Science Communication LOLO.00.037 ut.ee/BG/scom

1. Science CommunicationLOLO.00.037www.ut.ee/BG/scom Session 3 Presentations

2. Presentations • Each person has the opportunity to make a little presentation and show an optical illusion. • The task is to introduce, show and help the audience to appreciate the optical illusion. But please keep it simple and you are welcome to make it fun. • I would like to recommend we follow the sequence on the register so that we have a mix of presentations from participants from different faculties.

3. Outcomes from Questionnaire I now invite you to examine the outcomes of your preferences in responding to the questionnaire in session 1. I recommend you undertake this as group work with 3-4 persons per group. As the focus of attention is the outcomes in general (rather than individual responses), I present you with bar charts of the outcomes. • What do the bar charts tell you? • Are you able to summarise the messages conveyed ?

4. Your Task • Discuss the outcomes as illustrated by the bar charts. (I recommend we omit items 5, 6 and 7 from the discussion for the moment). • Following the discussion, one member selected from your group will be asked to present the group deliberations/conclusions to the rest of the class.

5. Agreement/Disagreement on Questionnaire Items • It seems there is general agreement in items 3, 4, 12, 13, 14 and 15. • It seems there is much disagreement in items 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8. • Uncertainty is a feature in items 1, 2, 7, 9 and10.

6. Interpretation Qu 1 • There is disagreement as to the tentative nature of science (A, B, H) • Science is based on complex theories (D) • There is uncertainty as to whether scientists bow to power or status ? (E) • There is uncertainty as to whether scientists like large paradigm shifts or unfamiliarity ? (F, C) • Scientists do not use intuition in making judgements (G)

7. Interpretation of Qu2 • Science is not value free (A, B) • Are scientists responsible for their actions? (C) • Should scientists work under a code of conduct ? (A, B, C)

8. Interpretation of Qu 3 • Scientists mainly use imagination in their work (A,B) • Is the use of imagination unscientific? (C,D) • Can imagination be reliable ? (E)

9. Interpretation of Qu 4 • Does science proceed by revolutionary changes ? (A) • Are theories permanent? (B) • Are theories evolved rather than replaced? (C)

10. Interpretation of Qu 8 • Do beliefs influence observations ? (A,B) • Is it true scientists do not hold the same ideas? (C) • Are observations what we see – we all see the same ? (D) • Does the use of different methods lead to non-bias observations? (E)

11. Interpretation of Qu 9 • Is there one scientific method, a number of methods, or no such thing as a method? (A, B, C, D, E) • Most scientist use a logical method (B) • Is the scientific method used to verify results? (F)

12. Interpretation of Qu 10 • Which is it – students should or should not learn the procedure of the scientific method ? (A, B, C,D, E, F, G, H, I) • Can you agree with B and I?

13. Interpretation of Qu 11 • This question links to Qu 8 • Does being careful mean students will get the same findings ?(A, B, C) • Observations are influenced by preconceptions (D, E)

14. Interpretation of Qu 12 • A question with strong agreement among the group, especially for items A and C. • Why is it that scientific knowledge may change ? (A, B). • What is the relationship between scientific knowledge and truth ?

15. Interpretation of Qu 13 • Another question with strong agreement across the group. • Learning the definitions of and the relationships between hypotheses, theories and laws are necessary components of school science courses (A, B). • So what are you suggesting about the nature of science and learning scientific facts?

16. Interpretation of Qu 14 • Should scientists have a conscience ? (A,B, C) • But we realise that scientific research cannot be divorced from socio-cultural values (B, C). And hence science courses can involve personal beliefs and value-choices (E and G). • Is the Nature of Science (and hence scientific research) bound by societal considerations? (E,F)

17. Interpretation of Qu 15 • The Nature of Science relates to personal conscience (A) and hence socio-cultural values (C). • The Nature of Science cannot be detached from personal beliefs or subjective values? (E,F) • But should the Nature of Science be about pursuing the truth ? (G)

18. Homework • Please read through and respond to the questionnaire given (Please write your name on the questionnaire so that I can collect your responses). • In responding, you can consult others if you so wish. • The focus of interest is whether there is concensus. Do we have common agreement. • My Prediction – there will NOT be consensus (unless you contrive to make this so).

19. Exploring scientific inferences and explanations further • Using an historical perspective

20. Crime against Plants Crime scenes investigations are useful for showing how science can explain past events. Hypotheses • Historical science is just as valid as experimental science. • Science deals with natural patterns and mechanisms. • Scientific knowledge is uncertain, tentative and subject to revision.

21. From inferences to explanation Look at the following pictures given related to the ‘crime’ against the plant. Can you – determine the ‘crime’ against the plant and your hypothesis as to how the cause of events probably occurred ? More information available from http://www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb/lessons/plcr.les.html