Public speaking

Public speaking

Workshop

Johanna Ickert
Anne Hodgson
René Arnold
Date: 
Wednesday, December 14, 2016 - 09:15 to Friday, December 16, 2016 - 16:45
Location: 
Potsdam University - Seminar Room Golm Library


Photo by Håjan Dahlström (creative commons)

This 3-day workshop aims to provide you with the interpersonal narrative and media skills required to communicate your research in a range of settings and at various stages of your progress. You will learn to meet the communication needs of non-experts in different situations, e.g. explaining your on-going research activities and needs to locals in the field, raising awareness and generating interest in your area of research among the general public, providing evidence for the need for preventive measures to policymakers, or helping to communicate during an actionable crisis. 

You will practice a range of short communications, including interviews and culminating in a film project to be published on the "StRATEGy" website.

Please consider a possible area of your work that you would like to communicate to the non-scientific public. Compile a collection of visual images, e.g. your photos and others that you have rights to for your film. You will be invited to use them in a technique called photo elicitation – essentially, an interview in which photos are shown to a subject get a response.  Photos will be combined with voice-over recordings or interview videoclips created during the seminar.

Johanna Ickert, a documentary filmmaker and cultural anthropologist with a major interest in the trans-disciplinary potential of interactive audiovisual media in the field of georisks, environmental change and sustainability.

Anne Hodgson, a science and business communication skills trainer and coach with a background in exhibitions and English language/ intercultural training.

René Arnold, a film technician.

Program
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Day 1 Morning: Introduction Johanna Ickert:

  • What are the communication needs of non-experts?
  • Risk communication as a dialogue
  • Different needs in different phases (prevention, crisis communication)
  • Interactive media best practice

Day 1 Afternoon: Workshop Anne Hodgson

  • The expert as a science communicator
  • Abstracts and interview guidelines
  • Practice interviews (phone and face-to-face) –> recordings (audio and video)
  • Evaluating the recordings for general interview do’s and don’ts
  • Developing your technical strategy

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Day 2 Morning: Introduction Johanna Ickert

  • Best practice examples for science communication as dialogue
  • Which audience do you reach using which channel?
  • Science vs. populism, myths and denialism, conflict potential, communication goals
  • Narrative strategies, the power of framing, storyboarding

Day 2 Afternoon: Workshop Johanna Ickert/Anne Hodgson:

  • Individual and partner work on your story
  • Evaluate your recording with a partner to mine your science narrative (identify hooks, images, narration)
  • Develop a 90-second pitch for a defined target group in a given situation
  • Present first draft for feedback
  • Edit text, rewrite, practice and record
  • Prepare storyboard for film

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Day 3 Morning

  • Finalizing the elements of the film/ production

Day 3 Afternoon

  • Viewing completed films
  • Appreciation and outlook