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I have really enjoyed this class for the past quarter and the unique elements of the structure.  I look forward to our lectures and small group discussions each week and think that posting online is a very beneficial way to participate and reflect.  We have been talking about so many “big ideas” it often takes me a while to really soak it all in, so I think that Serendip has had a very positive influence on my understanding.  By giving me the space to express myself, clarify any comments I make in class, and reflect on what others say and questions we bring up, the online tool has helped me to learn a lot about things I could easily miss and concepts I would otherwise fail to recognize.  My understanding of evolution has changed immensely from a basic definition central to life, to a much more complex and significant concept, and I’m seeing it more as I look around every day. 

So far, I think that our readings have been very interesting and although I enjoy our conversations, I think it would be more beneficial if we had a few prompts/ pre reading questions to use as a guideline to help focus our thoughts.  It could also give us something new to write about in our blog posts and help provoke more discussions on the readings when in class. 

I am looking forward to the next half of the class.  I think that one of the reasons I like the course so much is because I can see connections to it every day whether in discussions in my other classes or articles in the New York Times, etc.  I hope that in the next half our discussions continue to provoke me to think in a new way and spark a new interest and motivation for my studies.  I am curious to see how the class dynamic shifts with the shift in story telling and I’m excited to watch our discussions evolve.