Short Description:
In small groups students give a presentation examining how the popular media reports scientific findings.
Learning Outcomes:
• Discriminate between scholarly and popular modes of knowledge through an understanding of the peer review process. • Engage critically and reflectively in scholarly discourse. • Exercise critical thinking in oral discussion and writing.
Additional Instructor Resources (e.g. in-class activities, worksheets, scaffolding applications, supplemental modules, further readings, etc.):
Before I introduce the assignment I ask students to rate how accurately they believe that the popular media reports scientific findings. After all of the presentations have been given, I ask them to rate this again, and engage in a bit of reflective writing. I ask them explain why their rating has stayed the same or changed, how they will approach science in the media moving forward, and what they think the main take-aways from this assignment have been. We then discuss those take-away messages-- which usually results in a much broader and deeper understanding of information sources.
