Teaching trial
During the first semester of the study year 2006-07 a teaching trial embedding scientific concepts within narratives was conducted in the framework of the second year module Environmental History of North-western Europe, HIS 2049, in the School of Historical Studies. The science was embedded in different historical topics and linked to debates. This happened at two levels: First at instruction level where science is embedded in the teaching and second at the level of assessment.
Teaching practice
In preparation of the lectures the scientific concepts were identified, e.g. climate change or vegetation succession. This was followed by identification of historical events or developments that can clearly be linked to scientific concepts or ideas. Examples are the causes and impacts of the Little Ice Age on upland communities in northern Europe or the clearing of forests during the Middle Ages to make way for agriculture or the history of the hole in the ozone layer. These events and developments were then linked to the social, economic as well as ecological changes and their interactions to show how this shapes historical processes.
The next step connected these historical examples to present day environmental questions related to environmental change and to stress who we can learn from our ancestors. All this is done trough the typical historical, and more broadly, humanities vehicle of the narrative. Finally the science was made more explicit by showing charts and tables and link these abstract representations of events to historical narratives and interpretations.
The response of the students was very positive and students engaged more actively with the issues presented. It demonstrated that in a humanities course, science has to be humanised in order to connect it to the “real world problems” humanities students are interested in.
Assessment
While written work in the narrative form is the standard mode of assessment within the humanities curriculum, the inclusion of scientific ideas makes it necessary to pay extra attention to the instructions given to students. Assignments must stress that the narratives must contain accurate science, even if there are graphs and formulas involved. It must be made clear to students that part of the challenge is to translate abstract and complex ideas into proper narratives that connect with the readership.
Assessment of such stories places markers for additional problems of accuracy and uncertainty, which calls for revised marking guidelines. The following marking guidelines were used in the context of the environmental history course:
- Correctness and completeness of the scientific concepts dealt with. Is the depth of understanding appropriate?
- Coherence of the narrative: does the essay show an understandable and logic sequence of events.
- Integration of science into the narrative: This considers whether the science is thrown into the essay for its own sake or if it has been properly integrated into the narrative. poor integration often leads to separated sections dealing with the science in a differen style from the rest of the essay.
For a practical illustration go to the example of integrating science in narrative.