Formación en comunicación en los estudios de grado. Análisis en las áreas de ciencias de la salud y la vida, ciencias ambientales y ciencias naturales

Abstract

<jats:p>El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar la formación en comunicación que reciben los alumnos que cursan estudios de grado en las áreas de ciencias de la salud y de la vida, las ciencias ambientales y las ciencias naturales. Para ello se ha estudiado el conjunto del sistema universitario español (84 universidades) y una muestra de 10 universidades pertenecientes a seis países latinoamericanos. A partir de un análisis documental de sus sitios web, se han identificado 91 asignaturas que reúnen los criterios de inclusión: 48 en el grado de medicina, 18 en ciencias de la vida (biomedicina y biotecnología, fundamentalmente), 13 en ciencias ambientales y otras ciencias naturales y 12 en otras ciencias de la salud (psicología, enfermería, nutrición, farmacia, gerontología, neurociencias y veterinaria). Asimismo, el análisis de contenido de los programas docentes de estas asignaturas ha permitido identificar siete categorías temáticas: 1) teorías de la comunicación y de las intervenciones basadas en la comunicación; 2) la comunicación en acción: actores, relaciones interpersonales y entornos; 3) naturaleza de la ciencia y elementos específicos del campo disciplinar; 4) comunicación en medios y su impacto social; 5) aspectos éticos; 6) habilidades y técnicas de comunicación generales y 7) habilidades en situaciones especiales.</jats:p>

Scientists’ opinions and attitudes towards citizens’ understanding of science and their role in public engagement activities

“…It appears that in Spanish society, the scientific profession enjoys a high level of recognition, yet some studies suggest that scientists do not believe so [39, 9]. Other studies related scientists’ view to a concern about being identified as a potential target of criticism; they also related such a view with the belief that the public would misunderstand any attempt at communication and either make the scientists look bad or misuse their work [25].…”

“…For public engagement to make a difference, it must become part of the routine practice of this new concept of responsible science [7]. Despite the fact that calls for funding research (both from Europe and the Spanish government) increasingly include communication as a key issue, researchers’ involvement in such activities remains voluntary [9]. Moreover, most researchers do not receive specific training in these areas either as undergraduates or during their subsequent training as scientists (master's, doctorate, etc.)…”

“…Moreover, most researchers do not receive specific training in these areas either as undergraduates or during their subsequent training as scientists (master's, doctorate, etc.) [10,11] Therefore, most researchers do not have specific consistent knowledge about effective strategies of scientific communication or about studies of social perceptions of science [9]. Therefore, their intuition, innate capacity for such tasks, or experience will determine their ability to participate in these activities.…”

Characteristics of Spanish citizen participation practices in science

“…Although communication, public engagement and collaborative strategies are fundamental elements in the professional life of scientists with significant social implications, most Spanish universities do not include training in these skills in science degrees [Revuelta, 2018]. Therefore, greater efforts for better training for future scientists regarding communication skills and how to establish such relationships are needed to efficiently implement the deliberation model of communication [Horst and Michael, 2011].…”

Lost opportunities for science communication in Spanish universities

“…SC is a skill that students should acquire before entering the professional world. New generations of scientists need to understand SC as crucial to their work, yet this is not the case according to a recent study (Revuelta, 2018).…”