Mastering Scientific Mumbo Jumbo

About the video: Discusses the interaction between abiotic and biotic factors. The style of the animation is influenced by The Common Craft Show.

Warning: This class will teach students to translate scientific mumbo jumbo into understandable phrases.

Michigan State University’s first, free Massive Open Online Course, or MOOC, also promises to then teach students “to speak mumbo jumbo and amaze your friends.”

Tongue-in-cheek humor aside, Foundations of Science is intended to help students improve critical thinking skills and empower them to make intelligent decisions. If they happen to laugh along the way, that’s all the better, said Stephen Thomas, MSU assistant professor of zoology and one of the course creators.

“Science isn’t just for nerdy people wearing white lab coats; it’s useful for everybody,” he said. “Results from the traditional course offered by our collaborators Matt Rowe and Marcus Gillespie at Sam Houston State University showed highly significant improvements in students’ critical thinking skills as well as their understanding of science.”

MSU's Foundations of Science could reach more than 10,000 students worldwide. Photo courtesy of MSU.

The class, funded in part by a $50,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to Thomas and his colleague Julie Libarkin, associate professor of geological sciences, will be offered worldwide beginning May of 2013 with the hopes of attracting a minimum of 10,000 students.

Foundations of Science promises to help students:

  • Think like a scientist. Warning: This may shift your worldview.
  • See like a scientist: Learn to decode those crazy graphs and charts scientists are always using.

Thomas teaches from the perspective that science can be intimidating, and a little humor can go a long way in helping people realize that they too can engage with and understand science.

The course will offer multiple types of media and exercises to give students experience applying critical thinking to different scenarios involving pseudoscience, such as psychics, homeopathy and ghosts. Students also will be able to participate in group discussions, compete for badges and interact with members of the scientific community.

Stephen Thomas, MSU zoologist, will lead Foundations in Science. Photo Courtesy of MSU.

Additional funding has been provided by Desire 2 Learn.

Interested students can register at https://www.foundations-of-science.zoology.msu.edu/.

*Source: Michigan State University

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