Abstract
Effective science communication involves the use of applicable skills, media, initiative,
and discourse to produce one or more of the following personal responses to science:
awareness, enjoyment, interest, opinion formation, and understanding. For science
communication professionals and science organisations, it raises the question which
communication approach can be employed to effectively engage stakeholders on
science and technology. The purpose of this study was to determine how
communication can be used to promote natural sciences as a career choice amongst
high school learners in Gauteng province. A qualitative research design was employed
to gather data. A non-probability purposive sampling technique was applied, and data
was collected through focus group discussion from three groups of high school
learners in Gauteng province. In addition, a document study and semi-structured
interviews were conducted with purposively selected representatives from five science
organisations in Gauteng.
The findings revealed that, while learners are satisfied with communication
approaches that science organisations use to engage them on science careers, they
prefer to be engaged through word-of-mouth, face-to-face interaction and real-life
practical experience on science careers.
M.A. (Corporate Communication)