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Rama Kirloskar's picture

Applications of Science

I agree with Mr. Greene that our educational system does not teach us how to apply our knowledge of science to our lives. This is the case especially in India where I grew up. Our teachers' main objective was to make sure we did well on our I.C.S.E exams which are similar to the AP's here. So we were made to memorize huge quantities of information without really understanding it or where it could be applied. So we learnt about topics such as nuclear physics,the periodic table and quantum physics without having the faintest idea of why we were doing so. It was very mechanical and boring. The only reason why I retained my interest in Biology was because of my genuine curiosity and its obvious applications to the human body. I was always fascinated by the way living organisms function and the way they have adapted to suit their environments.When I came to America for high school I noticed the difference in teaching styles. In India we were taught to pay a lot of attention to detail, but here we are taught to look at the bigger picture. It was this kind of thinking that helped me understand the interrelation between the sciences. So I think that teachers have to stress on the application of scientific concepts to help develop the interest of the student. Once the student is interested she will automatically feel like learning more.

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