The effective communication of scientific or technical information to specialist or lay audiences is a key aspect of being a scientist, but is also an aspect of employability for many professions.
The Science Communications: Principles and Practice module of BSc Biomedical Science introduces the theory and practice of designing and evaluating science communication approaches for different target audiences, using a variety of approaches. The media skills workshop, which is run over a whole day, is hands-on and focusses on the skills required for accurate, effective scientific communication.
During the workshop students are shown production techniques which they can use with their Smart Phone to film and edit professional quality videos. Students are shown methods that are used by broadcast journalists for main stream media outlets. It’s empowering for the students as they’re using equipment that they already have (their phones) and a free editing app. After the session they’re able to put these skills into place straight away without the need to book or buy expensive equipment.
In the session the students download the Viva Video app in advance of the session. This app was chosen for use in the session because it is free and available on both iOS and Android. There are many video and editing apps that are worth exploring.
For basic filming and editing techniques and tips for visual storytelling visit the mobile journalism website http://www.mojo-manual.org/