[IDZ/Teen] Day 9- Wrap Up
I have learned many new things about Paleontology. The most interesting thing that I learned was the process of preparing. Before, when I walked into a museum, I thought that the bones were extracted as complete artifacts. Now I know that people called Preparers actually make the bones look worthy of presentation and that the process of preparing bones is very difficult. I also learned more about how the shape of a fossil can determine different things about the way that they lived their lives. I learned many things that surprised me. For example, I finally learned how scientists determine where to dig when they are in search of fossils.
My favorite experience in I Dig Zambia was participating in the soccer and AIDS activity. I didn't like the soccer part so much, but I loved the effect that the program was having on local communities in Zambia. AIDS relief is an issue that is near and dear to my heart. This year I wrote a thesis paper on the U.S AIDS relief program PEPFAR and the paper didn't exactly portray the program in a great light. I thought that it was awesome that a small group of people could start such an effective program. I liked the fact that we discussed political and social issues in Zambia instead of only focusing in on the paleontology.
Over the past two weeks, I think that I have developed better communication skills. I'm a shy person and I'm not used to being thrown into problem solving situations with strangers, but IDZ forced me to communicate better with others. I'm not very into computer games or programs that use virtual reality, and so IDZ also helped me develop my technological skills. I'm now much more comfortable roaming around Second life than I was on the first day of the program. These new skills will definitely help me in the near future. I will be entering college in the fall and the development of these skills will help me both socially an academically.
Learning in Second Life has been a very interesting experience. In Second Life, one learns through the observation of one's peers, which is very different from learning from in a classroom. The only thing that I did not think worked out well was the correspondence with the scientists. I would have liked to understand what they were saying, but this was more of a technological issue that could not be helped. What I enjoyed most about Second Life was the way that it was left up to the student to put the pieces of the puzzle together. This kind of independent learning is very empowering and i think that it should be used more often.
