adrian@webdesigncity.co.uk, Author at Graphic Science

Evaluation of ‘Get Into Heritage Skills’

Posted on September 25, 2019May 25, 2021 by adrian@webdesigncity.co.uk

In 2011, we were asked by the Prince’s Trust to perform a summative evaluation, and make recommendations for further iterations, of their ‘Get Into Heritage Skills’ scheme. The course was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

‘Get Into Heritage Skills’ was a programme of nine residential courses, run over three years, which aimed to assist unemployed 16‐25 year olds in the South West, who found that a lack of skills, experience or qualifications prevented them from accessing apprenticeships and job opportunities in the Heritage Skills sector.

Since the project was intended to impact upon the lives of each course participant, Graphic Science proposed a methodology that would focus on the personal user experience, resulting in the composition of case studies which detailed the experience and impact on individual beneficiaries.

Wider impacts and learning were gleaned through an analysis of the documentary evidence provided by the Prince’s Trust; interviews with course attendees and their mentors; a group interview with members of the team at the Prince’s Trust, (which helped us to learn more about the initial aims of the project, how it progressed and developed); and a focus group with the Prince’s Trust’s delivery partners at the National Heritage Training Academy SW (NHTA SW); Gloucestershire College and the Royal Agricultural College.

Development of NCCPE Online Toolkit for PE

Posted on September 25, 2019May 25, 2021 by adrian@webdesigncity.co.uk

We were commissioned by the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) to manage the development of their online toolkit for public engagement.

This toolkit, designed to support researchers working to get involved with Public Engagement, consists of ‘methods of engagement’, a series of ‘engagement guides’ focusing on specific skills, audiences or considerations, and case studies of different types of public engagement in action.

The guides also feature associated ‘top tips’ from experts in the field, along with links to further resources and useful information. As well as managing the flow of content from external contractors, and working closely with the NCCPE, we also authored much of the content ourselves.

Access the methods of engagement, engagement guides and case studies on the NCCPE website: http://www.publicengagement.ac.uk/how

Development of an Attributes Framework for PE

Posted on September 25, 2019May 25, 2021 by adrian@webdesigncity.co.uk

We worked closely with the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) to develop an attributes framework for public engagement.

The framework aims to emphasise that public engagement requires real skills, draws on a range of personal attributes and benefits significantly from self-reflection. The framework is organised into three interlocking domains: communication, empathy and reflection. Under each of these domains we have identified attributes as core and advanced.

The framework was designed for use by staff and students in UK universities and aims to inform the provision of training and development for public engagement. We developed the framework by drawing on the learning gained through the Science for All research report, along with an in-depth look at existing competency frameworks and in-depth consultation with numerous stakeholders in the field.

You can download the attributes framework here.

Science for All Research

Posted on September 25, 2019May 25, 2021 by adrian@webdesigncity.co.uk

We were asked by the ‘Science for All’ group, at the Department of Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), to conduct research into training and CPD provision in public engagement, which we carried out in partnership with the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement.

We consulted with high level stakeholders from the areas of academia, health, government and engineering, through in-depth interviews with eight key players across these four sectors.

The subsequent report summarised the differing views of all stakeholders and made recommendations to inform development of a competency framework for public engagement. We also produced a case study of an existing, effective competency framework.

Our research contributed to the 2010 Science for All report, which was compiled by BIS.

Our involvement in the original ‘Science for All’ report contributed to the later development of an Attributes Framework for PE.

EPSRC’s PPE scheme evaluation

Posted on September 25, 2019May 25, 2021 by adrian@webdesigncity.co.uk

In 2008, we were appointed to conduct an evaluation of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Partnerships for Public Engagement (PPE) scheme.

The programme aimed to foster engagement between the EPSRC funded research community and the public, in order to stimulate greater understanding about the issues and opportunities that arise from research.

The evaluation involved extensive consultation with a variety of stakeholder groups including award holders, unsuccessful applicants, external stakeholders in public engagement, public engagement staff at EPSRC and mentors to the PPE scheme.

We used a number of approaches from telephone interviews with award holders, to focus groups with mentors and internal stakeholders, through to a consultation workshop with high level, external stakeholders. The workshops and focus groups made use of knowledge audits, breakout group discussions and facilitated whole discussions. Outcomes were recorded by a rapporteur.

Summaries of the outcomes of each of these different consultations were then produced, to inform a SWOT analysis of the programme. We made a number of strategic recommendations for an overhaul of the scheme, which EPSRC began to implement.

The scheme has now ended.

Investigate-UK Evaluation

Posted on September 25, 2019May 25, 2021 by adrian@webdesigncity.co.uk

Investigate-UK was an outreach project developed by At-Bristol and the Science Learning Centre (SLC) South West.

An Investigate-UK exhibit into liquid friction. From the Forces set.

The project aimed to pilot an integrated approach to providing enriched learning opportunities for investigation at Key Stages 2 and 3. Together At-Bristol and SLC South West developed three sets of engaging and robust ‘table top’ interactive exhibits, designed specifically with Scientific Enquiry in mind. These were developed as a direct response to repeated teacher requests for additional help in delivering Sc1 skills to students. Between August 2007 and January 2008, Investigate-UK piloted a model of rolling out the three sets of eight interactive exhibits (Energy, Forces and Structures), to schools in Bristol, Winchester and Cornwall.

We provided an independent evaluation, which was on-going throughout the project. We attended consortium meetings throughout the process to feedback findings and inform development of the project and, in order to achieve consistency, we designed evaluation materials and observation protocols for use by all members of the evaluating team.

Data was gathered via observations, unstructured and semi-structured interviews, pupil questionnaires, and a telephone survey with teachers. We also authored a case study of best practice which could be used in marketing of the project.

Scoping Darwin

Posted on September 25, 2019May 25, 2021 by adrian@webdesigncity.co.uk

In 2007, we worked in partnership with River Path Associates, to scope the British Council’s global activities for Charles Darwin’s 2009 bicentenary.

Darwin is one of history’s most influential and far-reaching scientists. The 200th anniversary of his birth gained enormous attention internationally and Darwin’s legacy was widely debated in a large number of public fora.

The British Council was committed to planning a major global project to contribute to, and enhance, the impact of the birthday celebrations. We were asked to undertake a project identification and scoping study to advise the Council on a strategic direction and potential activities which could be used by British Council offices internationally, (and which would also align with the Council’s priority themes).

A further aim of the study was to conduct a stakeholder consultation and to harmonise the wide variety of Darwin-themed activities taking place in 2009. With this in mind we held a workshop to bring external stakeholders together to produce a synchronised raft of potential activities that could be used to engage people with Darwin’s work and its relevance in contemporary society.

The British Council later approached us to develop resources and activities to support their interantional, touring exhibition: Darwin Now.

After School Science and Engineering Clubs Evaluation

Posted on September 25, 2019May 25, 2021 by adrian@webdesigncity.co.uk

In 2007, the Centre for Science Education (CSE) at Sheffield Hallam University was engaged to evaluate the After School Science and Engineering Clubs, organised by STEMNET. CSE asked us to evaluate those schools with clubs in the South West.

A dome used as the focal point for one of the after school science and engineering clubs.

We selected three schools in Cornwall, Gloucester and The Cotswolds with whom to arrange visits. Research involved in-situ observations and interviews with both students and teachers, along with the collection of visual evidence. Our findings were used to inform case studies of best practice, which new after school clubs could then use as a model for development. We were asked to produce case studies of best practice for the After School Science and Engineering Clubs (ASSEC) programme.

The case studies produced continue to be used today by the STEM Clubs and STEM Ambassadors programmes.

Evaluation of OU Podcasts

Posted on September 25, 2019May 25, 2021 by adrian@webdesigncity.co.uk

In 2007, the Open University (OU) sought to extend the reach of its science-based programme-making by establishing a rolling programme of innovative outreach activities, including a series of podcasts.

Graphic Science was commissioned to evaluate the first of these podcasts.

We took a sample of Year 12 and 13 students (ages 17 – 18) who we recruited through a local sixth form centre. We held a preliminary discussion with them about their attitudes to internet resources for both educational and leisure use.

The students were given a URL from which to download the podcast and asked to reconvene a week later, having listened to the podcast and also downloaded and listened to any other podcast of their choice.

The following week’s discussion focused on reactions to the podcast and suggestions for improvements, which fed into our report for the OU.

Science Communication Grey Literature Club

Posted on September 24, 2019May 25, 2021 by adrian@webdesigncity.co.uk

The next #SciCommLit TBA.

Past #SciCommLit discussions:

10/06/2014 12-2 – Science Grrl “Through Both Eyes – the case for a gender lens in STEM” | #SciCommLit, June 2014 Through Both Eyes
12/05/2014 12-2 – Public Attitudes to Science 2014 report – chapter 5 Discussing science in a digital age | #SciCommLit May 2014 – #PAS2014 – engaging with science online
7/04/2014 – Public Attitudes to Science 2014 report – chapter 6.3 (p87) Trust in scientists | Storify PAS2014 Trust in Scientists
3/03/2014 – 8pm-9pm – Wellcome Trust Monitor | Storify of WT Monitor discussion
22/01/2014 – 8pm-9pm: Bodmer Report | Storify of Bodmer discussion

We hold our twitter grey literature reading club for Science Communication roughly once a month – pick a relevant publication and we’ll set up a time and date for a tweeted discussion using #SciCommLit.

#SciCommLit Twitter chats originated from an idea to have an office book group dedicated to reading and discussing relevant grey literature (and other publications).

We started our reading group at the beginning by looking at the Bodmer and Jenkin reports. After that, life got in the way a bit and we didn’t manage another. Then, in January 2014, we were reminded about the whole thing when we saw this tweet from Katherine Mathieson

Katherine Mathieson@Kath_Math

Read a bit of Bodmer this morning – slightly shocked by how relevant it still seems. Shouldn’t we have moved on more? http://royalsociety.org/uploadedFiles/Royal_Society_Content/policy/publications/1985/10700.pdf …10:58 AM – Nov 29, 2013 Twitter Ads info and privacy See Katherine Mathieson’s other Tweets

Which is pretty much what we thought when we read it.

And inspired us to take make our bookclub into a bigger discussion for EVERYONE (shamelessly borrowing the science teaching journal club’s format – http://science.teachingjournalclub.org/about)

Here’s how it works:

When we see a publication we think would be worth discussing, we (@GraphicScience) will tweet a date and time when we’ll be discussing it together with a link to the publication.

At the allocated time, anyone interested can tweet their comments using the hashtag #SciCommLit– hopefully this will create some interesting conversations.

If you’d like to suggest a publication to discuss, please get in touch.