230209 KO Discussion Class Techno-Science and Society: Communicating and Interacting (2017S)
Continuous assessment of course work
Labels
Registration/Deregistration
Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).
- Registration is open from We 01.02.2017 07:00 to We 22.02.2017 23:59
- Deregistration possible until Fr 24.03.2017 23:59
Details
max. 25 participants
Language: English
Lecturers
Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N
- Tuesday 07.03. 16:00 - 18:30 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien (Kickoff Class)
- Thursday 23.03. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Tuesday 02.05. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Thursday 11.05. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Tuesday 23.05. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Tuesday 20.06. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
Information
Aims, contents and method of the course
Assessment and permitted materials
The discussion class mainly builds on discussion and the active participation of all students. The distribution of tasks to the students will be done in the last part of the first unit (07.03.2017).A discussion workshop generally has three phases:
(1) go through the texts in smaller groups and discuss their key points (max. 50 minutes); the workshop leaders should be the moderators of these discussions;
(2) bring the results to the plenary (50 minutes); we go through each text and elaborate on the key issues; reflect what we learn across the papers;
(3) feedback on how the workshop worked + identify topics we would like to keep as a take-away for further debates (20 minutes).To pass the discussion class, students are expected to
read the literature for the respective discussion workshop and;
prepare for the discussion: analyse the papers along the six questions (take short notes and bring them to class):
What are the core questions that the text asks? Express them in your own words.
What are the problems/tensions the text is pointing at?
What hypothesis/es does the text defend? Identify key passages.
What are core concepts/terms that the text operates with and that you identified as being important?
What is the empirical field addressed in the text?
Where did you encounter problems when reading the text?
participate actively in all the discussions.
Chair one workshop with your group (approx. 5-6 people): No power point presentations are requested, but prepare questions for the text(s) that had to be read and think about ways to conduct the discussion; pay attention to the time management and that everybody engages;
Each group has to write one short essay (2000 words) on the papers they had to deal with at the workshop. These short papers should be handed in (uploaded on moodle) three weeks after your workshop presentation. A good essay has an introduction which points at the issues at stake, elaborates on the key-points of the papers, points to some elements of the cases where we did see connections and draws a short conclusion.
Adhere to the general standards of good academic practice.
(1) go through the texts in smaller groups and discuss their key points (max. 50 minutes); the workshop leaders should be the moderators of these discussions;
(2) bring the results to the plenary (50 minutes); we go through each text and elaborate on the key issues; reflect what we learn across the papers;
(3) feedback on how the workshop worked + identify topics we would like to keep as a take-away for further debates (20 minutes).To pass the discussion class, students are expected to
read the literature for the respective discussion workshop and;
prepare for the discussion: analyse the papers along the six questions (take short notes and bring them to class):
What are the core questions that the text asks? Express them in your own words.
What are the problems/tensions the text is pointing at?
What hypothesis/es does the text defend? Identify key passages.
What are core concepts/terms that the text operates with and that you identified as being important?
What is the empirical field addressed in the text?
Where did you encounter problems when reading the text?
participate actively in all the discussions.
Chair one workshop with your group (approx. 5-6 people): No power point presentations are requested, but prepare questions for the text(s) that had to be read and think about ways to conduct the discussion; pay attention to the time management and that everybody engages;
Each group has to write one short essay (2000 words) on the papers they had to deal with at the workshop. These short papers should be handed in (uploaded on moodle) three weeks after your workshop presentation. A good essay has an introduction which points at the issues at stake, elaborates on the key-points of the papers, points to some elements of the cases where we did see connections and draws a short conclusion.
Adhere to the general standards of good academic practice.
Minimum requirements and assessment criteria
Grading Scheme
The grading of the course is based on the separate assessment of different tasks on a scale of 1-5.Essay (quality of argument, language, layout, correct bibliography (APA style), handed in on time (delays will impact grading)): 40 %, assessed as group work, feedback on request
Managing the discussion class you are responsible for: 30 %,
assessed as group work, feedback by lecturer
Contribution to the discussion in class on the basis of your reading and preparation of the text; engagement in the discussion group; your presence (late coming will impact your grade): 30 %, assessed individually, no feedbackMinimum requirements
To successfully complete the course, a weighted average of at least 4,5 is required. Failure to meet the attendance regulations, to deliver course assignments on time or to adhere to standards of academic work may result in a deduction of points.Attendance
Presence and participation is compulsory in the discussion class and you have to sign an attendance list each time. Be on time because late coming disrupts the discussion. An absence of two hours (= 1 discussion class session) at maximum is tolerated, provided that the teaching assistants are informed about the absence. In case of problems, please contact the teacher. Absences of up to four hours in total may be compensated by either a deduction of points or/and extra-work agreed with the lecturer. Whether compensation is possible is decided by the lecturer and needs written (e-mail) agreement.
Absences of more than four hours in total cannot be compensated. In this case, or if the lecturer does not allow a student to compensate absences of more than two hours, the course can not be completed and is graded as a 'fail' (5), unless there is a major and unpredictable reason for not being able to fulfil the attendance requirements on the student’s side (e.g. a longer illness). In such a case, the student may be de-registered from the course without grading. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate this in a timely manner, and to provide relevant evidence to their claims if necessary. Whether this exception applies is decided by the vice-director of studies responsible for the master programme.Important Grading Information
If not explicitly noted otherwise, all requirements mentioned in the grading scheme and the attendance regulations must be met. If a required task is not fulfilled, e.g. a required assignment is not handed in or if the student does not meet the attendance requirements, this will be considered as a discontinuation of the course. In that case, the course will be graded as ‘fail’ (5), unless there is a major and unpredictable reason for not being able to fulfill the task on the student's side (e.g. a longer illness). In such a case, the student may be de-registered from the course without grading. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate this in a timely manner, and to provide relevant evidence to their claims if necessary. Whether this exception applies is decided by the lecturer.
If any requirement of the course has been fulfilled by fraudulent means, be it for example by cheating at an exam, plagiarizing parts of a written assignment or by faking signatures on an attendance sheet, the student's participation in the course will be discontinued, the entire course will be graded as ‘not assessed’ and will be entered into the electronic exam record as ‘fraudulently obtained’. Self-plagiarism, particularly re-using own work handed in for other courses, will be treated likewise.
The grading of the course is based on the separate assessment of different tasks on a scale of 1-5.Essay (quality of argument, language, layout, correct bibliography (APA style), handed in on time (delays will impact grading)): 40 %, assessed as group work, feedback on request
Managing the discussion class you are responsible for: 30 %,
assessed as group work, feedback by lecturer
Contribution to the discussion in class on the basis of your reading and preparation of the text; engagement in the discussion group; your presence (late coming will impact your grade): 30 %, assessed individually, no feedbackMinimum requirements
To successfully complete the course, a weighted average of at least 4,5 is required. Failure to meet the attendance regulations, to deliver course assignments on time or to adhere to standards of academic work may result in a deduction of points.Attendance
Presence and participation is compulsory in the discussion class and you have to sign an attendance list each time. Be on time because late coming disrupts the discussion. An absence of two hours (= 1 discussion class session) at maximum is tolerated, provided that the teaching assistants are informed about the absence. In case of problems, please contact the teacher. Absences of up to four hours in total may be compensated by either a deduction of points or/and extra-work agreed with the lecturer. Whether compensation is possible is decided by the lecturer and needs written (e-mail) agreement.
Absences of more than four hours in total cannot be compensated. In this case, or if the lecturer does not allow a student to compensate absences of more than two hours, the course can not be completed and is graded as a 'fail' (5), unless there is a major and unpredictable reason for not being able to fulfil the attendance requirements on the student’s side (e.g. a longer illness). In such a case, the student may be de-registered from the course without grading. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate this in a timely manner, and to provide relevant evidence to their claims if necessary. Whether this exception applies is decided by the vice-director of studies responsible for the master programme.Important Grading Information
If not explicitly noted otherwise, all requirements mentioned in the grading scheme and the attendance regulations must be met. If a required task is not fulfilled, e.g. a required assignment is not handed in or if the student does not meet the attendance requirements, this will be considered as a discontinuation of the course. In that case, the course will be graded as ‘fail’ (5), unless there is a major and unpredictable reason for not being able to fulfill the task on the student's side (e.g. a longer illness). In such a case, the student may be de-registered from the course without grading. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate this in a timely manner, and to provide relevant evidence to their claims if necessary. Whether this exception applies is decided by the lecturer.
If any requirement of the course has been fulfilled by fraudulent means, be it for example by cheating at an exam, plagiarizing parts of a written assignment or by faking signatures on an attendance sheet, the student's participation in the course will be discontinued, the entire course will be graded as ‘not assessed’ and will be entered into the electronic exam record as ‘fraudulently obtained’. Self-plagiarism, particularly re-using own work handed in for other courses, will be treated likewise.
Examination topics
Reading list
Association in the course directory
MA HPS neu: Modul 1.1, Modul 1.2, Modul 1.3
Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:39
We will begin the lecture with reflecting on the challenges of communication and engagement with science and technology in contemporary democracies and explore the meaning of 'medialisation'.
We will continue by focusing on the different spaces where science and technology get in touch with different audiences, ranging from classical media, over science fiction and audio-visual media, to museums and the world wide web/social media. We will investigate the processes of communication, how specific audiences get imagined and created in such settings, and what ideas of techno-science and its relation to society get projected. In this context we will also address questions of visual discourses.
In a next step, we will analyse how citizens/consumers/patients interpret, appropriate, and rearrange scientific knowledge, but also how they attach meaning to new technological possibilities with their own experiences and knowledge. This is of particular importance when looking at situations where they are asked to make choices or to find a position towards a techno-scientific issue at stake. Diverse citizen participation formats, risk communication, but also public protests against certain technological developments will be investigated. We will also reflect what it means to speak of scientific citizenship in a world where technoscientific developments have come to play such a central role.
This leads to finally reflect on the politics of scientific communication and engagement, with a specific focus on governance and future making. It means to look into issues of who holds expertise and thus power in the public arena when it comes to decide on techno-scientific orientations, to understand the role science and technologies play in making (national) identities, and to study what responsibilities are involved in science communication and the diverse forms of engagement with society.
Throughout the lecture, students will be introduced to important approaches and concepts that have been developed to address those questions.