Today, Alex needed help to guide 40 18-year old students in the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity and Research (RMBR) so he asked me, which I felt I wasn't qualified to do so, but decided to challenge myself.
And I realized, I don't have what I have learnt at the tip of my fingers and they've grown rusty from disused. I realized it was one matter to sit through a series of lectures and examination, and another to apply what I've learnt to a practical setting, such as arousing interest in students and guiding them around a museum, trying to help them appreciate the wonders of biodiversity.
The students were very attentive which I am grateful for, as that meant less worry for me in terms of control of people. Alex later told me they're from the top Chinese school in the South of Malaysia!
Some take home questions...
Can what I learn in theory be applied to the practical? When the situation calls for my knowledge, am I able to retrieve them in sufficient amounts to present them coherently? And do I have enough understanding to explain them precisely? Do I have enough confidence and preparation to promote enthusiastically and interestingly?
As I delve into myself to find words to explain a certain exhibit, I realized, how shallow it is, how I reach and find remnants and leftovers, and not much substantial.
Hmmm... my usage of the Chinese language is another matter, which I should address for my own good.
But being a museum guide might be the training I need.
Especially so, if I still want to work in a museum, whatever type, after graduation.
Oops! I just remembered being a tour guide is one of my dream occupations.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Etymology and Pedra Branca
I was so puzzled after I read Janadas Devan's column On Words on Sunday about the etymology of "sovereignty" and the context in which Malaysia used the word that I emailed him to clarify. He took the time to explain in detail and even cite examples, that I was able to think through what confused me myself. This I am very grateful. So here are my thoughts...
From Merriam-Webster: The history of a linguistic form (as a word) shown by tracing its development since its earliest recorded occurrence in the language where it is found, by tracing its transmission from one language to another, by analyzing it into its component parts, by identifying its cognates in other languages, or by tracing it and its cognates to a common ancestral form in an ancestral language
The root of the issue is that both country do not agree on the ownership of the land. Malaysia thinks it belongs to the Johor Sultanate, by virtue of its location. Singapore thinks it is no man's land as in those days rulership meant ruling over people, but there were no inhabitants on PB, until British took hold of the island, building Horsburgh Lighthouse on it.
But to me, I am so involved in this case, not for political reasons, but simply because Horsburgh Lighthouse is a historical architecture and gem. It was built by J. T. Thomson (the man we named Thomson Road after) in 1850, recorded in books, served a very practical and important function. This is a functional, important, historic piece of art, set on an island that is a paradise for bird watchers. There can be no better paradise island! For the hermit of course. I guess it will be pretty lonely as a lighthouse keeper.
I would want this lighthouse to be gazetted as a conservation site!
No, you don’t have sovereignty over Tibet. Sovereignty as we understand it today, did not exist at that time, so you cannot use the argument that we have sovereignty over this piece of land.
China’s reasoning is flawed.
So ICJ’s reasoning is flawed. Johor Sultanate did not have the sovereignty over PB.
The context of those times are fixed, we cannot project today’s context back into those days. Those days should have been understood by those days terms.
China has tributary relationships, vassalships, overlordships with many neighbouring states, but they did not have sovereignty over them, these states did not belong to China.
Johor Sultanate did not have sovereignty over PB as according to the terms of those days, to rule over a land, meant ruling over people there, but no one inhabited PB, hence, it was “no man’s land” as Singapore understood it.
Hence Singapore is etymologically correct
Singapore’s argument – PB doesn’t belong to anyone, no one is sovereign over it, until British took lawful possession of it in 1847
M’sia’s argument – PB part of Johor Sultanate
Hence, ICJ is flawed etymologically to support M’sia’s argument that PB is part of Johor Sultanate since 1512
What is etymology?From Merriam-Webster: The history of a linguistic form (as a word) shown by tracing its development since its earliest recorded occurrence in the language where it is found, by tracing its transmission from one language to another, by analyzing it into its component parts, by identifying its cognates in other languages, or by tracing it and its cognates to a common ancestral form in an ancestral language
The root of the issue is that both country do not agree on the ownership of the land. Malaysia thinks it belongs to the Johor Sultanate, by virtue of its location. Singapore thinks it is no man's land as in those days rulership meant ruling over people, but there were no inhabitants on PB, until British took hold of the island, building Horsburgh Lighthouse on it.
But to me, I am so involved in this case, not for political reasons, but simply because Horsburgh Lighthouse is a historical architecture and gem. It was built by J. T. Thomson (the man we named Thomson Road after) in 1850, recorded in books, served a very practical and important function. This is a functional, important, historic piece of art, set on an island that is a paradise for bird watchers. There can be no better paradise island! For the hermit of course. I guess it will be pretty lonely as a lighthouse keeper.
I would want this lighthouse to be gazetted as a conservation site!
Monday, May 19, 2008
What is a primary publication?
R. A. Day has restated the definition given by the Council of Biology Editors (CBE) into three main points:
A) the first publication of original research results,
B) in a form where peers of the author can repeat the experiments and test the conclusions, and
C) in a journal or other source document readily available within the scientific community.
Some caveats are that there is prepublication peer review and that scientific papers are published in peer-reviewed publications.
Reminds me of the assignment Prof. Sodhi made us to in Behavioural Biology class where we acted both as review scientists and peer reviewers!
A) the first publication of original research results,
B) in a form where peers of the author can repeat the experiments and test the conclusions, and
C) in a journal or other source document readily available within the scientific community.
Some caveats are that there is prepublication peer review and that scientific papers are published in peer-reviewed publications.
Reminds me of the assignment Prof. Sodhi made us to in Behavioural Biology class where we acted both as review scientists and peer reviewers!
Thursday, May 15, 2008
IMRAD
Adapted from R.A. Day 5th edition:
Ask these questions and answer them IMRAD.
What question (problem) was studied? Introduction
How was the problem studied? Methods
What were the findings? Results
What do these findings mean? Discussion
Ask these questions and answer them IMRAD.
What question (problem) was studied? Introduction
How was the problem studied? Methods
What were the findings? Results
What do these findings mean? Discussion
The Need for Clarity in Scientific Writing
State your facts as simply as possible, even boldly. No one wants flowers of eloquence or literary ornaments in a research article. - R. B. McKerrow
The best English is that which gives the sense in the fewest short words. - a dictum printed for some years in the Instructions to Authors of the Journal of Bacteriology
The best English is that which gives the sense in the fewest short words. - a dictum printed for some years in the Instructions to Authors of the Journal of Bacteriology
What all budding Scientists must know...
Being a controlling perfectionist, I have a disdain for older editions of books when newer editions are available. I just did not want anything less than the best. But I never full appreciated why newer editions of certain books keep appearing, whilst for others, they stop at edition one.
I finally saw the significance of updating your editions, especially when it's no longer relevant to the current society. I picked up the 5th edition of R. A. Day's "How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper". I blogged about the 1st edition in March. It's amazing but the preface is different and the reason why this 5th edition, published in 1998, is so important is because of the internet age, where online journals are now available, something the previous generation of Scientists never had. :)
I am glad I captured the 1st edition preface.
I found in the preface, what is of utmost importance to all people wanting to be scientists or plan to go into the academia line. It is something I never knew as a child and had the ambition of wanting to go into research.
"The goal of scientific research is publication. Scientists, starting as graduate students, are measured primarily not by their dexterity in laboratory manipulations, not by their innate knowledge of either broad or narrow scientific subjects, and certainly not by their wit or charm; they are measured, and become known (or remain unknown) by their publications.
A scientific experiment, no matter how spectacular the results, is not completed until the results are published. In fact, the cornerstone of the philosophy of science is based on the fundamental assumption that original knowledge must be published; only thus can new scientific knowledge be authenticated and then added to the existing database that we call scientific knowledge."
It overwhelms me sometimes and troubled me in the past. I often heard about how NUS chooses its lecturers based on their research and publications. And how we have not so good lecturers because their teaching is secondary to their research. I don't think this is completely true but I believe there is some truth in it, since Science is about getting things published. Then again, it makes having a lecturer who is both passionate about teaching and research, a rare gem.
It will take a while to get this into my mind. Never in my 12 years of education did I know there was something called primary literature. I always though textbooks was it. I didn't know people wrote textbooks based on all these scientific publications. If I were a teacher in a Secondary school or Junior College, I would tell them and explain to them.
Then again, I might be the frog in the well. I believe my other friends who were attached to some schools doing research know about this.
I finally saw the significance of updating your editions, especially when it's no longer relevant to the current society. I picked up the 5th edition of R. A. Day's "How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper". I blogged about the 1st edition in March. It's amazing but the preface is different and the reason why this 5th edition, published in 1998, is so important is because of the internet age, where online journals are now available, something the previous generation of Scientists never had. :)
I am glad I captured the 1st edition preface.
I found in the preface, what is of utmost importance to all people wanting to be scientists or plan to go into the academia line. It is something I never knew as a child and had the ambition of wanting to go into research.
"The goal of scientific research is publication. Scientists, starting as graduate students, are measured primarily not by their dexterity in laboratory manipulations, not by their innate knowledge of either broad or narrow scientific subjects, and certainly not by their wit or charm; they are measured, and become known (or remain unknown) by their publications.
A scientific experiment, no matter how spectacular the results, is not completed until the results are published. In fact, the cornerstone of the philosophy of science is based on the fundamental assumption that original knowledge must be published; only thus can new scientific knowledge be authenticated and then added to the existing database that we call scientific knowledge."
It overwhelms me sometimes and troubled me in the past. I often heard about how NUS chooses its lecturers based on their research and publications. And how we have not so good lecturers because their teaching is secondary to their research. I don't think this is completely true but I believe there is some truth in it, since Science is about getting things published. Then again, it makes having a lecturer who is both passionate about teaching and research, a rare gem.
It will take a while to get this into my mind. Never in my 12 years of education did I know there was something called primary literature. I always though textbooks was it. I didn't know people wrote textbooks based on all these scientific publications. If I were a teacher in a Secondary school or Junior College, I would tell them and explain to them.
Then again, I might be the frog in the well. I believe my other friends who were attached to some schools doing research know about this.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
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.
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.
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