Van poep tot pit. Bruggen slaan tussen wetenschap en samenleving

Abstract

From poo to pit. Bridging the gap between science and society. What drives scientists and researchers to make their research accessible to a wider audience? In this article, we focus on a concrete example of valorization. Merit Hondelink and the Scholierenacademie (the pre-university academy of the University of Groningen) collaborated on a Massive Open Online Course for primary school students. This example of public engagement shows that the exchange of knowledge and skills between science and society provides new insights for both parties. Hondelink’s research focuses on eating patterns of early modern Dutch people. In the MOOC, students investigate what the men in the Oudemannenhuis (old men’s house) in Delft ate, using scientific methods.