Current issues in biology [SBIOB229]

Learning outcomes

To make discover some outstanding aspects of the projections in the field of biology obtained during the course of the year preceding the course.

To confront the messages relayed by the media with scientific reality.

This course is varied and will present in a few hours the media and scientific aspects of a given subject.

Training of a work of group, of the drafting of a scientific document, of an article of popularization intended to hang journalists with a scientific press conference, of the oral presentation for a scientific talk.

This course is a prerequisite for SBIOB304 "Bachelor thesis" in bloc 3.

Objectives

Objectives:

To be able to identify in the written press or audio, international main road or, a burning subject of the news in Biology.

To treat in a scientific way. What implies a library search and the presentation of the media and scientific aspects by group.

General objectives: to place the student vis-a-vis a major scientific projection (BC) or current problems in biology (BE) having had an echo in the media. The student will have to develop his critical spirit vis-a-vis the media ads/debates on knowledge base scientists.

Content

Course:

At the time of the first meeting of course, the teachers will present the objectives of the course as well as the practical aspects/methods. They will also ask the students to form quickly (at the latest for the following course) of the groups (3 to 4 students according to the size of the class).

Each teacher will choose 1-2 topics to be discussed in 6-8 hours. These topics must have been the object of a media debate and will have to be based on solid scientific bases. Thus, it could be presented a recent discovery in molecular biology concerning to cancer, the AIDS, etc, or an event of company which calls on scientific data like an international conference on climate warming, etc Practically, the first form applies better to partim BC and the second with the partim BE, which will make it possible to have a beautiful complementarity.

At the time of course I, a demonstration aiming at the library search will be proposed to the students.

BE: the teacher will make a choice of press articles, video documentaries, of radio podcast, general public Web sites “” and will present the problems and the debate to the students. Then, it will choose a small number of pointed scientific articles which will make it possible to clarify certain points discussed in the media. Lastly, the teacher will approach various matters of biology in keeping with this debate, and will establish the link with other courses. The documents will be provided to the students at the beginning of the course and it will be asked to them to read them (to listen or look at) before the meetings concerned.

The first topic approached will relate to the attacks of sharks in the island of Réunion. A strong controversy exists between the various actors (stakeholders) on the need for protecting the sharks (especially bulldogs and tigers) or rather for exterminating them. A controversy also exists on the reasons of the high number of attacks this year and on the responsibilities. Many false ideas circulate on the sharks. Concepts of animal physiology, ethology, biology of the conservation and ecology could be approached: sensors, osmoregulation, behavior of hunting, displacement of populations, radio operator alignment, etc

BC: according to the same principle the teacher will make a choice of press articles, video documentaries, of radio podcast, general public Web sites “” and will present the problems and the debate to the students. Then, it will choose a small number of pointed scientific articles which will make it possible to clarify certain points discussed in the media. Lastly, the teacher will approach various matters of biology in keeping with this debate, and will establish the link with other courses. The documents will be provided to the students at the beginning of the course and it will be asked to them to read them (to listen or look at) before the meetings concerned.

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