A NEW SCALE PROPOSAL ON THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF SCIENCE COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES OF UNIVERSITIES

Yıl 2023, Cilt: 22 Sayı: 86, 362 - 390, 04.04.2023

Müge ÖZTUNÇ Umur BEDİR Ahmet SUERDEM

https://doi.org/10.17755/esosder.1037573

Öz

Universities manage science communication activities by strategic objectives, such as attracting potential students and improving corporate reputation. On the other hand, they prioritize social benefits that aim to support public engagement in science and to contribute scientific-based political process. This research focuses on the role of science communication activities of the universities’ communication offices which is the one of the most crucial institutional actors. The main purpose of this research is to develop a scale for analyzing the extent of the science communication activities that are institutionalized in universities. In this scope, science communication activities were determined using deductive and inductive methods such as literature review, exploratory interviews, and card sorting technique. They were categorized into the four sub-factors: (marketing, public relations, public affairs, and public engagement). The scale was applied to the central communication units of 92 universities representing 48% of Turkey's 'state' 'foundation' and 'research' universities to test the measurement invariance statistically. The developed scale can be used in future studies that compare the science communication activities of different types of universities in different countries. On the other hand, this scale can guide researchers in this field to better understand the weaknesses and strengths of universities’ activities both methodological and practical.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Science Communication, Public Engagement in Science, Initialization of Science Communication, Public Communication, Science Communication Events in High Education.

ÜNİVERSİTELERİN BİLİM İLETİŞİMİ ETKİNLİKLERİNİN KURUMSALLAŞTIRILMASI ÜZERİNE YENİ BİR ÖLÇEK ÖNERİSİ

Öz

Üniversiteler bir yandan öğrenci çekmek ve kurumsal itibarlarını güçlendirmek gibi stratejik amaçlar, diğer taraftan toplumu bilimsel süreçlere dahil etmek ve siyasal karar alma süreçlerine bilimsel temelli katkı sunmak gibi kamusal faydayı önceleyen hedefler çerçevesinde bilim iletişimi etkinliklerinde bulunmaktadırlar. Bu araştırma bilim iletişiminin en önemli kurumsal aktörlerinden biri olan üniversitelerin bünyelerindeki merkezi iletişim birimlerinin bu kapsamdaki rolünü ve gerçekleştirdikleri etkinlikleri konu almaktadır. Araştırmanın temel amacı ise bilim iletişimi etkinliklerinin üniversitelerde kurumsal olarak nasıl şekillendiğini analiz etmeye dönük bir ölçek geliştirmektir. Bu kapsamda ölçekte yer alacak bilim iletişimi etkinlikleri literatür taraması, keşfedici mülakatlar ve kart sıralama tekniği gibi tümdengelimsel ve tümevarımsal yöntemler kullanılarak belirlenmiş, pazarlama, halkla ilişkiler, kamusal katılım ve kamu işleri olmak üzere 4 alt-faktör çerçevesinde değerlendirilmiştir. Ölçek, istatistiksel olarak ölçüm değişmezliğinin test edilmesi amacıyla Türkiye’de faaliyet gösteren devlet, vakıf ve araştırma üniversitelerinin %48’ini temsilen 92 üniversitenin merkezi iletişim birimleri yetkilileri üzerinde uygulanmıştır. Geliştirilen ölçek üniversitelerin hangi bilim iletişimi etkinliklerini gerçekleştirdikleri, bu etkinlikleri hangi iletişim işlevleri altında tanımladıkları ve nasıl organize ettikleri konusunda önemli bulgular sunmaktadır. Bu anlamda üniversitelerin bilim iletişimi etkinliklerini geliştirmeleri konusunda yol göstermektedir. Ölçek mevcut haliyle kullanılabileceği gibi yeni araştırmacıların katkılarıyla da geliştirilebilir niteliktedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Bilim İletişimi, Bilim İletişiminin Kurumsallaşması, Kamu İletişimi, Toplumun Bilime Katılımı, Üniversitelerde Bilim İletişim Etkinlikleri

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