Being in Science and Global change has really taught me a lot about the Science of Nature and also the nature of Science. I definitely would not know as much about these topics as I do now if I wasn't in this program. Learning about all the causes, implications, and potential solutions of climate change has really given me insight into what our future may look like and how I can help to change this.
In my cell biology class we were learning about the difference between review articles and primary research papers. I was already ahead of the curve since we discussed this exact same topic in a previous semester of Science and Global change. We discussed the fact that primary research articles will always have a materials and methods section where the researchers will lay out the exact techniques they used in the study so that it may be replicated in the future. We also discussed that review articles are what they sound like, articles reviewing primary research articles. These will not have a materials and methods section since they didn't carry out the study, they are simply summarizing the main points and potentially takeways from the research conducted.
Since Science and Global change has taught me about logical fallacies it has been very easy for me to point them out and understand them when I hear them in other people's debates. I understand now when one side calls another out on the fallacy and names it. For example if one side says 'classic straw man!' I understand exactly what they are talking about and why they think the other's argument was not sound.
Being a part of this living- learning community has really enhanced and aided in learning. It’s been beneficial because during colloquium we are able to hear many different takes on the same topics. This aids in seeing something from a different view that you may have never thought of. The group projects have also been very beneficial for the same reason. Sometimes people just have great ideas that you probably just could not have come up on your own. It's also great when all these ideas are able to work together to create something even better than all of these ideas on their own.
I think my active contributions came in the form of colloquium discussions. Just giving my own thoughts and opinions about the topic being discussed that day may have been able to enhance the perspective of someone else in the group. Listening to others was also a contribution as I am able to enhcae my perspectives on the topics discussed as well.
Being in scholars didn’t really challenge my previous beliefs or opinions about certain concepts, however it did give me insight into how other people think. I didn’t necessarily disagree with other people's views, but I was able to look at certain things from another point of view. This allowed me to enhance my perspective on certain perspectives and situtions without completely disagreesing with others. What others shared allowed me to think about and reflect on my own opinions about topics and form stronger opinions by combining all of our different ideas.
I think the scholar's experience will help me out in the science aspect of my future. Learning about the nature of science should be quite beneficial to me as I am a science major. Understanding how science works and the work that goes into science is very important so that we can appreciate what science really is. I thik it will help me in my profession since I want to be a dentist and I did my practicum project on shadowing a dentist. The project really allowed me to understand the day to day work of a dentist and what really goes on behind the scenes of a dental office.