Inclusive Science Communication

FaculteitFaculty of Science

NiveauMaster

Studiejaar2026-2027

Beschrijving

Course goals

Upon completion of the course the student:

can display awareness, empathy and understanding of EDI matters related to the domain of science communication and is motivated to act more inclusively
can design (more) inclusive science communication practices
can critically reflect on own experiences and actions related to science communication related EDI matters

Content

The past decade the world has woken up to issues of equity, diversity and inclusion. As a science communication lecturer I strongly felt a need to integrate it in my teaching. So this master’s course is aimed at fostering a generation of more equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) aware and skilled science communication professionals.
Over the past decade more and more people came to realise that it is mainly the ‘haves’ that participate and make use of what science communication has to offer, rather than the ‘have-nots’ who would arguably be those who stand most to benefit from such experiences. What determines whether you are a ‘have’ or a ‘have-not’ can vary: it may hinge upon accessibility and handicap, or social and cultural background, or being deprived of technology and means.

Unsurprisingly both practitioners, for instance education staff at science museums, as well as academic researchers focus on EDI in order to facilitate and support all those with an (potential) interest in science. It is a complex field and adequate measures are hard to find, let alone implemented in the right way. And, as interest has increased significantly only over the past years, rigorous academic studies are scarce, but fast on the increase.

So in this 5 EC course, students interested in science education and communication will learn about the many different aspects of EDI in the context of science communication and everyday science learning, become aware of the extent of the issue, and get tools to try and strive towards more equity, diversity and inclusion for all those (potentially) interested in science. The learning process will be mainly guided by two dedicated EDI assignments: a writing assignment focusing on making popular science texts more inclusive and a position statement pitch on the theme of more EDI in everyday science learning.

As this course is mainly focused on fostering a change in mind set within the students, the assessment will consist of feedback and a pass or fail judgement for the outcome of the full course.

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