Respecter les normes et posséder un sens du spectacle en communication orale en sciences: les deux aspects du sentiment d’efficacité personnelle d’étudiants postsecondaires en sciences

Proficiency in oral communication is an important skill to develop in science. Central to its development is self-efficacy. In this study we examine two aspects of self-efficacy: first, standards and content, and second, showmanship. We looked at these aspects among students enrolled in a natural sciences program at the Quebec collège level (a two-year post-secondary program in which students are usually between the ages of 17 and 19) in relation to their experiences of oral communication on scientific subjects. A sample of students responded to a questionnaire developed as part of this study on perceptions and attitudes towards communicating orally in the sciences (PACOS), first at the start of their program (n = 1292) and then at the end (n = 179). A subsample of this group (n = 26) also participated in an interview for deeper analysis. The results, coupled with those from a previous study, show that the two aforementioned aspects of self-efficacy are distinct but complementary. Moreover, we observed that they are linked to other subcomponents of one’s attitude towards scientific oral communication—namely anxiety, pleasure, perception of relevance, and context. Finally, we noted that the standards and content aspect of self-efficacy remained consistent over time, while the sense of showmanship increased among participants between the start and end of their studies.