Scientific and technical mediation 2

This EU is a continuation of the one proposed in semester 1.

It invites students to continue exploring the field of science and technology mediation, this time focusing on institutions (museums, science centers, associations, etc.) and, more specifically, on the evolution of their mission and their relationship with the scientific sphere in relation to society. It pursues the same objectives, namely identifying the institutions and actors involved in this field and discovering other issues and objectives of science and technology mediation. The mechanisms at work in the processing of knowledge in context remain a priority. We will also look at a few specific topics, such as specific methods of science mediation in nature, through comic books, the heritage status of contemporary scientific objects, issues related to the exhibition of living organisms or astronomy, etc. The originality of this course unit lies in its continued focus on bringing together fields of study and research that deal with science mediation. We will highlight here the specific contribution of cross-disciplinary research in science education and communication sciences, whose positioning and complementarity with other fields of research will be identified. 

In S2, students will be required to compile a critical and reasoned presentation dossier on the history and evolution of a particular scientific mediation institution (CCSTI, museums, associations, etc.).

The work may be carried out in pairs and will be submitted in the form of a PDF file (between 4 and 5 pages, excluding bibliography and appendices, corresponding to approximately 20,000 characters, including spaces). 

Certified skills (specific, cross-functional)

• Learn about the various scientific mediation mechanisms and institutions, their histories, and their developments.
• Mastering the communication of disciplinary knowledge and how to adapt it to different contexts of scientific mediation
• Analyze and evaluate mediation mechanisms, analyze scientific mediation institutions, and adopt a critical stance.
• Understanding different audiences and their expectations