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.
Meet NNOCCI’s First Canadian Trainer, Kiersten King!Meet NNOCCI’s First Canadian Trainer, Kiersten King! NNOCCI Interview with Kiersten King Tell us a bit about yourself. My name is Kiersten King, and I am a Canadian doctoral student at the University of Manitoba. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from the University of Guelph in 2021, where I discovered my passion for polar bear [READ MORE]
Seattle Aquarium Hope ObjectsSeattle Aquarium Hope Objects Nicole Killebrew Nicole Killebrew is a 2011 NNOCCI Alum and Training Committee member. In August 2024, the Seattle Aquarium opened a new space, Ocean Pavilion. The entire building is a celebration of the Coral Triangle, an epicenter of marine biodiversity in the heart of the Indo-Pacific. While the animals and [READ MORE]
Metaphors Can Counter Misinformation about Climate ChangeMetaphors Can Counter Misinformation about Climate Change December 02 2016 This is the fifth post in a series about framing ocean and climate change. Our ability to communicate the science of climate change to the public is as important as ever. The outcome of the recent presidential and congressional elections and the state of public discourse [READ MORE]
Climate Emotions: Helpless Or Hopeful?Climate Emotions: Helpless Or Hopeful? by Heidi Zamzow, April 17 2019 With the recent IPCC warning that we may have perhaps a dozen years before we encounter severe and irreversible impacts of climate change, it comes as little surprise that a recent survey* in climate communications research indicates 7 in 10 people in the U.S. are concerned [READ MORE]
From Course to Conversation: A Climate Story on Kelp ForestsAs part of NNOCCI’s 7-week Crash Course, participants learn to tell powerful climate stories using science-based strategic framing tools, such as values, metaphors, and solutions. From riding public transit to supporting clean energy, the choices we make near and far from shore can protect ocean ecosystems. One participant turned this message into a climate story to spark conversation about kelp forests — paired with her whimsical underwater photography.[READ MORE]