Overview

This unit introduces students to the relationship between science, technology and culture, with a particular emphasis on scientific innovations and technology. Students will familiarise themselves with a diverse array of scientific innovations and medical breakthroughs that have been integral to human health. They will learn the importance of the business of science and existing communication practices in science, and apply scientific research methodologies in a range of scientific communications format.

Requisites

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Pathways Teaching 2
Location
Colombo
Start and end dates
01-July-2024
27-September-2024
Last self-enrolment date
14-July-2024
Census date
26-July-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
16-August-2024
Results released date
08-October-2024
Pathways Teaching 3
Location
Colombo
Start and end dates
21-October-2024
31-January-2025
Last self-enrolment date
03-November-2024
Census date
15-November-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
13-December-2024
Results released date
11-February-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Acquire knowledge, conceptual understanding, technical skills and expertise in the field of scientific innovations
  • Formulate arguments that draw on and critique the differences between relevant theories and evidence in the field of technological innovation
  • Evaluate issues and demonstrate individual and collaborative problem solving and decision-making in professional practice and/or scholarship
  • Analysis a range of scientific texts to reflect and reporting on social, cultural, legal and ethical issues that relating to science in the media in both local and international contexts
  • Demonstrate the capacity to apply scientific research methodologies to a study process

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Face to Face Contact
(Class)		 2 12 weeks  24
Online
(Online Tutorial 1)		 2 12 weeks  24
Online
(Online Tutorial 2)		 2 12 weeks  24
Unspecified Learning Activities
(Independent Learning)		 6.5 12 weeks  78
TOTAL     150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Case Analysis Individual  25%  1,2,3,5 
Online Discussion Threads Individual  10% 1,2,4 
Essay Individual  25%  1,2,3,4,5 
Presentation Individual  20%  1,2,3,4,5 
Case Report Individual  20%  1,2,3,5 

Content

  • What is science and scientific method
  • What is technology and what is its relationship to science
  • The business of scientific research and technological development
  • Ethics of scientific research and development of technologies
  • The science of genetic engineering
  • The invention of the printing press and its impact on Western thought
  • Media representation of scientific research
  • The Information Superhighway
  • Convergence
  • The growing gap between ‘information rich’ and ‘information poor’
  • Western science and Aboriginal values
  • Science and sustainability

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.