotechnology courses yet to integrate science communication training into their science curriculum are discussed.

dc.publisherRoutledge
dc.subjectCivic scientists
dc.subjectCurriculum
dc.subjectBiotechnology education
dc.subjectUniversity
dc.subjectScience communication
dc.titleUndergraduate Biotechnology Students' Views of Science Communication
dc.typeJournal Article
dcterms.source.volume32
dcterms.source.number18
dcterms.source.startPage2451
dcterms.source.endPage2474
dcterms.source.issn09500693
dcterms.source.titleInternational Journal of Science Education
curtin.departmentScience and Mathematics Education Centre (Research Institute)
curtin.accessStatusOpen access


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