There is a question that appears on every course evaluation at the end of the semester: this course improved my ability to connect between this area and other areas of study. Saying that this course improved my ability to do this is an understatement, but that is why I love liberal arts learning in the first place.
One of the reasons I chose Concordia was because I wanted to connect science to other fields of study. I wanted to see how we go from tiny cells to complex beings. I figured a liberal arts educations would help me see that. This course really helped me see that. A prime example of this came during the week we discussed the neurological mechanisms of overeating. Overeating, in my opinion, is not always the fault of the individual, but rather larger social forces that dictate what sort of foods are available. The paper showed that it was also a brain disorder. Reading this paper, I was able to connect information I had learned in my sociology class with information in my neuroscience coursework. It was amazing to see the effect that societal structure had on the brain. I realized how complex society really is, which is a major part of Concordia’s BREW and liberal learning. BREW stands for becoming responsibly engaged in the world and in order to do so it is my responsibility to understand the world’s complexities.
I have always prided myself on my ability to explain things. I was told early on in my college career that if I cannot explain the material, I are learning to a non-science major, then I do not know it well enough. This influenced how I studied. But when I got to this class, I was not discussing what I learned with non-science majors. I was discussing things with science majors, senior science majors no less! Suddenly, I was not the best explainer in the room. I was alright at explaining the simpler concepts, but the oral exams and the speed discussion Wednesdays quickly made me realize that I needed to adapt to my audience. From there things changed, I started doing more research for my Wednesday topic and my blogs became more detailed. My improvement showed. I was better able to participate in both Wednesday and Friday discussions. Dr. Mach even complimented me on my improvement. I felt confident.
Additionally, this course improved my ability to explain things to a non-science major. The blogs forced me to really think about what a non-science major would now. The articles summarized in the blogs were often very dense and hard to summarize. I had to choose what background information to summarize and what information I should ask my readers to find at a link. I also had to determine what information from the article to put in the blog. A full summary of the article would not be interesting to read. Some information had to be omitted. Through this course, I improved my ability to analyze my audience. I learned how to explain information to scientists and non-scientists and when to switch between the two.
The skills I learned in this course will greatly help me after college. I plan on going to medical school and becoming a doctor. As a doctor, I will have to explain scientific concepts to non-scientists. I need to convey information in a way that they will understand, conveys a point, and is respectful of them. The blogs and discussions allowed me to see connections between neuroscience and the social sciences, making me able to be more understanding and respectful. I am also able to better determine what a person needs to know.
Though medical school is my first choice, I still love research and science itself. As a scientist, I need to explain data to other scientists. I need to have the tone and word choice of a scientist. I must be able to read, speak, and write science. The blogs and discussion made me better able to do this. I feel more confident in my ability to this. I feel like a scientist!
