“Thus, a major implication for thinking about informal science learning is that what learners already understand about the world is perhaps as important as what one wishes for them to learn through a particular experience” – Surrounded By Science, pg. 38

I thought this quote from Chapter 3 was really interesting, and it made me think about the way I view science and learning as a whole. The idea is that science should not be taught as a stand-alone subject. Informal science should take prior knowledge and connect or enhance it with new science and knowledge. This prior knowledge is a crucial aspect in the learning process. Without the prior knowledge, there is nothing to base the new knowledge on. I think this can be explained in two ways. One is that without the prior knowledge, the new knowledge wont make sense. You should not teach someone multiplication without teaching them basic addition. You can, but it would be three times as hard, and not make as much sense. You need a foundation of knowledge, which can be built on and solidified. Without it, the concepts are shaky, and can be misconstrued. Secondly, and more importantly, is that you need prior knowledge to be interested in new knowledge. I relate to this theory very personally, because this is my relationship with science. I am not premed, nor do I have any interest in studying science in a formal setting anymore than is required to obtain my degree. But that doesn’t mean that I am not still interested in things that pertain to science. I am, only just in things that I had small prior knowledge and interest of. For example, I took Earth Science in high school, and really enjoyed it. I like nature, and enjoy learning about how it works on a daily, monthly and yearly schedule. Fast-forward four years, and the group leader of my BioBlitz walk mentions something about Pleistocene mega fauna. I know what the Pleistocene Epoch is, and knew that that topic interested me. So I asked her what that was, and was so curious that afterwards, I went home and did some independent study on my own. If I did not have the interest before the BioBlitz, I can assure you that I would have let that big word fly right over my head. But I knew that I was interested in that topic, and because of it, I went on to learn something new in an informal setting.