HISTSCI 193CU: Significant Stories: Podcasting the History of Science

2020 Fall / Full Term

Course Description
Logistics
Learning Goals
Course Plan
Course Tools
Grading
Readings, Listening, and How-To’s
Thematic Project Schedule
Course Overview from Shopping Week

In this project-based class, students will create an audio-rich podcast series that explores aspects of the history of science that are relevant to a broader community. We will be inspired by objects in the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments (CHSI) and will ground our stories in objects from the collection and beyond. Students will learn the skills needed to research, plan, record, and produce broadly accessible non-fiction audio stories. Students will also learn how to transform scholarly observations into stories that are meaningful to a broad audience using techniques from museum interpretation, public history, and journalism.

NOTE: The class was originally designed to focus on science teaching at Harvard. With the increased enrollment, students will have the opportunity to select among a wider range of history of science-related topics.

Instructor: Dave Unger
Contact: It will be best to reach me via Slack. If that doesn’t work then email is the next best option: dsunger@fas.harvard.edu
Office Hours: DM or email me to make an appointment. Mondays 10-1(EST) is usually a good time.

Teaching Fellow: Shireen Hamza
Contact: shireenhamza@g.harvard.edu
Office Hours: Sign up here for office hours with TF Shireen Hamza Wednesday 3-5 pm EST on Zoom.

Full Class Zoom: Thursdays 3:00-4:00(EST)
NOTE: The first week (9/3) will be from 3:00-4:30(EST)
Working Group Meetings: 1 hour per week, to be scheduled by participants
Working Group Check-in with Instruction Staff: Each group to meet with instructor or TF for 20 minutes each week between 4:00-5:00(EST).

Foundational knowledge:

• Students will be able to summarize major concepts and issues in Public History.
• Students will be conversant with basic concepts, approaches, and perspectives from the world of non-fiction audio production.
• Students will have deeper understanding of topics within the theme of their group’s project.

Application:

• Students will be able to translate academic research into a compelling narrative for a general audience.
• Students will be able to design, plan, and carry out audio story production.
• Students will be able to identify and write for specific audiences.
• Students will be able to work as part of a collaborative, creative team.

Integration:

• Students will be able to draw connections between history of science and their own lives, the lives of people around them, and issue of broader concern.

Human dimension:

• Students will see their academic work as having the potential to have a direct positive influence on the broader world
• Students will engage with and appreciate experiences and voices of a variety of people.

Learning to learn:

• Students will learn to collaborate with peers in virtual environment.
• Students will learn to plan and organize extended intellectual project.
• Students will learn to read for key ideas and find connections to own life and the larger world.

This class will have a unique rhythm that might be confusing at first. Here is a brief overview of the plan for the semester. We will adapt and adjust as needed.

Podcast Project

We will organize the project similar to how it would be done in a professional museum setting. You will be the project team.

We will start out meeting as a whole class and will quickly brainstorm and identify a number of possible mini-series themes. With the range of interests represented in the expanded class, we do not need to be confined to the original idea of science teaching at Harvard. We’ll vote on the possibilities to whittle down the choices. You will then be able to choose which theme is most interesting to you and we will divide into working groups of 4-6 people.

You will stay with your working group for the semester and will collaborate to create a podcast miniseries, working together to design the overall theme and organization for the series. Unless your group decides on a different approach, you’ll work alone or with a partner (or two) to produce individual elements of the series. See the thematic project schedule below for more details.

You’ll meet with your working group for about an hour each week at a time you decide with your teammates. Each week, after the full class meeting, your group will have a 20 minute check-in with either me or the TF (on alternating weeks). Periodically you’ll share your work with the larger class.

Weekly Activities

In parallel to this project work, we’ll also work through useful themes, perspectives, and skills.

Each week you will do some reading, listening, and engaging with how-to tutorials. See below for a complete schedule of these materials. We’ll discuss these materials together on Slack and in a weekly full-class meeting. At the beginning of the week, I’ll post questions in Slack. Please engage with these questions, post your own thoughts and questions, and respond to your classmates.

Individual Assignments

Throughout the semester you will have three individual assignments. These will be described fully in the assignments section of the website. In brief, they are: a voice memo, a practice interview, and a final reflection paper.

Here is an overview of the main tools we will be using to interact and learn.

Canvas is the central hub for the class. You will find links to everything else here. This is also the central repository for the syllabus, schedules, assignment prompts, and other authoritative information. You will submit individual assignments via Canvas.

Slack is the primary home for class interactions. We will discuss readings, ask questions, and share advice. I will also send out announcements, weekly orientations messages, and additional resources through Slack. Slack DM will also be the best way to reach me. In general, try asking your questions in the open channels. That way other folks can chime in and benefit from the answers. The exception would, of course, be anything sensitive or confidential.

Zoom is the platform for our class meeting and for the teaching staff check-in’s. Your working group will probably use Zoom, but your group might agree to meet on a different platform.

Google Drive and Docs is the home for shared working documents and the repository for media files. We will use Google Docs as a whiteboard during class and your working group might want to do the same. We’ll store scripts, sound files, and edited audio on Drive.

We may add to or modify this toolbox as needed. Suggestions are welcome!

Your grade will be 1/3 weekly participation, 1/3 group project participation, contributions, and products, and 1/3 individual assignments.

Week #	Class Date	Readings	Listening	How-Tos
Week 1	09/03/20	NONE	NONE	NONE
Week 2	09/10/20	Lynn Nyhart, “From the Hss President: History of Science Unbound,” in Newsletter of the History of Science Society. (NOTE: The link will download the whole newsletter issue, but you should just read Nyhart's letter). https://hssonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Jan2012Newsletter.pdf M. Lyon, Introduction to Public History: Interpreting the Past, Engaging Audiences, “Introducing Public History,” “Thinking Historically,” and “Interpreting and Exhibiting History” (pg 1-32, 83-112) (scanned as two files) https://canvas.harvard.edu/files/10522808/download?download_frd=1 ; https://canvas.harvard.edu/files/10555323/download?download_frd=1	History of the World in 100 Objects, , “Mummy of Hornedjitef” + Pick 2 more episodes https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00pwmgq, https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00nrtd2/episodes/downloads?page=1	Starting Your Podcast: A Guide For Students https://www.npr.org/2018/11/15/662070097/starting-your-podcast-a-guide-for-students. Seeds for Change: Effective Groups https://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/effectivegroups Seeds for Change: Group Agreements for workshops and meetings https://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/groupagree Seeds for Change: Active Listening https://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/activelistening
Week 3	09/17/20	Nina Simon, The Art of Relevance (Santa Cruz, Calif.: Museum 20, 2016) (Introduction, Parts 1 and 2) http://www.artofrelevance.org/read-online/ (Links to an external site.)	RadioLab, “A Clockwork Miracle” https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/articles/radiolab-clockwork-miracle RadioLab, "BONUS: The Radiolab Scavenger Hunt" https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/articles/bonus-radiolab-scavenger-hunt	Latif Nasser, “The World’s Biggest Scavenger Hunt: A Guide To Finding Stories” https://transom.org/2018/latif-nasser/ Basic Podcast Editing with Audacity (https://canvas.harvard.edu/courses/73232/pages/podcasting-slash-audio. NPR Training: “A blueprint for planning storytelling projects” https://training.npr.org/2018/05/07/a-blueprint-for-planning-storytelling-projects/ Seeds for Change: Organizing Successful Meetings https://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/meeting
Week 4	09/24/20	Nina Simon, The Art of Relevance (Santa Cruz, Calif.: Museum 20, 2016) (Part 3 + OPTIONAL: Any sections from the rest that look interesing) http://www.artofrelevance.org/read-online/	Scene on the Radio, Seeing White, Part 8: “Skins and Skulls” (http://www.sceneonradio.org/episode-38-skulls-and-skins-seeing-white-part-8/	Harvard Library: “Library Research Guide for Finding Manuscripts and Archival Collections” https://guides.library.harvard.edu/archives/online Harvard Library: “Library Research Guide for the History of Science” https://guides.library.harvard.edu/histsci Introduction to the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments https://harvard.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=779dc822-4fce-468b-9b7a-ac3d01322157
Week 5	10/01/20	Cauvin, Thomas, "Civic Engagement and Social Justice: Historians and Activists" in Public History: A Textbook of Practice, pg 230-249. https://canvas.harvard.edu/files/10689069/download?download_frd=1 Anemona Hartocollis, “Who Should Own Photos of Slaves? The Descendants, Not Harvard, a Lawsuit Says,” The New York Times, March 20, 2019, sec. U.S., PDF: https://canvas.harvard.edu/files/10689074/download?download_frd=1 NYTimes Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/20/us/slave-photographs-harvard.html “Tribe Will Sue Harvard for Burial Remains," The Harvard Crimson, https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2000/2/25/tribe-will-sue-harvard-for-burial/. “The Community Issue Exhibition Toolkit,” OF/BY/FOR ALL, https://www.ofbyforall.org/community-issue-exhibition-toolkit (pgs 3-13; 19-20; 29; 37)(NOTE: These page numbers refer to numbers printed at the bottom of each page, NOT to the pdf pages).	The Last Archive, “Project X” https://www.thelastarchive.com/season-1/episode-5-project-x	NPR: “Want razor-sharp focus in your audio stories? This group activity can help” https://training.npr.org/2018/09/24/focus-audio-stories-exercise-with-your-newsroom/ NPR: “Understanding story structure in 4 drawings” https://training.npr.org/2016/03/02/understanding-story-structure-in-4-drawings/ NPR Training: “The journey from print to radio storytelling: A guide for navigating a new landscape” https://training.npr.org/2017/12/06/the-journey-from-print-to-radio-storytelling-a-guide-for-navigating-a-new-landscape/ Transom: “Lessons from Making a Historical Documentary” https://transom.org/2014/making-historical-documentary/
Week 6	10/08/20	Project Background Reading (to be chosen by each working group)	The Nod, "My Black Robot Friend." https://gimletmedia.com/shows/the-nod/76hdjl/	NPR Training: “Professional sound from a DIY studio: It can be done!” https://training.npr.org/2020/03/31/professional-sound-from-a-diy-studio-it-can-be-done/
Week 7	10/15/20	Project Background Reading (to be chosen by each working group)	Hidden Brain, “Liar, Liar” https://www.npr.org/2018/04/09/599930273/everybody-lies-and-thats-not-always-a-bad-thing	Seeds for Change: "Giving and Receiving Feedback" https://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/feedback Lamont Media Lab: "Getting your podcast audio over Zoom?" and "How about capturing individual audio files?" https://canvas.harvard.edu/courses/73232/pages/podcasting-slash-audio (First two sections of the page). Transom: “On Interviewing” https://transom.org/2010/on-interviewing/ Transom: “The Art of the Pre-Interview” https://transom.org/2016/art-pre-interview/ NPR Training: “How to decide what to cut (or not) in an interview” https://training.npr.org/2019/11/12/deciding-what-parts-of-an-interview-to-cut-here-are-some-guidelines/
Week 8	10/22/20	John Biewen, Alexa Dilworth, Reality Radio: Telling True Stories in Sound, 2017. (Introduction + pick 2 chapters in pgs 13-89). https://hollis.harvard.edu/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=TN_cdi_askewsholts_vlebooks_9781469633152&context=PC&vid=HVD2&search_scope=everything&tab=everything&lang=en_US	Articles of Interest, “Hawaiian Shirts” https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/hawaiian-shirts-articles-of-interest-4/	NPR Training: “The ear training guide for audio producers” https://training.npr.org/2017/01/31/the-ear-training-guide-for-audio-producers/ NPR Training: “Aerobics for your voice: 3 tips for sounding better on air” https://training.npr.org/2017/06/19/aerobics-for-your-voice-3-tips-for-sounding-better-on-air/ "Audacity Tutorials for Podcasters" https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_7hD9e-mJ3Uyw1YaBjtBeKXqzPothhqQ
Week 9	10/29/20	John Biewen, Alexa Dilworth, Reality Radio: Telling True Stories in Sound, 2017. (Pick 3 chapters in pgs 80-174). https://hollis.harvard.edu/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=TN_cdi_askewsholts_vlebooks_9781469633152&context=PC&vid=HVD2&search_scope=everything&tab=everything&lang=en_US	Code Switch - The original welfare queen https://www.npr.org/transcripts/729294210	Transom: “The Tricks of Planet Money” https://transom.org/2011/chana-joffe-walt-planet-money/ Transom: “Alex Blumberg’s Manifesto” https://transom.org/2005/alex-blumberg/
Week 10	11/05/20	John Biewen, Alexa Dilworth, Reality Radio: Telling True Stories in Sound, 2017. (Pick 3 chapters in pgs 175-End). https://hollis.harvard.edu/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=TN_cdi_askewsholts_vlebooks_9781469633152&context=PC&vid=HVD2&search_scope=everything&tab=everything&lang=en_US	Ear Hustle, “Christmas Boxes” https://www.earhustlesq.com/episodes/2020/9/23/thechristmasboxes	NPR Training: “What does a radio script look like?” https://training.npr.org/2015/03/09/what-does-a-radio-script-look-like/ NPR Training: “A good lead is everything — here's how to write one” https://training.npr.org/2016/10/12/leads-are-hard-heres-how-to-write-a-good-one/
Week 11	11/12/20	Thomas Hayden, and Michelle Nijhuis, The Science Writers’ Handbook Everything You Need to Know to Pitch, Publish, and Prosper in the Digital Age (Philadelphia: Da Capo Lifelong books, 2013). https://canvas.harvard.edu/files/11074804/download?download_frd=1	Into America - "Into Coronavirus and the Classroom" https://www.msnbc.com/podcast/coronavirus-classroom-biggest-online-learning-experiment-ever-n1236685	Joe Hansen, "How to read science news." https://youtu.be/LHew7MqP4UM NPR Training: “6 NPR stories that breathe life into neighborhood scenes” https://training.npr.org/2015/10/30/six-npr-stories-that-breathe-life-into-neighborhood-scenes/
Week 12	11/19/20	Thomas Cauvin "Radio and Audio-Visual Production" in Public History: A Textbook of Practice (New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2016). https://canvas.harvard.edu/files/11162190/download?download_frd=1	Reply All, “Autumn” https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/o2ho2j	NPR Training: “Active sound: How to find it, record it and use it” https://training.npr.org/2015/09/29/active-sound-how-to-find-it-record-it-and-use-it/ Transom: “Be quiet: In praise of the pause” https://transom.org/2011/john-biewen-be-quiet/
Week 13	11/26/20	THANKSGIVING RECESS	NONE
Week 14	12/03/20	LAST DAY OF CLASS	NONE