All posts by Ilanit Zada

Reflection on chapter 3

Reflection

Ilanit Zada

Science and Technology in NYC

The book entitled Surrounded by Science by Fenichel and Schweingruber goes into the third chapter with a continuing emphasis placed on the importance of informal environments in sparking an interest and allowing for further education in a specific area. In chapter three, these ideas are taken a step further; the authors discuss the benefits of different exhibits in a museum and whether the different levels of engagement can affect how much of the information from that exhibit is retained (and perhaps studied further). Fenichel and Schweingruber state that “it appears, too, that providing opportunities for active engagement draws more people to an exhibit” (42). I agree with this statement; I do believe that by providing interactive activities for children will spark a (newfound) interest in the topic.

This statement reminded me of my childhood visits to the museums. Walking around such a large building with only a limited amount of time, forced us students to make the educated decision of which exhibits to spend our time on and which to either look at for a short amount of time or disregard completely. I remember that the most important determining factor and the one thing my friends and I were looking for was whether or not there was any activity for us to do at that exhibit. We were instantly drawn to those that demanded active engagement; we did not want to simply read something boring, but rather we wanted to take part in it and see how it all worked. I even remember that after many of these trips I would share what I took part in with my family and discuss that topic with them, surprising them with how much information I had remembered. It is almost a guarantee that many other students and children visiting museums experience the same thing reiterating the importance of active engagement and how that can help further our education.

Reflection on “Citizen Science”

Citizen Science, Reflection

Ilanit Zada

9-22-13

          Reading through the article entitled “Citizen Science: Can Volunteers do Real Research” by Jeffrey P. Cohn, I was a bit unsure as to what my stance was on the topic of volunteers doing research and their observations being put to use. Should this be allowed? Or are volunteers being taken advantage of simply because it would be costly otherwise? Furthermore, should the observations that the volunteers make and their data be deemed credible? After all, there are volunteers that do not have a degree in the area.

          After mulling over this idea, I reached an obvious conclusion. These volunteers are not forced to do anything against their will; they enjoy what they are doing and would be doing it regardless, so why not make use of their findings? In addition, many of these volunteers research the topic so much that they may be just as knowledgeable as someone else in the field. Their work should not be untrustworthy simply because they do not have a piece of paper that says they went to school and excelled in that area.

          This idea brought me back to the Bioblitz and reminded me of the volunteer that took part in our journey through the park. The volunteer that was assigned to my group happened to also love nature and be extremely knowledgeable in the area. He told us that he loved dedicating his spare time to walking through the park and identifying the different plant species he saw and writing down the different characteristics that classified is as that specific tree. One day, a friend of his approached him and asked him if he would make a map of the park (being that he knew so much about it). The volunteer immediately agreed and began his project. He showed us the map that he made and I was flabbergasted; it was extremely large and included all the details and topography of the park. Not only that, but he told us that the map that he made was published in the book his friend wrote, earning him some fame. I  believe that this comes to show that although the volunteers may not receive a monetary payment for the work that they do, their job is priceless and enables so many people to further their knowledge because of their investments.

 

 

Reflection on Surrounded by Science

Reflection

Ilanit Zada

Professor Adams

Science and Technology in NYC

9-14-13

          In the second chapter of Surrounded by Science by Marilyn Fenichel and Heidi A. Schweingruber, there are several valid and interesting points being made. However, before the authors go into detail about “science learning” and the different aspects that play into it, they introduce their topic with sub-categories. In doing so, they make reference to science as a “cultural and social enterprise” (19). When I first read that sub-heading I was extremely confused. I could understand the reason that science would be referred to as a social enterprise: a large part of the purpose of learning science is to benefit humans and the environment we live in. However, how does science have any relationship with culture? To me, the two terms seemed like completely different entities that would never cross paths or have anything to do with one another.

          As if Fenichel and Schweingruber were reading my thoughts, they answered the question that was brewing in my mind by stating that “science reflects the cultural values of those that engage in it” (20). I had to read that sentence several times before I fully understood what they meant by it.

          After doing the everyday science project and collecting the data, it became evident that this statement was very true. Although the people I have interviewed were not scientists and have not made any monumental changes in the science field, they still each saw a way in which science applied to their lives, a way that was unique to them. Each of the interviewees, based on their personal interests, decided what in science was worthy of their attention, what they wanted to study and investigate further, and the way in which they wanted to expand their knowledge on the topic. By making these decisions, the interviewees were learning science in a way that reflected their cultural values, and validating what Fenichel and Schweingruber meant when they referred to science as a “cultural enterprise.”

Reflection on “The 95 Percent Solution”

Reflection

Ilanit Zada

Professor Adams

Science and Technology in NYC

9-1-13

Reflection on “The 95 Percent Solution”

          The article entitled “The 95 Percent Solution” by John H. Falk and Lynn D. Dierking raises several interesting ideas. Flak and Dierking argue that contrary to what many people believe, the knowledge children and adults attain (in science and mathematics) is primarily due to the extracurricular activities done outside of the classroom-not the learning done in the classroom. The authors also argue that “internet exceeded even broadcast media as a source of public science information” (5). That specific sentence triggered a memory from seven years ago.

          At a young age of 12, a close friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer. She was hospitalized immediately and placed in the Intensive Care Unit. I was extremely concerned about her well being and wanted to help her in any way possible. However, being so young, there was little that I knew about the disease so I turned to the computer to provide me with the information that I was looking for. I was pleasantly surprised to find so many results. I sat at the computer screen for hours digesting all the information.

The information that I learned that day is still fresh in my mind leading me to agree with Flak and Dierking. I believe that when one does an activity or research on their own they gain more than they would if they were sitting in a classroom and being bombarded with information that they are forced to remember.

Introduction: Ilanit Zada

My name is Ilanit Zada and I am currently a sophomore in Brooklyn College. As of now, my major is still undecided, however, I do know that I would like to be a pharmacist. The reason I have chosen this career is because it is a combination of the two subjects I enjoy most: math and science. I hope that by going into this field not only will I be able to help people daily, but also possibly come up with a drug of my own that could potentially change the world.

I have always viewed science as being the overhead of the different classes necessary to be taken in order to enable me to get into the pharmaceutical program I desire. However, the reality is that we are surrounded by science every day. I hope that this course will open my eyes to the different relationships people have with science and help me understand the other important aspects of science that I may have overlooked until now.

The Bioblitz was an activity conducted in Central Park over a 24-hour period. During this activity, Macaulay students were divided into different groups (birds, insects, fungi, plants etc.). I was placed in the plants group. My group went around the park  and documented the various plant species that we saw. Not only was this an enjoyable activity,  it was also important for us to document these species so that scientists can use it as a comparison in the future to see whether the biodiversity has expanded or not.

My group and I were privileged to have a botanist walk us through the park. The botanist was extremely knowledgeable and pointed out all the different plant species in the park with so much enthusiasm. In addition, we were fortunate enough to take part in pressing several plants which he told us would be sent to the lab for further investigation and to ensure that they were identified correctly. The botanist told us that he enjoyed walking through the park and sharing his knowledge with us. He also said that he actually walked through various parks daily and inspected the different plants to make different conclusions based on what he saw.

I believe that many citizens take all that nature provides for granted. Being surrounded by the same specimens all the time causes people to overlook the fascinating creatures and their importance to us. For example, being so accustomed to seeing plants and trees all around us, many people forget the important role they play in our lives. Plants provide us with oxygen, which is essential for our existence. I believe that the Bioblitz served as a reminder to citizens to take a closer look and not shy away from things that may be viewed as ordinary.

I really enjoyed the Bioblitz for several reasons; the most important one being that we were given the advantage of studying certain parts of the park that are generally closed to the public. I was extremely surprised to learn that in only two hours we were able to document over 30 different plant species in such a small area. I definitely feel that this activity was an eye-opener for all its participants and I would love to take part in a similar activity in the future.