What have I learned from this experience?
Throughout my progress in developing and carrying out my project, I reinforced my knowledge about the subjects I am most interested in. The hours of research, writing, and filming rendered me more knowledgeable on the topics of science and culture. While I learned a great deal from the sources I utilized, I was able to understand the connection and conflicts between science and culture through my mentor, Dr. Shikiya. As I predicted, I learned the most about Earth Science, specifically with Geology, because I had not taken an Earth Science course in SSHS. Aside from academics, I developed more practical and universal skills, such as the ability to compress a wide array of information into interesting and teachable content. In my opinion, this will be the most important thing I take away from my experience because I will be using these skills for the rest of my life. Overall, I had applied the knowledge I had learned in my years at SSHS. Science and language classes gave me a plethora of relevant information that I was able to incorporate into my project. My attentiveness in these classes served me well in my effort to teach others about the subjects I am passionate about. Through it all, I developed my project with complete honesty and integrity. I, along with my colleague Ryan, worked many hours to complete the videos to the absolute best of our abilities.
How was your experience different from your prediction?
I definitely did not predict that it would take such a long time to research, write scripts, and film for the project. I was prepared to spend a lot of time on the work, but I misinterpreted the wide expanse of information that we would be conveying through the videos. As I realized how many topics we would be covering, I understood that the project would take longer than I thought. Other than that, my prediction for the project was mostly consistent with my prediction, besides that fact my understanding of culture and its effects on science changed. Before the project, I did not think that world culture had an effect on science, or any effect it had was negligible. However, as my mentor communicated with me over the course of the project, I learned that methods of thinking and important ideals vary between cultures. Therefore, the culture of an individual dictates their outlook on science and the way they work with science, ultimately effecting the scientific community.
How does this project help others?
After finishing the videos, Ryan and I distributed them to teachers, directly. We also made these videos public on YouTube, for the interest of those who want to learn more about science. I believe that these videos will serve students in the essence of science and culture. Because of the simple, yet effective structure of the videos, viewers will be well-versed in these subjects and better understand the big picture that binds these concepts. With a better understanding of the big picture, students will feel less intimidated when learning about specific facts or details pertaining to science, giving them a better advantage in their learning environment.