New paper on science blogging 22 Sep 2008 Science blogging is a relatively new phenomenon, the impact of which is slowly becoming clear. Gone are the days when an albino silverback philosopher was a top ranking science blogger (I am quite happy to be a philosophy of science blogger, and not take credit for anything I didn’t earn). I recently had a paper in Trends in Ecology and Evolution on the topic, which was more an analysis of how they functions for those used to the older publishing trajectories. Now Sciblings Shelley Batts, Nick Anthis, and Tara Smith have an advocacy paper in PLoS Biology, in which they seek to legitimate science blogs as professional activities of science, particularly of outreach. Drug Monkey has a good overview and discussion. As a parenthetical note, the term “outreach” always triggers up images of earnest young folk playing guitars and singing “Kumbaya”. There has to be something more appropriate for science and academe in general. How about “communication”? General Science Social evolution
Ecology and Biodiversity The ontology of biology 3 – phenomena 14 Nov 200818 Sep 2017 As I have argued before, there is a class of objects in the biological domain that do not derive from the theory of that domain, but which are in fact the special objects of the domain that call for a theoretical explanation. The example I have given is mountain, which… Read More
General Science Scientific bloopers 4 May 2008 On a newsgroup that shall remain Nameless, one of the regulars, Bill Reich, just heard on the History Channel: Smilodon is the ancestor of all the modern big cats. Oy! So this thread is for egregiously* wrong statements made on erstwhile factual television shows. Please state where you heard it,… Read More
Epistemology What should evolutionary psychology comprise? 25 Jul 201125 Jul 2011 Recently there have been a number of posts and comments on evolutionary psychology. A new paper in PLoS Biology argues that human brain evolution since the “stone age” (really?) has been rapid and multifaceted. And there are renewed calls for evolutionary psychology to change. As usual, John Hawks has a… Read More
I am a paradox. An enigma wrapped up in a riddle, inside a conundrum. I am all possible bald men. I contain multitudes. Man, I gotta get more of this weed…
In my former field (entomology), “outreach” is called “extension”. Just a suggestion. p.s. if you’re albino, how can we be sure you’re a silverback?
In my former field (entomology), “outreach” is called “extension”. Just a suggestion. p.s. if you’re albino, how can we be sure you’re a silverback?
the term “outreach” always triggers up images of earnest young folk playing guitars and singing “Kumbaya”. That’s “religious outreach” John. “Scientific outreach” is when they sing the Elements song from Tom Lehrer accompanying themselves on a concertina as invented by Wheatstone, he of the Bridge.
the term “outreach” always triggers up images of earnest young folk playing guitars and singing “Kumbaya”. That’s “religious outreach” John. “Scientific outreach” is when they sing the Elements song from Tom Lehrer accompanying themselves on a concertina as invented by Wheatstone, he of the Bridge.
I didn’t make up the term, but the reason the act of scientists contributing to science education is called “outreach” is that it describes Universities and other institutions reaching out to the outside world. “Communication” is not an appropriate term because outreach encompasses far more than communication. Science outreach groups often have a mission to serve the broader community through classes, developing and sharing curriculum, and many other kinds of hands-on activities.
Sweet, thanks John. As a result of, like, the end of the first paragraph of that paper of yours, I am writing a paper with Joan on scientsts attitudes to scientific blogging (with UQ Guinea pigs if my ethics approval ever comes through). Yay more articles and a tonne of blogroll links… On outreach? I know why they do use it, Sandra, but seriously, what it evokes is something else. It reinforces Snow’s two worlds thingy.
Sweet, thanks John. As a result of, like, the end of the first paragraph of that paper of yours, I am writing a paper with Joan on scientsts attitudes to scientific blogging (with UQ Guinea pigs if my ethics approval ever comes through). Yay more articles and a tonne of blogroll links… On outreach? I know why they do use it, Sandra, but seriously, what it evokes is something else. It reinforces Snow’s two worlds thingy.
Pubcat: I know several people who work in science outreach programs. Seriously, the word “outreach” evokes the proper picture. Almost all of the educators I know were probably camp counselors in a former life.
Pubcat: I know several people who work in science outreach programs. Seriously, the word “outreach” evokes the proper picture. Almost all of the educators I know were probably camp counselors in a former life.
the term “outreach” always triggers up images of earnest young folk playing guitars and singing “Kumbaya” Really? Must be an Australianianism. In the USA, we call that “fellowship.” “Outreach” is when a major corporation donates $50K worth of lab equipment to public schools, and then spends $3M publicizing the fact.
the term “outreach” always triggers up images of earnest young folk playing guitars and singing “Kumbaya” Really? Must be an Australianianism. In the USA, we call that “fellowship.” “Outreach” is when a major corporation donates $50K worth of lab equipment to public schools, and then spends $3M publicizing the fact.
Unlike some of you [holds fingers up in annoying quotes gesture] I am not a Registered Scientitian or a college student and get my education fix wherever I can. I love science blogs. On occasion, reading them even leads to reading actual books. Certainly, reading Talk.origins leads to reading books (yes, I know, not a blog). Eventually, I may learn something.
Unlike some of you [holds fingers up in annoying quotes gesture] I am not a Registered Scientitian or a college student and get my education fix wherever I can. I love science blogs. On occasion, reading them even leads to reading actual books. Certainly, reading Talk.origins leads to reading books (yes, I know, not a blog). Eventually, I may learn something.