Communication Strategies for Involving the Digital Generation in Scientific Activities

Abstract

The relevance of the topic is due to the following contradiction. According to comparative international studies there is a decrease in the interest of young people in scientific activity in a number of developed countries. In this regard Russia is an exception since young Russians relate more loyal to science than their peers, for example, in Europe. At the same time, the problem of «depreciation» of scientific personnel in Russia has not been resolved. Efforts are being made to transform high-tech industries, but not all relevant science schools are replenished with promising young people, as representatives of the digital generation prefer to choose more dynamic and open areas of application of their abilities. Against the background of this contradiction, the authors put forward hypothesize about the insufficient involvement of engineering students in scientific research. Basing on the concept of “student involvement”, the consideration of this topic from a sociological point of view allows measuring the level of interest of students in scientific activities and evaluating the effectiveness of measures aimed at increasing the involvement of young people in science. The concept of “student involvement” establishes the relationship between the institutional, including the communication, environment of the university, as well as the behavior of the student and the results of his educational and scientific activities. To develop the research methodology, the authors relied on the concept of the influence of the university on the student (E. Pascarella, P. Terenzini); the theory of the determinacy of student success by its integration into various areas of university life (V. Tinto). To clarify the concept of “scientific communication”, the authors turned to the conceptual model, which differentiating channels of society's access to scientific information (M. Bucchi, B. Trench). The purpose of the study was to determine the degree of student involvement in the scientific activities of the university and to analyze the conditions for the formation of communication strategies that promote involvement. The following results are obtained. First, although students consider science as a significant activity, they do not realize it as a model of their professional identity. Secondly, although science is of interest to many respondents, it remains at the level of ideas, not actions. Desirable career scenarios are not related to scientific activities but to work in business. Students are involved in scientific activities only at the level of the educational process, although they would like to take part in scientific events. Respondents see an obstacle to this in their own lack of confidence in their scientific and technical training. Thirdly, respondents' satisfaction with scientific communications at the university is not uniform. During the research there were identified communication strategies that both arouse interest in science and form in students a sense of progress in mastering research competencies.