This course is about creating your own original science communication passion project! Using design thinking and inspiration from diverse guest presenters, you’ll come up with a novel program idea, pilot it, report on your pilot, and submit a simulated grant application to scale it up. Lectures and interactive workshops will share approaches to help you get creative, find your purpose, create effective partnerships, and manage and evaluate your project. It represents an authentic opportunity to develop real-world skills that allow your ideas to become realities.
Science communication, engagement and outreach programs employ a range of methods to connect with audiences, create impact and communicate science. From capacity building programs in low- and middle-income countries to science puppet shows for early learners, science communicators employ different methods, often to better engage with underserviced audiences, create impact and social change, and explore topics in more intriguing ways. As part of this, they need to be skilled at conceiving ideas, logistics and program planning, ‘selling’ their ideas and securing funding, running events and evaluating their success. As you’ll discover in your future science communication or other careers, if you want to pursue your passions, your goals and your ideas, skills to develop them and just as importantly get them funded are critical. Many past students’ ideas have turned into funded, real-world, ongoing projects that have had national and global impacts, so don’t underestimate what you might achieve if you make the most of it! If you choose, this can be so much more than just another assignment.
This course is co-taught with undergraduate students but assessed separately.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Critically appraise different formats for communicating science;
- Examine the process of conceiving, developing, delivering and evaluating science communication programs;
- Apply this process to create novel science communication programs;
- Analyse and reflect on science communication programs, including conveying this via various oral and written formats.
Indicative Assessment
- Concept brief (10) [LO 1,3]
- Polished Program Plan (30) [LO 1,2,3]
- Program Trial Report (45) [LO 4]
- Grant Application (15) [LO 1,2]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
The expected workload will consist of approximately 130 hours throughout the session including:
- Face-to face 5 day intensive component in July plus one lecture and optional one-on-one meetings during semester.
- Approximately 90 hours of self-directed study which will include preparation for the face to face component, project planning and delivery, and other assessment tasks.
Inherent Requirements
No specific inherent requirements have been identified for this course.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
N/A
Assumed Knowledge
12 units of 1000 level or above SCOM courses, and/or 12 units of SCOM 6000/8000 level SCOM courses, and/or experience conducting science communication/outreach projects or public science programs/events
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2023 | $4320 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2023 | $6180 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Winter Session
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4291 | 03 Jul 2023 | 03 Jul 2023 | 28 Jul 2023 | 21 Oct 2023 | In Person | View |