This class turned out to be a lot more than I thought it would be. I went into it expecting a standard series of powerpoint lectures on how AIDS works and the various types of STIs that exist out there, and though we did get plenty of this, we also got to learn about different types of prevention methods, various cultural stigmas, and got to listen to several guest speakers. For our final project I also got to learn about Tuberculosis, something I didn’t think would be covered at all in this class. I am pleased with my overall experience of H 312!
All of the items covered in this course were relevant to some extent, but some were probably more useful than others when it comes to college students. The most useful information was probably learning all the ways AIDS and different STIs can be transmitted, as well as learning the symptoms/warning signs and how to treat/prevent the ailments. I say this because many of the STIs we’ve studied in class are more prevalent in young adults than in any other age group; hearing about these sorts of issues was relevant because most of us fall into that category. On the other hand, learning about social stigmas in other regions of the world was probably not so beneficial to most of us at Oregon State, just because most of us are not planning on going to Africa or India any time soon and therefore are not directly affected. Though this information was very interesting, it was not as useful to us as students, at least for the time being.
Overall, the course was taught in a style that worked wonderfully. I really enjoyed listening to the guest lectures, and I’m finding I tend to work well when working on projects in small groups. The blog assignment was also a very creative way to get us thinking; I would at least keep that going for next year, if nothing else. There were only a couple things about the course I feel could be changed, and they are easy fixes. The first has to do with the amount of reading assigned—it was slightly extensive and I feel like I didn’t learn as much from the textbook as I did from lecture and from the guest speakers. In addition, having blanks to fill in on the slides during lecture does make us pay attention, but it’s kind of a challenge if you forget to print out the slides or if you don’t have access to a printer and then try to get the notes from blackboard later. Again, these are minor changes; in general I thoroughly enjoyed the course!
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I think awareness of what is going on in other countries is just as important...we live in a world of "globalsim." Situations in other countries could come back to affect the United States in someway. Like trying to stop the spread of AIDS in the US alone, will not solve the answer. Help other countries with high rates of infection are important too...because even if we did get rid of infection in the US and not in other countries... the virus would some how find itself back to the US.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the guest speakers were informative.
Also it might be useful... for the skeleton slides...if at the end of the term you surprised everyone with the full set of slides, with the skeleton filled in... this way it makes people think they have to show up to class all term...but then surprise! The answer to the blanks r posted. This could be useful for studying for the final. We went through the material really fast....
I think one of the most valuable parts of this class is the cultural awareness that comes along with it. The utter devastation that AIDs and other infections (some that we don't even think about as being deadly) in some areas of there world is something you hear about but not something you really take into account.
ReplyDeleteI think this class really puts in perspective exactly how much is being done, but how far we have to go yet.
I also enjoyed the guest speakers, they mixed it up a bit and kept things interesting (even though the material itself is interesting, the mode of transportation can help when it's mixed up!)
"On the other hand, learning about social stigmas in other regions of the world was probably not so beneficial to most of us at Oregon State, just because most of us are not planning on going to Africa or India any time soon and therefore are not directly affected."
ReplyDeleteWe may not be directly affected, but I do think it's important that we realize the social conditions in other countries, as well as how much of a problem AIDS is in other parts of the world. I think if you want to truly understand a disease like AIDS, you have to examine it on a global scale, and not just on what is happening in our country. Just because we aren't going to Africa anytime soon doesn't make the AIDS epidemic there any less important or less worthy of learning about.