Student 76

Object 1: First Aid Handbook for Health Science Class

This is one of my projects for Health Science I in 2021, where we made a First Aid Handbook. It gives insight into the injuries and the methodologies of performing first aid in a real world setting. The handbook is a presentation of the AOK Natural Sciences, more specifically knowledge related to health science, making the knowledge useful to many across time and geographical location. Even so, there are some cultures that do not deal with modern first aid but they too have their own handbooks related to traditional first aid showing how medical knowledge is far more useful than others.

In the present day, learning conceptual knowledge relating to basic first aid is seen as a necessity for graduation from school. However, there are professions such as surgeons or first responders who give more importance to the practical knowledge behind first aid than the theoretical knowledge. In this case, the first aid handbook is seen as not useful as it does not give the people the practical knowledge they require to take appropriate action in real life situations.

The handbook is interesting for this exhibition because the handbook provides a holistic approach to first aid making it more useful than knowledge that only gives a conceptual understanding of first aid. Not to mention, the second part of the creation of the handbook was we had to demonstrate the practical knowledge on an inanimate object. This comprehensive approach of the natural sciences is more useful in developing and executing my procedural knowledge in a real world context than a conceptual natural science such as Biology.

In this way, the handbook brings my academic interest and holistic first aid knowledge together. I believe that my confidence as a future doctor is much higher due to being able to apply my learned knowledge and the skills. In this way, my knowledge on first aid enriches my understanding of the academic knowledge related to health sciences and my life experience.

Object 2: The Keeper of the Lost Cities Book

The book is the Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger published in 2012 giving readers insight into the fantasy world of Sophie Foster. I first read it during fifth grade as a weekly reading book. Generally, books are associated with either entertainment or content based knowledge. However, the KOLC books are based more on entertainment for a younger audience but also to teach moral messages.

I chose this book to show how fictional books, in a real world context, are seen as not useful beyond that of a classroom setting. There are educators who believe that optional themes of language are important for helping children gain a better understanding of a language. However, the knowledge of literature in a utilitarian perspective is very specific to a certain population of people. It is not seen as functional across all aspects of time and space. Thus, the knowledge related to fantasy literature such as the KOLC books is seen as less practical as it does not have any feasible applications outside of an English classroom.

The book shows whether one can see having a level of in-depth knowledge of fictitious language as being more useful compared to knowledge that will be used for a practical purpose such as a non-fiction book. If I wanted to be a literature teacher or English major then having knowledge of literature related to fantasy books would be very useful. In many situations, however, highly specific knowledge of fantasy literature is not seen as needed compared to the overall knowledge non-fiction provides.

Object 3: Oxford Environmental Systems and Societies Textbooks

This is my Oxford Environmental Systems and Societies 2015 Edition textbook for IB ESS. This textbook is a cumulation of knowledge relating to the specific AOK of Natural Sciences, more specifically, environmental science. It is included in this exhibition as an example of the traditional framework for contextual knowledge.

This object is included in this exhibition because the textbook for the IB Environmental Systems and Societies course is more useful for the students in the course compared to someone who is not taking the course and does not require to learn the knowledge in the textbook. This demonstrates how scientific knowledge that is only functional in one part of life isn’t necessarily seen as useful by everyone unlike the science of medicine which is functional everywhere. The knowledge that that textbook provides is highly specific which makes its usefulness also highly specific to certain populations such as IB ESS students.

The textbook also only presents conceptual understanding of the science and not a practical application. This demonstrates how only students in the class will find the knowledge useful for their examinations as the examinations also only test the conceptual understanding rather than the practical application. Environmental engineers who also find value in knowledge of environmental science might not find the textbook useful as it does not help their everyday job which is mainly based on the application of the content-based knowledge. If I were to become an environmental scientist, the textbook would have value to me as I study that specific science. However, specialized natural sciences are seen as useless in everyday life.