ARTS 3006 - Science and Society

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2019

Where does science fit in a post-truth world? If scientific knowledge is socially constructed, like experiential or other types of knowledge, does that mean that there is nothing special about scientific expertise? Recent geopolitical events, for example the ?March for Science?, have highlighted the complex relationship between scientific knowledge and social, political and economic structures. In this course, we will examine current issues in science and society across key areas, for example climate change and energy, health and medicine, and food production, through a range of theoretical approaches including Public Understanding of Science, Science and Technology Studies and Social Studies of Science and Technology. We will also look at the contribution of other theories from sociology and philosophy, such as Feminism and Post-Colonialism, to our current understanding of the `science machine?. Students will also participate in masterclasses with leading scholars in the field, and work together to prepare a series of Q&A-style forums.

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Course Details

Course Code	ARTS 3006
Course	Science and Society
Coordinating Unit	Arts Faculty Office
Term	Semester 1
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	Up to 3 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	Y
Prerequisites	At least 48 units of undergraduate study
Assessment	3 x Blog posts on workshops (approx 500 words), 2000 word essay 40%, Panel participation (Portfolio and 500 word reflection) 20%

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Associate Professor Wayne Errington

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

Course Learning Outcomes

1	Understand a broad and coherent body of knowledge in Liberal Arts and Sciences and in a selected discipline(s) relevant to science and society, with in-depth knowledge of relevant concepts, theories, skills, debates, emerging issues and methods of inquiry within these disciplines.
2	Apply creative and critical thinking to identify and solve problems within complex scientific, social, political and cultural contexts using rigorous techniques of inquiry involving a variety of primary and secondary sources.
3	Identify social, political, economic and cultural issues relating to science and society and their ethical implications, and demonstrate the capacity to operate with personal and professional integrity in a range of social contexts.
4	Communicate effectively in a range of spoken and written modes and formats within the relevant disciplines and professional contexts in a variety of scientific, social and cultural situations and contribute productively to group-based outcomes.
5	Appreciate and manage their own personal capabilities through processes of self-appraisal, and demonstrate respect and mutual responsibility in sustaining productive relationships.

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Deep discipline knowledge informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1 accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)	1,2,3
Critical thinking and problem solving steeped in research methods and rigor based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment	2
Teamwork and communication skills developed from, with, and via the SGDE honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning	3,4,5
Career and leadership readiness technology savvy professional and, where relevant, fully accredited forward thinking and well informed tested and validated by work based experiences	3,4,5
Intercultural and ethical competency adept at operating in other cultures comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges	3,5
Self-awareness and emotional intelligence a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate	3,5

Learning Resources

Required Resources

Reading and other resources required for learning will be available through MyUni.

Recommended Resources

Reading and other resources recommended for learning will be available through MyUni.

Online Learning

All online content will be made available through MyUni at the beginning of the semester.

Learning & Teaching Modes

This course has been designed so that students are introduced to a topic in the lecture, and the workshop complements and extends the topic through interaction with an expert in the field and or the opportunity to read further and discuss the topic in groups. Students will work together in SGDE to develop ‘QandA’ type panels with experts on a topic of their choosing.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

WORKLOAD	TOTAL HOURS
1 x 1-hour lecture per week	12 hours per semester
1 x 2-hour workshop per week	24 hours per semester
6 hours reading per week	72 hours per semester
4 hours assignment preparation per week	48 hours per semester
	TOTAL = 156 hours per semester

Learning Activities Summary

Schedule
Week 1	Introduction to Science and Society / Preparing for panels project
Week 2	Public Understanding of Science 1 / Science in Public – GLAM sector
Week 3	Public Understanding of Science 2 / Science in Public – media sector
Week 4	What is Science and Technology Studies? / STS Masterclass 1
Week 5	STS and “critical theories” / STS Masterclass 2
Week 6	HPS and Science and Society / HPS Masterclass
Week 7	Ethics and Science / Ethics Masterclass
Week 8	Science and Policy in a Neoliberal world / Science and Policy Masterclass
Week 9	Big Data and other issues in science publishing / Data/publication trends masterclass
Week 10	Science and society in the Genomic Era / Student organised panel
Week 11	Science and society and the Climate x Energy issue / student organised panel
Week 12	Student choice (decided by end week 8) / student organised panel

Specific Course Requirements

Some workshops will involve travelling to locations within the Adelaide metro area at no cost to students

Small Group Discovery Experience

Students will work in groups to develop the student panels at the end of the semester. These will be ‘QandA’ type panels and organising will involve identifying the theme, identifying and liaising with panellists, scripting questions, promoting the event etc

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Task	Task Type	Due	Weighting	Learning Outcome
3 x blog posts on workshops (approx 500 words)	Formative and Summative	Due weeks 5,8,12	40%	4
2000 word essay (or equivalent)	Formative and Summative	Due end week 9	40%	1,2,3,4,5
Panel participation (portfolio and 500 word reflection)	Summative	Due end week 12	20%	1,2,3,4,5

Assessment Related Requirements

Students are expected to attend seminars as they will be highly interactive and provide opportunities for social learning. Only some parts of the seminars (for example the introduction of assessment tasks) will be recorded

Students are expected to notify the course coordinator if they are unable to attend a seminar as soon as possible.

The Faculty of Arts Modified Arrangements for Coursework Policy will apply for students who are unable to complete assessment tasks by the due date due to exceptional circumstances.

Assessment Detail

For all assignments, students will be given detailed instructions on an assessment task sheet and an assessment rubric. There will also be time to discuss the tasks within the workshops

3 x blog posts on workshops (approx. 500 words)
Students will be required to write 3 blog posts:
1) One on any workshop from weeks 2-4 incl. Due at end week 5 (formative).
2) The second is on any workshop from weeks 5-8 incl. Due end week 8.
3) The last is on the QandA that they organised, due at the end of week 12.

2000 word essay (or equivalent)
Student will address a question related to the topic of science and society in a post-truth era and use theory and real-world examples to address the question. Due end week 9.

Panel participation (portfolio and 500 word reflection)
Students will submit a portfolio demonstrating their planning for the QandA panels and a short reflective piece evaluating the event and their contribution. Due end week 12.

Submission

Assignment submission instructions will be provided in MyUni.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
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Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator