Postgraduate Course: Science, Society and the Media (BIME11127)
Course Outline
| School | Deanery of Biomedical Sciences |
College | College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The course will explore the relationships, overlaps and connections between science, society and the media and their impact on science communication. |
| Course description |
This course explores the development of science communication particularly over the last 25 years. It considers the social, cultural and political context in which the public engagement agenda has emerged over the past 15-20 years. The course will examine the nature of scientific knowledge. It will explore the scientific method, reflect on established and contested aspects of scientific knowledge and their application in technological advances. Students will examine the communication of science within and beyond the academic community and develop an awareness of how perceptions and (mis) understandings arise. Using contemporary examples and contexts, students will discuss potential stakeholders for issues involving science and identify sources of information, misinformation available to the stakeholders. The course will explore the role of the media in science communication and the alignment and tensions between the objectives of the scientist and the media. Students will be taught by a combination of lectures, seminars and practical experience supplemented by in- course reading and reflection.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2017/18, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 30,
Fieldwork Hours 6,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
158 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
One essay of 2000 words 70% of total marks
A press (news release) 30% of total marks. |
| Feedback |
Feedback will be on-going during seminar and practical session with summative, written feedback delivered together with summative mark. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the deficit model of science communication
- Demonstrate an awareness of the development of policy debates about public engagement and an awareness of the key issues
- Demonstrate an understanding of the nature of science and how it is communicated
- Demonstrate an understanding of the differing motivations and perceptions in non-specialist engagement with science
- Demonstrate an understanding of the scientist/media relationship
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Additional Information
| Course URL |
http://www.sciencecommunication.mvm.ed.ac.uk |
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
SCQF
1. KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
2. Practice: applied knowledge skills and understanding
3. Generic Cognitive Skills
4. Communication, ICT
5. Autonomy, Accountability and Working with others |
| Keywords | SCPE,SSM,SCPE,Science Society and the Media. |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Elizabeth Stevenson
Tel: (0131 6)50 3258
Email: |
Course secretary | Miss Sara-Louise Tait
Tel: (0131 6)51 5997
Email: |
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