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Postgraduate Program on Science Communication – Thematic Unit

HOU > Postgraduate Programme on Science Communication (EEP) > Postgraduate Program on Science Communication – Thematic Unit

EEP11 History of Science

Course Unit Code: EEP11
Credits ECTS: 10
Course Type: Compulsory
Semester: First (1st)
Language: Greek
Module Outline

General Description:

The subject of the history of sciences is the study of the material, cultural, and intellectual conditions that made the emergence of specific interpretative views and representations of the natural world possible. The history of sciences also examines how these views and representations were legitimized and gained the status of universal truth within specific social frameworks. Finally, it studies the ways in which established scientific perceptions are challenged and the process by which they are replaced by others considered more accurate. Traditionally, the history of sciences covers sciences in antiquity, medieval science, the Scientific Revolution, sciences in the Enlightenment era, the establishment of modern science in the 19th century, and the diversification of science in the 20th century. Due to the nature of the master’s program, the thematic unit will focus more on recent times, particularly the period in which science takes on its modern form and establishes its presence in the public sphere.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the EEP11, the student is expected to:

  • Suggest ways of using historical research to publicly present the nature of the scientific work (‘the nature of science’).
  • Revise established narratives about the course of science and demonstrate the relationship of scientific understandings to wider social and cultural processes.
  • Document the relationship between the development of the various sciences and the formation of European modernity.
  • Decide on the current state of the sciences and evaluate scientific and technological policy decisions.
  • Plan educational and/or artistic actions aimed at the scientific literacy of the general public

Cognitive Subjects: 

  • Scientific Revolution and the beginnings of modernity
  • The sciences in the years of Enlightenment and the formation of the public sphere
  • Sciences and society in the 19th century. Academic and professional organization of modern science
  • 20th century: Science, technology and the emergence of technoscientific culture

Evaluation: Completion of written assignments during the academic semester which constitute a 40 percent of each student’s grade, if a pass is obtained in the final or repetitive examination. Final exam grades constitute a 60 percent of the students’ final course grade.

Teaching Method: distance learning using the HOU’s e-learning platform and conducting Group Counselling Meetings.

 

EEP12 Philosophy of Science

Course Unit Code: EEP12
Credits ECTS: 10
Course Type: Compulsory
Semester: First (1st)
Language: Greek
Module Outline

General Description:

The subject of the philosophy of science is the study of the methods of testing and verification of scientific theories. The philosophy of science emerged in the 17th century. The changes brought about by the Scientific Revolution, both in method and in the content of knowledge, as well as the differences among its supporters, raise serious concerns about the possibilities and limits of human knowledge. These concerns remain relevant to this day. The epistemological optimism of the Enlightenment and the positivism of the 19th century attempt to address the skepticism associated with the problems of scientific knowledge and to demonstrate the epistemological superiority of modern science. These efforts continue and are systematized with logical positivism and analytical philosophy in the 20th century. At the same time, however, there are currents of thought that introduce social and cultural factors into the discussion, detaching science from its exclusive relationship with rationalism and objectivity. In recent years, under the influence of Science and Technology Studies, these currents have led to a variety of different views on the scientific phenomenon, connecting it with sociology, network theory, and gender studies.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the EEP12, the student is expected to:

  • Analyze and present controversial issues of science and technology to the public.
  • Decode scientific controversies and document the views of the parties involved.
  • Identify and present the anthropological, class and gender dimension of the truth claims of the dominant model of technoscience.
  • Assess the ethical dimension of critical scientific and technological decisions.
  • Participate in scientific and technological policy formulation processes.

Cognitive Subjects:

  • The beginnings of the modern philosophy of science: The importance of experience. The use of the Reason. The Kantian synthesis
  • The philosophy of science in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Logical empiricism, verification and validation. Popper and refutation.
  • The historicist turn and theories of scientific change
  • Sociological and anthropological approaches to the problem of scientific knowledge. Social constructivism and actor-network theory

Evaluation: Completion of written assignments during the academic semester which constitute a 40 percent of each student’s grade, if a pass is obtained in the final or repetitive examination. Final exam grades constitute a 60 percent of the students’ final course grade.

Teaching Method: distance learning using the HOU’s e-learning platform and conducting Group Counselling Meetings.

 

EEP13 Science, Technology and Society

Course Unit Code: EEP13
Credits ECTS: 10
Course Type: Compulsory
Semester: First (1st)
Language: Greek
Module Outline

General Description:

This unit examines the interaction of society, science, and technology. It studies the role of politics in shaping scientific practice and credibility, as well as in the formation of technological design. Contemporary theoretical trends in the sociology of scientific knowledge and the anthropology of science will be presented and studied. Emphasis will be given to approaches such as social constructivism, actor-network theory, and the co-production idiom. Science and technology will be studied as inherently social and political phenomena and as entities formed through the agency of actors, institutions, and state and international organizations. The questions that will concern the unit involve how interests and social groups shape the characteristics of science and technology while simultaneously reproducing and ingraining power relations in society. The ways of managing scientific knowledge and innovation and their consequences for the formation of technoscience and its functioning in modern societies will be specified. Additionally, class and gender discriminations inscribed in the formation of science and technological innovation will be highlighted.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the EEP13, the student is expected to:

  • Conceive and describe science and technology as inherently social phenomena.
  • Distinguish the different social theories and sociological approaches of science and technology
  • Identify and evaluate the social consequences of science and technology
  • Recognize the fact that science and technology are constituted differently in different institutional, political and cultural contexts.
  • Identify and delineate the gender and class distinctions reproduced in the construction of technoscience.
  • Highlight the importance of the role of users in shaping and legitimizing specific technoscientific choices.

Cognitive Subjects:

  • Industrial Revolutions
  • From technological determinism to theories of co-configuration
  • Gender, classes and technology
  • Political economies of knowledge

Evaluation: Completion of written assignments during the academic semester which constitute a 40 percent of each student’s grade, if a pass is obtained in the final or repetitive examination. Final exam grades constitute a 60 percent of the students’ final course grade.

Teaching Method: distance learning using the HOU’s e-learning platform and conducting Group Counselling Meetings.

EEP21 Communication Science

Course Unit Code: EEP21
Credits ECTS: 10
Course Type: Compulsory
Semester: Second (2nd)
Language: Greek
Module Outline

General Description:

The communication of science is an academic and professional space where people from different scientific and professional areas converge. In the 1950s, the term “public understanding of science and technology” first appeared, covering a fairly broad area. However, this area began to be systematically studied in the 1980s. The purpose of this course is to explore the origins of the field of science communication, highlighting the diversity of theoretical approaches. Additionally, the aim is to explore the theories of representation and perception of sciences and technology in the public sphere. What are the attitudes of different social groups towards techno-scientific issues? What are the factors that influence the different perception of these issues? In what contexts is the public image of science and technology constructed, and what textual genres does it include? Special emphasis will be given to mass media and advertising.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the EEP21, the student is expected to:

  • Identify the different theoretical approaches taken to the study of science and technology in the public sphere.
  • Identify the theoretical specificities of the specific academic field, even though they come from different scientific and professional areas.
  • Recognize and decode the role of institutions and processes involved in the construction of the public image of science and technology.
  • Summarize the ways in which we study public trends and behaviours and demonstrate the ways in which research results can be integrated into science communication activities

Cognitive Subjects:

  • The history, present and future of scientific “popularization”
  • Theories of representation and reception of the sciences in the public space
  • Behaviours, trends and public participation in technoscientific issues
  • The media and advertisements as sites of construction of the public image of science and technology

Evaluation: Completion of written assignments during the academic semester which constitute a 40 percent of each student’s grade, if a pass is obtained in the final or repetitive examination. Final exam grades constitute a 60 percent of the students’ final course grade.

Teaching Method: distance learning using the HOU’s e-learning platform and conducting Group Counselling Meetings.

 

EEP22 Museums, science and technology

Course Unit Code: EEP22
Credits ECTS: 10
Course Type: Compulsory
Semester: Second (2nd)
Language: Greek
Module Outline

General Description:

Internationally, exhibitions focusing on the natural sciences and technology are continuously developing. The aim of the course is to examine modern approaches to education in the sciences and technology within the context of a museum, considering the creation of a comprehensive experience for the visitor. The history of exhibition design includes a wealth of techniques that characterize each period. The course will explore how these methods have influenced the presentation of the sciences up to the present day. It will introduce the development techniques of science and technology exhibits, as well as the development of educational programs within the museum framework. What criteria define a successful and effective exhibition? What tools can be used for the development of educational programs targeting different age groups? Lastly, an overview and evaluation of the various outreach techniques available to museums will be conducted.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the EEP22, the student is expected to:

  • Utilize modern approaches to education in the context of a museum.
  • Design exhibits based on science and technology.
  • Develop educational actions and educational programs for a techno-scientific museum.
  • Create integrated experiences for museum visitors.
  • Plan the outreach actions of a science and technology museum

Cognitive Subjects:

  • Contemporary approaches and educational tools for science and technology education.
  • Development of science and technology exhibits.
  • Development of educational programs in science and technology museums.
  • Outreach techniques for science and technology museums.

Evaluation: Completion of written assignments during the academic semester which constitute a 40 percent of each student’s grade, if a pass is obtained in the final or repetitive examination. Final exam grades constitute a 60 percent of the students’ final course grade.

Teaching Method: distance learning using the HOU’s e-learning platform and conducting Group Counselling Meetings.

 

EEP23 Scientific journalism

Course Unit Code: EEP23
Credits ECTS: 10
Course Type: Compulsory
Semester: Second (2nd)
Language: Greek
Module Outline

General Description:

There is a long tradition of the presence of science and technology in the media. One of the issues that both scientists and journalists must address is the gap between scientific and journalistic discourse. How can this gap be bridged without losing critical information in the transition from the laboratory to the public space? Scientific journalism constitutes a specialized area of journalism that requires specific skills in managing and presenting issues related to the sciences and technology. The course aims to study approaches to scientific results, examine methodologies regarding writing techniques, conducting interviews, and creating broadcasts and documentaries. Additionally, clear ethical codes for issues related to both the journalist’s work and citizens’ right to information will be specified. The course will also outline the methods a journalist should follow to verify the credibility of sources and the criteria by which the difference between hypotheses and scientific results is documented.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the EEP23, the student is expected to:

  • Write according to the principles and techniques of scientific journalism.
  • Conduct interviews with professional scientists, aiming to capture key points of their research and its relevance to public life.
  • Plan science communication talk shows or documentaries.
  • Distinguish between scientifically valid and pseudo-scientific sources.
  • Describe scientific controversies by capturing the complex processes of constructing technoscientific reality

Cognitive Subjects:

  • Media theories
  • Writing and interviewing techniques on science and technology issues
  • Creation of science and technology shows and documentaries
  • Ethical issues. Validation of sources. Good practices of cooperation with scientific and technological bodies
  • Scientific journalism in the digital environment

Evaluation: Completion of written assignments during the academic semester which constitute a 40 percent of each student’s grade, if a pass is obtained in the final or repetitive examination. Final exam grades constitute a 60 percent of the students’ final course grade.

Teaching Method: distance learning using the HOU’s e-learning platform and conducting Group Counselling Meetings.

EEP31 Science and Technology in the Public Sphere

Course Unit Code: EEP31
Credits ECTS: 10
Course Type: Compulsory
Semester: Third (3rd)
Language: Greek
Module Outline

General Description:

The theme of this unit is the role of science and technology in the public sphere and discourse. It will examine the ideological function of technoscience and the role it plays in reproducing social norms. The formation of public discourse on science and technology will be studied by constructing the image of the scientist and engineer and using mass media. Additionally, the political role and function of experts in shaping hegemonic narratives about science and technology will be highlighted. Their role in shaping policies that gain credibility, persuasion, and social and political legitimacy through technocratic discourse will be evaluated. Scientific disputes will be examined as political conflicts or conflicts that constitute the notion of the political using various means. In the context of technoscientific conflicts, the role of citizens in the social evaluation of science and technology will be explored. Different types of expertise, based on experience and the experiential relationship with the environment, necessary for the formation and evaluation of modern technoscience, will be studied by analyzing various cases.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the EEP31, the student is expected to be able to describe and discuss:

  • The ideological dimension of science and technology
  • The political and ideological function of experts
  • The political as well as epistemological importance of social movements for the formation of scientific and technical knowledge
  • The different types of intelligence involved in decision making on science and innovation issues
  • The ways in which they can contribute to the formation of a democratic framework for constructing science and managing innovation

Cognitive Subjects:

  • Science, technology and ideologies
  • Scientific controversies in the public space
  • Intelligence and democracy
  • Science, technology, power and social movements

Evaluation: Completion of written assignments during the academic semester which constitute a 40 percent of each student’s grade, if a pass is obtained in the final or repetitive examination. Final exam grades constitute a 60 percent of the students’ final course grade.

Teaching Method: distance learning using the HOU’s e-learning platform and conducting Group Counselling Meetings.

 

EEP32 Research Design in Public Understanding of Science

Course Unit Code: EEP32
Credits ECTS: 10
Course Type: Compulsory
Semester: Third (3rd)
Language: Greek
Module Outline

General Description:

This unit focuses on the methodology used for research in the social sciences. There is a plethora of methods that a researcher can employ based on the research questions formulated. In this course, the fundamental methodologies of qualitative and quantitative research will be presented (ethnographic research, content analysis, image analysis, comparative studies, case studies, etc.). What kinds of questions can be explored with each of these methods? When is the combination of multiple methods necessary? How can archives and databases be effectively used for research? Finally, techniques for writing research reports and presenting research results will be introduced.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the EEP32, the student is expected to be able to describe and discuss:

  • Know dominant research trends in the research field of Public Understanding of Science
  • Know the stages of conducting research
  • Search, locate, retrieve, organize, synthesize and critically evaluate literature data
  • Know basic research designs (qualitative, quantitative and mixed designs)
  • Formulate and establish a research objective and research questions and/or hypotheses based on a theoretical reflection and literature review
  • Know basic sampling methods and techniques in the context of quantitative and qualitative designs
  • Develop and evaluate basic tools for collecting empirical material in the context of quantitative and qualitative designs
  • Recognize the ethical and ethical issues raised in the context of data collection and indicate appropriate ways of handling them
  • Construct and write a small-scale empirical research project in the field of Public Understanding of Science.

Cognitive Subjects:

  • Quantitative and qualitative research methods
  • Research designs (qualitative, quantitative and mixed designs)
  • Applications of research designs in the Public Understanding of the Sciences.
  • Techniques for presenting research results

Evaluation: Completion of written assignments during the academic semester which constitute a 40 percent of each student’s grade, if a pass is obtained in the final or repetitive examination. Final exam grades constitute a 60 percent of the students’ final course grade.

Teaching Method: distance learning using the HOU’s e-learning platform and conducting Group Counselling Meetings.

 

EEP33 Techno-scientific Culture and Contemporary Problems

Course Unit Code: EEP33
Credits ECTS: 10
Course Type: Compulsory
Semester: Third (3rd)
Language: Greek
Module Outline

General Description:

Within the context of social studies in science and technology, technoscientific culture is approached through critical studies analyzing contemporary social issues. The emphasis of the thematic unit will be on highlighting the risks as they emerge from new technoscientific research and innovations, as well as the terms of social and political negotiation. Topics such as the toxicities introduced into the food chain by genetic modification of plants and animals or issues related to the environmental impacts of using new technoscientific innovations will be studied. The course will also analyze issues related to managing technoscientific risk in crisis situations and the terms of individual and collective responsibilities in cases of technological and industrial accidents. The main question addressed will be: How, by whom, and under what terms are decisions made on issues concerning the sciences and technology? Ethical problems arising from research and innovations in biotechnology and life sciences will be examined, as well as the conditions for the formation of policies on “responsible innovation” in biomedical sciences and biotechnology.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the EEP33, the student is expected to be able to describe and discuss:

  • Recognize the social and cultural construction of the concept of risk-taking
  • Identify the social dimensions and effects of new technoscientific innovations
  • Use analytical tools from the social sciences to analyze and assess risk associated with science and technology
  • Identify and describe the bioethical issues that arise inherently with the establishment of new scientific disciplines and technological innovations
  • Define the conditions for establishing the “responsible innovation” framework

Cognitive Subjects:

  • Science, Technology and Risk
  • Biotechnology, Public Health and Governance
  • Bioethical issues
  • Science, Technology and Environment
  • Natural disasters and technological accidents

Evaluation: Completion of written assignments during the academic semester which constitute a 40 percent of each student’s grade, if a pass is obtained in the final or repetitive examination. Final exam grades constitute a 60 percent of the students’ final course grade.

Teaching Method: distance learning using the HOU’s e-learning platform and conducting Group Counselling Meetings.

EEPDE Master’s Dissertation

Code: EEPDE
Credits ECTS: 30
Type: Compulsory
Semester: Fourth (4th)
Language: Greek
Module Outline

General description: The preparation of the Master’s dissertation takes place after the successful completion of all nine Thematic Units of the program. Its duration is one academic semester. The dissertation can be based on primary empirical research or an original critical review of the relevant literature and address issues related to the Thematic Units and the individual axes that make them up. Its topic is proposed by the student and is formed in its final form in collaboration with the supervising professor-advisor.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the Master’s Thesis, the student is expected to:

  • Conduct original research on issues related to the communication of science.
  • Recognize, apply, and combine different methods and techniques of the cognitive subjects addressed in the postgraduate program.
  • Be familiar with and adhere to the principles and ethical rules of scientific research.

General Regulation for the Preparation of Master’s Theses in postgraduate programmes with a six-month duration.

For more information regarding the Specifications – Useful Material for writing Master’s Theses and uploading a Thesis at the H.O.U. Repository, you can go to the Digital Training Area http://courses.eap.gr and especially to the Program of Studies section.

Prerequisite courses: The oral support of the dissertation requires the successful completion of all nine (9) Units of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd semesters of the Program.

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