Falling Walls Engage Tools

A selection of free tools and useful documents and other external sources for your daily work in Science Engagement.

This includes tools to measure your Science Engagement project’s impact, resources to help you structure your project strategically and help you engage various audiences.

Would you like to post a report, white paper or similar resource on this page? Then contact us at engage@falling-walls.com.

Preliminary Report: Science Engagement and Funding

Under The Microscope has published its preliminary report on Science Engagement and Funding, a research project that was commissioned to investigate and determine underlying reasons for underfunding Science Engagement programs and projects.

Read the Report here

Impact Planning

The Impact Planning Tool considers the following aspects:

Type of project/activity
STEM podcast vs. STEM workshop at the school
Goals (Why?)
Learn about climate change vs. reduce plastic consumption vs. improve regional air pollution
Target group/s (To whom?)
Teachers vs. rural communities vs. policymakers
Format (What?)
Budget, size, online, hybrid/physical, time frame
Content
Tailored workshop for students on pollution and its environmental impact vs. local citizen science on native species vs. science café on climate science

Impact Planning Tool

PDF, 40 KB

Impact Planning Tool – Example

PDF, 90 KB

Theory of Change

A Theory of Change is an impact strategy and evaluation framework which allows us to formulate the results and long-term societal changes that a project aims to achieve:

Challenges – the societal problems IYSE wants
to tackle with its activities.
Outputs – the direct results from the activities
IYSE develops or promotes.
Outcomes – the changes in skills, knowledge,
behaviour, and actions of IYSE’s target groups.
Impact – the significant, lasting, and sustained
change that occurs on people’s lives as a result
of IYSE’s activities.

Theorie of Change

PDF, 89 KB

Theorie of Change – Example

PDF, 137 KB

Impact & Sustainability Canvas

The Impact & Sustainability Canvas (ISC) contemplates the following aspects:

Value proposition (outcomes & impact), challenge, vision/solution (work towards a better world and SDGs)
Results (outputs), activities, resources
Actors (beneficiaries, partners, influencers), relations and channels, key obstacles
External Conditions, Impact, Side effects
Cost structure
Flow revenues

Impact & Sustainability Canvas

PDF, 61 KB

Impact & Sustainability Canvas – Example

PDF, 126 KB

Evaluation Decision Tree

The Evaluation Decision Tree shows the following aspects for projects:

Interest / motives
Goals (consider target group/s, communication channels, format)
Activity design (size, setting, time frame)
Evaluation design (summative; formative; hybrid)
Study design (data collection, timing)
Quantitative or qualitative methods; suitable methods
Data to be collected (numerical, textual); which data sources

Evaluation Decision Tree

PDF, 62 KB

Evaluation Decision Tree – Example 1

PDF, 96 KB

Evaluation Decision Tree – Example 2

PDF, 96 KB

ENGAGING THE EXCLUDED REVIEW

A PERSPECTIVE REVIEW on how to better reach and engage with EXCLUDED communities

Where are we today when it comes to engaging excluded communities, often referred to as “underserved”, “underprivileged” or “marginalized”?

This timely question is the topic of “Engaging the Excluded”, a perspective review mapping out the current state of inclusive Science Engagement in academic debates and through five exemplary case-studies. This publication, commissioned by Falling Walls Engage, was developed and written by Rokia Ballo, researcher in Science and Technology Studies (STS) at the University College London (UCL).

To accompany the launch of the review, we have produced “Engaging the Excluded”, a short film and resource for practitioners presenting key learnings and featuring the five projects cited in the review (see below).

Following a launch webinar in August 2021 with Rokia Ballo, we brought this discussion to Berlin Science Week 2021 during online webinar to discuss key learnings and challenges around inclusion. Both events provided a space for participants to exchange and engage with some of the contributors involved in the review.

Download the Review

ABSTRACT

The need for scientists to effectively communicate and engage the public with science has never been clearer. However, ensuring communication and engagement are delivered equitably remains a challenge for practitioners.

This perspective review begins by revisiting some of the history of public engagement and science communication, to offer a contextual understanding of where we are today and how the relationship between science and society has changed over time. This initial overview illustrates that historic global inequalities are embedded in and continue to influence modern science, meaning that many communities remain excluded from the construction, communication and use of scientific knowledge.

The literature suggests that despite calls to democratise science and much theorising on how this might be achieved from those within science communication and public engagement, in practice their activities are often criticized for reinforcing patterns of exclusion found in wider society which particularly impact marginalized groups at risk of other forms of social exclusion.

However, as the world continues to turn its attention to issues of inequality, so has the scientific community, with many already attempting to break down barriers to accessing science and foster inclusive engagement. This review concludes by providing examples of how inclusive practice is being employed across a range of geographies and cultural contexts: sharing key learnings from each to suggest how we might better engage the excluded with science moving forward.

Short film

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT

Rokia Ballo

University College London

Mohamed Daoud

American University in Cairo

Chandrakant Redican

National Center For Biological Sciences

Maria Vicente

Leiden University

Saeeda Bhatti

University of Glasgow

Nicolas Bonne

University of Portsmouth

Report: Institutionalization of Science Engagement

Science Engagement aims to involve individuals that are not part of the scientific community in science initiatives. Ana I. Faustino has published a report on the Institutionalization of Science Engagement as part of the Commitments to Action.

Read the Report here

Report: Engaging Hard-to-Reach and Vulnerable Populations

Bernard Appiah and Julian Ferreras have published a report on “Report: Engaging Hard-to-Reach and Vulnerable Populations” as part of the Commitments to Action. The objective is to identify elements of innovative and successful Science Engagement projects involving hard-to-reach and vulnerable populations, and create a guide for Science Engagement practitioners to plan, implement and evaluate similar projects.

Read the Report here