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What is Science? Unpacking the connections between science and society. - Alumni is a Course

What is Science? Unpacking the connections between science and society. - Alumni

Self-paced

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Full course description

Start:

Anytime

Duration:

2 hours

Location:

Online

Price:

$25


 

What you'll learn:

  • Explore the ways scientists come up with research questions, how scientists look for answers, and what goes into determining if they are on the right track.
  • Unpack how the different approaches to creating scientific knowledge are developed, as well as how the faces of science have changed over time.
  • Discuss what factors steer the path that science follows, and how science also shapes the world we live in today.

Learning Objectives:

After completing the course, you will be able to:

  • Articulate the ways scientists come up with research questions
  • Assess how scientists look for answers, and what goes into determining if they are on the right track
  • Reflect and recognize how the different approaches to creating scientific knowledge are developed, as well as how the faces of science have changed over time.
  • Grapple with and discuss what factors steer the path that science follows, and how science also shapes the world we live in today.

What you'll do:

  1. Watch 60 minutes of topical videos
  2. Watch a total of 30 minutes of video clips from 18 different scientists discussing their own understanding of science
  3. Complete 4 activities (Discovery game, mapping labs, coming up with research questions, and funding science)
  4. Read and explore several curated resources

Who this course is designed for:

General audience, those that engage with science through their work, those that are interested in learning more about science, managers/workplace leaders, mediators, those who work with the public, science mentors, science team leads, politicians, city planners, designers, students, and job seekers or career changers.


What you'll receive:

Upon fulfilling course requirements, participants will receive a certificate indicating 5 recertification hours from Arizona State University.

 

Meet the instructors


Dr. Annie Hale - Director, Research and Development Pathfinder Center, Biodesign Institute. Senior Sustainability Scientist, Global Institute of Sustainability and Innovation. Faculty Associate, School of Sustainability, College of Global Futures

Dr. Hale's work combines the fields of science and technology studies, sustainability, and design from a human-centered approach. Her research interests focus on the question: How do people construct and understand the world around them, and, in turn, how do those constructs change the way people engage with their world? She directs a variety of educational programs that target sustainability and 21st-century learning that aim to inspire, engage, and empower a variety of publics, from educators to community leaders, through elegantly-designed experiences. Dr. Hale is a learning design expert weaving in best pedological practices for online, hybrid, flipped, and face-to-face learning experiences. With a background in design. Dr. Hale creates experiences that are simple, smart, and well-conceived.


Dr. Leanna Archambault - Associate Professor, Learning Design and Technology, Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College Program Coordinator, Learning Design and Technology M.Ed.

Dr. Leanna Archambault is an Associate Professor of Learning Design and Technology within the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University. Her research areas include teacher preparation for K-12 online and blended classrooms, the use of innovative technologies to improve learning outcomes, and sustainability literacy for preservice and inservice teachers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this an introductory class?

Yes. Providing enough information to get started, and leaving room for expansion on this topic with curated resources and links.

 

What approach does this course take to exploring science and society?

This class takes a science, technology, and society (STS) perspective to understanding the connections to and between science and society. The course describes and unpacks how the field of science is set of multiple/multi-disciplinary institutions, practices, and methods for creating knowledge. Science is carried out by an array of different people with different goals, and this course highlights this detail and more.

 

Do I need a science background?

No, this course is open to anyone interested in science in a general fashion and how it impacts our everyday world.