Life Sciences Task Force dialogue session afterthoughts

I just attended the Life Sciences Task Force dialogue session to improve the quality of the Life Sciences course.

It's heartwarming to see students and teaching assistants turn up for this. For the students, many were graduating and whatever comments they give, is only for the benefit of future students. The fact that these people turned up to share their views and feelings, show that these people take ownership and feel that they have a personal stake in this course. Equally pleased I am that there is a committee that looks into this, that is eager for feedback, to understand and be understood, in order to ensure future generations of Life Sciences student would stand to benefit greatly from the course.

I have one regret that I was too "excited" I didn't think through carefully what I had said and might have appeared disrespectful to the panel. But that was definitely not my intention, because I am so thankful that such people exist, people who desire to examine the NUS Life Sciences curriculum to make education for its students more meaningful and relevant.

Though the Biology concentration students come with a mindset to increase the Biology orientation of the course, that was not the intention I came with, though slightly. The stronger reason why I came was because I was very upset with the surface approach of learning that had been inadvertently encouraged in the students. This should not be the case for University students. We should not be encouraged to skim through knowledge without thought, and to memorize as much as we can in order to do well for the examinations! We should be encouraged to think and to learn.

It might be linked, whether one applies the deep approach and whether one has interest in the subject. But never should a teacher teach and assess the student in a manner that encourages him or her to lose interest in the subject and to focus only on the grades.

My feelings have been so reinforced after reading the book. I don't know how many students out there are like me. Who have been so blur as to go through their education and end up not becoming someone better. And so blur as to think this was what education was all about! Sitting through lectures, osmosizing knowledge, attempting to re-osmosize it back to the lecturer during the examinations, and then implode or explode, coming away with nothing except the painful experience of cramming for the examinations.

I am dramatizing it, because I feel so strongly for it.

I stop myself from learning every time I make the decision that I am going to choose to study for the grades instead of for the joy of it. Because to do well, you need to study in a manner that compromises deep learning, you limit yourself to what is tested or worse still, what is coming out for the exam (when the teacher hints). This is for assessments that test merely recall or knowledge.

And I have been doing this for many years. I have made that fateful decision many many times. I sacrificed learning for grades. I have learnt nothing much but techniques to scoring well during Secondary School and Junior College.

Back then, I could not see the value. I was too short-sighted. I could only see how attaining good grades garnered me favour and a good reputation. I could not see how it would have negatively affected me for life, impairing my ability to think.

If I could turn back time...

I do not know whether I have the guts or wisdom to go against the system. To learn for the sake of learning instead for the sake of achieving a good grade.