Abstract
Science slams are a prominent form of science communication especially in Germany that seeks to entertain. While some view science slams as an excellent vehicle for disseminating knowledge, others argue that the imperative to entertain undermines the scientific value of this form of presentation. Drawing on empirical data from three science slam events, this explorative study examines how audiences and presenters perceive the science slam, particularly as it relates to entertainment and the communication of scientific knowledge. Our multi-method analysis includes audience surveys (n = 469), an eye-tracking study, and interviews with science slammers (n = 18). Our results show that the main reason audiences attend a science slam is for entertainment, yet they also have a strong interest in scientific content. Assessing the slammers’ aspirations concerning the audience, we find entertainment to be an important part, but the motivation to impart scientific knowledge is key for most. When asked to evaluate individual presentations (n = 20), spectators tended to rate both the entertainment and scientific value of the presentations as high. However, in terms of visual attention within individual presentations, spectators spent more time considering scientific content than entertainment content. Overall, we do not find evidence for the common claim that the focus on entertainment undermines the scientific value of science slam presentations—rather, entertainment and scientific content are combined to produce “edutainment” in a positive sense.
Highlights
A science slam is a presentation competition in which scientists—typically doctoral students—showcase their own research
How does the audience perceive this combination of entertainment and science, commonly referred to as “edutainment”? What relevance does entertainment have for the audience’s expectations concerning this form of presentation? And what role does entertainment as well as scientific knowledge play in the reception of individual science slam presentations? To answer this last question, we carefully examine the entertainment potential of science slams in addition to their specific scientific content
We focused on the following three research questions—each regarding the role of scientific content and entertainment: RQ1: What are the general motivations and expectations of science slam audiences?
Summary
A science slam is a presentation competition in which scientists—typically doctoral students—showcase their own research. It is a form of science communication that seeks to entertain Other individuals view science slams rather critically, arguing that the imperative to entertain naturally undercuts the scientific and pedagogic value of the form This article seeks to remedy the lack of empirical data in this area. In doing so, it focuses on an explorative study on spectators as the recipients of science slam presentations. Special attention is devoted to effects that emerge from presentational aspects that seek to entertain
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