December 8, 2008
My experience as an ELT scholar has helped my understanding of the physical world and its living components through the group activities and lectures that explain the how time affects the natural resources that are ever so seemingly disappearing. I definitely think that I would not know some of the things that I do now, without being an ELT scholar. Lectures about ‘The Extermination of the American Bison to 1889’ is just one of the many learning experiences that have helped me realize that bison are not just disappearing for a reason, they were hunted for a long time and were utilized by both people native to the North American continent and also the Europeans that came over and began using the North American land. Obviously, I have already learned about specific animals and why that they have become extinct, however, I did not know about the mass graves and the “advanced hunting technology” (rifles, carts, and trains) that was developed to hunt bison more effectively.
In my third semester in ELT, I went on a field trip to the Maryland Science Center. I had never been to the Maryland Science center before and this experience I was unaware of what the Maryland Science center offered. The assignment while in the Maryland Science center was to go to at least 6 exhibits, from 4 different galleries. I found almost all the exhibits juvenile, but I realized that these exhibits explained why things that I witnessed everyday happened the way that they did. For example, I went to the exhibit that explained how the brain is tricked into seeing things. It explained the phenomenon of why staring at something for a long period of time and then looking at something else makes you believe that you are moving when you are not. It explained that for a few seconds, the motion detectring signals for the opposite direction are stronger than what you were just looking at because the brain sends signals in the opposite direction until they get tired.
The small media report project helped me understand that news reports on television, newspapers and websites are not always correctly transmitted to the public correctly. On a larger scale, it helped me understand that information given to the public may be watered down. Our society has been trained to accept what the media chooses to allow us to know. Myself included, no one seems to question the “established” information that the media puts out. After taking this ELT course, I have now realized that things that are published don’t always have the truest information
During colloquium, there was a group activity about the climate change that may occur to and affect the human societies due to the release of greenhouse gases. This assignment was very effective and interesting because as after a small lecture about how the earth and human populations seem to be subtly affected by global warming, the issue is growing larger and larger each and every day. There was a group activity regarding this issue, where groups were to calculate the amount of coal, and alternative energies. This assignment made me think about coal, fuel and gas energy in terms of what it means to me. The numbers that we calculated gave me a reality check in a sense to understand what’s to come within the next 100 years or so. The activity showed me that as a population, we are using more coal than we have and are going to run out very soon if something is not done to replace our soul means of energy. Before listening and participating in this lecture, I thought that global warming was bad, but was not going to effect me personally in my lifetime. After learning how pertinent the global warming situation is, it has made me more aware of how bad the human contribution is to the earth’s atmosphere and natural resources.
In one of the supporting courses that I took as an ELT requirement, ARTH200, I learned that the communication within a society is something that is needed for survival. Before taking this class, I thought that ancient hieroglyphics were just pieces of artwork used merely for aesthetic purposes. Now, I know that they were tools of communication that convey more than just words. They illustrated the ways of life of the people that drew them. This class showed me that over time, with more information being drawn out by these tools of interaction, succeeding societies can better understand the behavior of past peoples and evolution that brought us to where we are now.
Another one of the supporting courses that I took was BSC1105. This class gave reasoning to the biological aspect of how society has come to be the way it is now. If it had not been for ELT, I would not have taken this class or learned the biological evolution of life itself. Learning about this process and understanding it has given me a whole different outlook on the way things are. It challenged my Christian beliefs directly which made interesting controversy.
Learning was definitely enhanced when interacting with fellow ELT scholars. Living in an all freshman dorm and a floor that was primarily ELT students allowed me to bond not only in the classroom but in the dorm with my classmates. This heightened the learning experience on field trips and inside the classroom because we frequently discussed our views with each other and were comfortable enough with each other to talk about what we knew about each assignment or ELT specific topic. For me, most of my ELT learning occurred outside the classroom because, it was only then where what I learned was either discussed more in depth (something you don’t always get in a lecture) or carried out through a demonstration. For example, learning about the extensive brainwashing that Nazis used to gain support from their public was something that I knew about but had never experienced. Then, during the November 2008 presidential election, I feel as though I started to learn the extent that propaganda was used to sway the views or opinions of the unsuspecting public. That learning experience has enlightened me and made me more aware of what is going on, when certain events call for the public’s attention.
Earth Life and Time has definitely encouraged me and students in my class to engage in active contribution. I think that I have personally contributed to ELT through its volunteer work. Donating blood, pulling hydrangea from local lakes are just some of the ways ELT has encouraged me personally to contribute to the community. For my practicum, I am also volunteering at a physical therapy clinic, something I would not have done hadn’t ELT encouraged me to do so.
The experience of ELT is an experience that I think I could not have gotten anywhere else on campus. Relative to my major and social niche, I made friends with classmates I would have never had the chance to meet, had I not shared a common class and dorm floor with them. One weekend, my fellow ELT member and I sat had a long discussion about the pros and cons of abortion. I’m not sure why and how we began discussing abortion, but we talked about it for the longest time. Being more liberal out of the two of us, I thought that abortion was something to be frowned upon but something that could help certain extreme situations. However, she thought that abortion under no circumstances should be allowed. Thinking about the conversation, my thoughts on abortion were definitely challenged. Coming up for reasoning’s why abortion was something that could be helpful; I found flaws in what I originally believed to be “best”.
The scholars experience enlightened my future in the sense that I now want to be more involved with the community that I am in. It is beneficial to learn about component of life on a geological or historical basis. I am not sure how it will play out in my future or professional career but I am now willing to consider a job in the field of geology.