Utilizing short-format videos to enhance science communication in AECO Students

Communicating complex ideas, especially technical ones, is a challenge for engineering students, particularly when addressing non-expert audiences. This project aimed to enhance their communication skills by incorporating a creative assignment into their courses, where students created a 1-minute Reel-style video explaining an engineering concept. The videos, designed to be engaging and entertaining, were uploaded to a class social media account with a "public audience" setting. If a video went viral, students could earn extra credit. This project was implemented in three civil engineering courses, involving 55 students, and aimed to encourage concise, accessible communication. At the end of the semester, a survey revealed that students found it difficult to convey technical content through short, fun videos, though the assignment helped them discover new ways to communicate. The authors discuss the factors influencing these results and propose future directions for improving science communication in academia, with implications for both research and practice.