The National Network for Ocean & Climate Change Interpretation (NNOCCI) has some exciting news for climate change communicators! Those of you who have received training in Strategic Framing® techniques through the network may recall collecting pre- and post- training surveys from your audiences regarding the success of your climate change communications with the public. These surveys allowed NNOCCI and evaluation partners at Penn State and New Knowledge to do a large-scale study that has recently been published in the prestigious, widely circulated Science Communication journal.
NNOCCI’s goal is to increase public engagement with climate change, leveraging the reach of informal science learning institutions to impact discourse on a national scale. The study used 7,200+ complete surveys from 1,100+ presentations at 117 organizations over 4 years, through which visitors showed significant increases in understanding of climate change, hope about their ability to participate with others to address climate change, and intentions to engage in community-level action.
Here are a few of the key findings:
- Both the increased quantity (increased exposure to info) and quality (increased use of Strategic Framing® techniques) of climate change messaging explain the impacts of the NNOCCI training on visitors.
- After hearing presentations, visitors intended to participate in community action, regardless of political identity. There were some small differences in increases of other outcomes, with liberals learning more and having more hope after presentations than conservatives.
- The increases of hope and intentions for community actions were equal across education levels. However, visitors with a lower level of education learned slightly less about climate change than those with a higher level of education.
Ultimately, the study concludes that NNOCCI training was successful in promoting more effective climate communication among climate interpreters and, as a result, increased visitor engagement. Regardless of political ideology and education, evaluators saw significant increases in understanding, hope and intentions to act – meaning climate change interpreters have been effective at reaching their broad public audience. Congratulations to all involved, and keep up the good work!
Check out the full article as published in Science Communication.
Learn about ways to connect with the National Network for Ocean & Climate Change Interpretation.
We Need a Sea Change in How We Communicate about Ocean Change. Metaphors Can Help.We Need a Sea Change in How We Communicate about Ocean Change. Metaphors Can Help. October 28 2016 This is the fourth post in a series about framing ocean and climate change. We depend on our oceans and must protect them, yet they are often overlooked in public conversations about “climate change.” As a result, most people don’t understand how [READ MORE]
Rosemary Mosco: Climate IllustrationRosemary Mosco: Climate Illustration by Allison Arteaga, March 18 2019 A comic that circulated through social media this past month spread hope on climate change to thousands, and it was all inspired by the artist’s connections to the National Network for Ocean & Climate Change Interpretation (NNOCCI). “Climate Worries”, a cartoon by science [READ MORE]
The Importance of Community in Informal Science EducationAs members of NNOCCI, we all know about the importance of having a community to support our journey as educators. Having a professional community like NNOCCI is vital for our wellbeing and professional growth. A strong sense of community helps reduce isolation in roles that are often solo, temporary, or poorly defined. This can be particularly important when teaching about challenging subjects such as climate change. Being part of a community like NNOCCI can help strengthen professional identity in the field of informal education which often has fluid roles and career pathways.[READ MORE]
Promote Paradise and Remove a Parking LotThe Marine Discovery Center (MDC) in New Smyrna Beach, Florida has been a NNOCCI Member Organization since 2015. MDC recently completed an inspiring project that protects their shorelines from boat wakes and natural events, improves functional aquatic and terrestrial habitat, sequesters carbon pollution, and creates green space for passive recreation.[READ MORE]
National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation (NNOCCI) Impacts After 5 YearsNational Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation (NNOCCI) Impacts After 5 Years by Sarah-Mae Nelson, MS, CIG/CIT, February 13 2016 Since 2009, the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation—better known as NNOCCI—has been a collaborative effort to raise the discourse around climate change and ocean acidification. Led [READ MORE]