To:  Sci-3L group

I haven't received any messages from this list for a long time, so I hope
it is not moribund. I would like to ask a rather open-ended question about
public outreach by methods other than credit-bearing courses.

Those of you who have been in this business for some time will know that,
until the early 1990's, university-provided lifelong learning in science
(as in other subjects) took the form predominantly of non-credit-bearing
short courses, but over recent years this kind of provision has almost
disappeared from universities and has been replaced by credit-bearing
courses leading, usually, to academic awards.  However, in many respects
the "accreditation" process has been less than successful, and many babies
have been thrown out with their bathwater.  In many universities, and
certainly at Southampton, things have now reached a point where it is no
longer realistic to regard credit-bearing courses as a suitable medium for
wide public outreach and true lifelong learning in science.  Also, I am
well aware that the broader science communication community does not
perceive credit-bearing university courses as playing a significant part in
public engagement with science and technology.   (By the way, are you aware
of this: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/enscot/conf.htm ?)

That being so, I am wondering if any members of this list have and
suggestions to make about new approaches to our task.  Have you been
developing new kinds of work which do NOT assume that members of the public
will want to attend formal courses?  If so, please mention them.

Martin Counihan
University of Southampton