About this module
This module focuses on the way scientific (risk related or highly uncertain) information is perceived by the audiences, highlighting the threats of miscommunication (resulting in communication gap between scientists, policy makers and publics) and the significance of proper public risk perception to ensure necessary behaviors or actions (e.g., social distancing practices or mask wearing in case of COVID19) to effectively combat the risk or crisis situation. The discussion focus on the effects different communication forms, frames or principles might have on public perception of risk. Issues of publics trust in science and media, science and media literacy, including others will be discussed through good and bad examples, case studies and other analytical assignments to help students get the deeper understanding of the issue and learn practical skills.
Upon completing the module, the student will be able to:
- understand, explain and critically assess the concepts of risk society, public risk perception, risk communication and others;
- explain the ways people perceive risks and global risks and indicate the reasons why perception varies among people;
- critically assess, explain and discuss the challenges and opportunities leaders, communicators and other responsible bodies face while managing global risks and what is the role of public risk perception in all of this;
- understand, explain and critically assess the effects different risk information and communication practices might have on public risk perception;
- analyze and discuss good and bad practices in communicating risks to publics;
- understand and assess the impact of public trust (in media and/or science) and public literacy (of media and/or science) to general public risk perception and find the best ways to manage all of them with communication tools;
- understand and assess the importance of evidence based information in the era of “infodemics” while communicating global risks;
- find best solutions and effective ways to communicate evidence based information for lay audiences;
- apply their knowledge to understand and critically assess current situation of COVID19 vaccination (explain the phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy, public polarization, vaccine confidence, etc.) and other real life situations.
Upon completing the module, the student will be able to:
- evaluate public risk perception, by identifying possible problems in turn applying different communication strategies and solutions to manage it (DigComp, p. 23-25);
- create solutions to solve complex problems in public risk perception and propose new ideas and processes to the field (DigComp, p. 26-31);
- integrate knowledge to contribute to professional practice and knowledge and to guide others in successfully communicating and managing issues of public risk perception (DigComp, p. 40-43).
- take action to stay informed about civic issues (CDC, p. 17);
- reflect critically on the different communicative conventions that are employed in at least one other social group or culture (CDC, p. 22);
- describe the diverse ways in which citizens can influence policy (CDC, p. 22);
- reflect critically on the different communicative conventions that are employed in at least one other social group or culture (CDC, p. 47);
- describe the diverse ways in which citizens can influence policy (CDC, p. 48);
- reflect critically on the connections between economic, social, political and environmental processes (CDC, p. 51).
- Basic knowledge of theories explaining contemporary society, risk society.
- Knowledge of basic communication concepts and models, including understanding of the communication process and different types of it; knowing main public communication actors and principles; etc.
- Ability to gather information, critically assess it, verify using different approaches and report it in several ways and forms;
- Basic knowledge about scientific process and science communication principles, including structure of scientific article, main resources for science articles, public understanding of science, etc.
Downloadable resources (for instructors)
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