University students and faculty seem to be positively impacted by the Communication across the Curriculum program and its resources in developing effective communication and social media skills, even in the science disciplines.
According to the 2016 Stars of College Social Media list, the University ranks No. 9 out of 25 of the colleges on the list. It was reported that the University had an average of 767,800 Facebook likes, 142,000 Twitter followers and 15,700 Instagram followers from its verified accounts.
The site reported that most of the University’s social media posts are student-centered. It also said the University’s Twitter feed regularly includes research articles from professors, ranging from scientific computing to the nutritional needs of soldiers.
The University has a unique program dedicated to encouraging the use of social media and other resources to help students develop communication skills. In 2005, the University launched a multimodal, multifaceted program called Communication across the Curriculum.
“Our goal is to help undergraduates learn how to communicate better within their specific discipline in four modes of communication: writing, speaking, use of visuals and technology,” said CxC Science Coordinator Becky Carmichael.
Carmichael also said the University’s program is the only one of its kind in the nation in that it covers four areas, whereas other similar programs emphasize communication development primarily in writing.
The program includes the integration of certified communication-intensive courses within the disciplines, student support, extracurricular workshops and faculty development, according to the University’s CxC website.
Carmichael said since fall of 2008, 3,260 communication-intensive courses have been taught and they have impacted 64,015 undergraduate students.
An additional resource championed by the CxC program is the non-profit organization TEDxLSU. TEDxLSU is devoted to “ideas worth spreading,” supporting world-changing ideas, connections and dialogue.
Carmichael said since 2013, TEDxLSU has received 180,000 views.
While many of the disciplines taught at the University already incorporate and require effective communication skills, Carmichael and CxC’s science coordinator and science blogger Paige Brown Jarreau emphasize teaching communication in areas that don’t focus on communication: the science disciplines.
Besides being the CxC Science Coordinator, Carmichael teaches disturbance ecology and serves as a mentor and Wikipedia Education Foundation liaison.
Jarreau previously worked as a postdoctoral researcher studying and teaching science communication at the Manship School of Mass Communication.
They co-taught a class with SciFund called “Using Instagram to Boost Your Science.” They said a biology student started taking pictures of specimens the class was studying in the lab that eventually became a platform for how students were looking at organisms.
“That promotes the students’ learning, it’s showcasing the students’ understanding of course content,” Carmichael said. “Then it’s also recruiting other students to come in and look at it, ask questions, [and start] a conversation; [it] helps a faculty member to get more coverage about their class.”
Carmichael said she has encouraged students to use social media in the classroom by giving bonus points when students use Twitter and Wikipedia to become more aware of what is happening on a global basis. She said learning how to put what was learned into context to relate to lessons taught in the classroom while using these platforms has prompted more retention and understanding than just requiring students to write a multi-page paper on the material.
“As an instructor, it’s really rewarding to see [how] my students have improved over the course of the semester and how much they understand content,” Carmichael said.
Jarreau said students know how to use social media superficially, but not in a way to accurately gauge information credibility. She said students typically do not know how to use it to connect to people on a professional level.
“Majority of Americans are now getting their science news and information online and through social media,” Jarreau said. “To ignore it is at one’s peril, so training students to do it early is important.”
Lance Porter, associate professor and director of the Social Media Analysis and Creation Lab, said communication in science allows scientists’ work to become more accessible and transparent. He also said the use of social media in science allows scientists and others to elaborate or defend perspectives on scientific issues.
“Sort of anecdotally, I’ve seen different outlets where science has become a popular type of content that’s shared within social media,” Porter said, “and it’s helped to increase the debate about certain controversial science issues.”
Particular issues Porter said that have seen increased debate include evolution, global warming and abortion. He said with polarized groups of people discussing these topics, it gives scientists opportunities to weigh in on them.
“It allows science to not just speak from the pages of journals; it’s more of the scientists themselves speaking directly about their work,” Porter said.
Jarreau said she gets excited to see perspectives being changed and students beginning to consider different career paths because of things they have seen or learned by using social media. She said during her time at the University as an educator, she has seen students go work for other departments at the University, as well as scientific organizations.
“By empowering them to learn about social media and science communication, they’re actually having more of an impact on other scientists and scientific organizations,” Jarreau said.
Carmichael said two-thirds of students in the CxC program said they will “definitely use what they have learned in their C-I courses in the future.” She said this was a positive result, given the lack of relevance students tend to attribute to college courses across the nation.
“By understanding both how to use them and how to critically assess the content that’s coming your way, and determine accuracy, reliability, getting a better understanding of who’s delivering that content,” she said, “you’re going to be a better consumer of information as well as a better collaborator and contributor of content.”

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Caroline Arbour