Taught by: Dr Ang Yuchen
Name: Lim Wei Liang (@weiliang4)
Content (Structure/Organization): -
The module is primarily about natural history and biodiversity, covering a wide range of topics such as nature journaling, illustration, botany, ornithology (birds), and entomology (insects). You'll learn a whole lot about the nature that exists around us and how to observe and describe it!
Assignments are mostly hands-on and involve fieldwork, allowing one to apply the knowledge that has been taught in class. For example, over the course of the module we had to do a plant press, go birdwatching, and catch insects for an entomology box.
I would say that this is a really amazing module, and quite possibly my favorite module out of all the ones I've taken in NUS. It's pretty unlikely you'll ever get the chance to do something like this outside of this module.
Accessibility and Assessment: 5
Content is very accessible and relatable, prof does not assume any background knowledge
Manageability of Workload: 2
Workload for this module is pretty heavy because many of the assignments are time-consuming. (after all, some of them are subject to nature's whims) Additionally, this module will eat up a significant chunk of your recess week due to the field trips that will be organized then. That said, one of the really cool things about this mod is that the work does not feel like regular work, and much of it involves going outside and spending time in nature, which can be fun!
Workload lightens up somewhat in the 2nd half of the sem, and the natural history project in the 2nd half of the module is kinda like a mini-ISM, so you have the freedom to pick a topic you're personally interested in as well as decide for yourself the scope of your project.
I would recommend being able to dedicate enough time to this module in order to get the most out of it.
Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:
I think if you put in consistent effort into all the grading components and are meticulous & careful in your submissions a good grade (A-/A) is definitely attainable in the module. Of course, it helps to do something that you're passionate/interested in for the final project so that you can produce a good submission!
Presence of Technical Learning:
I would say that this module really enhances your appreciation of nature, which in itself is pretty life-changing. Other than that, the module also significantly trains your observation skills and ability to describe & communicate things clearly.
Learning Value/Recommendation: 5
Sorta said this earlier, but this module can really improve and change your perspective of nature, and that is something I consider extremely valuable. Who knows, you might even discover new lifelong interests when taking the mod!
About the Instructor:
Dr Ang is a really great instructor - he is extremely passionate and knowledgeable about what he does, and really goes above and beyond to improve the module experience. His enthusiasm for nature is rather infectious. For example, he organizes quite a few extracurricular activities over the course of the semester, such as a nature illustration class, an intertidal walk, birdwatching trip, and more!
He's also really relatable and approachable (he's fairly young and is a USP alumnus), and keeps classes engaging and fun!
Additional Comments/Word of Advice:
"Oh ya, and don't be afraid to take the module because you're scared of insects - quite a few people in my class were (including myself), and the knowledge and exposure you gain in this module definitely helps you get over the fear! Dr Ang also knows how to help people get over their fear of insects.
Anyways, tl;dr amazing mod that offers unique experiences, can really change your perspectives, would strongly recommend taking but you need to set some time aside for the mod."
Name: Lim Qian Hui (@qiiaannn)
Content (Structure/Organization):
This module was pretty hands-on which I enjoyed very much! We had a field trip to Pulau Ubin, where we went outdoors to catch insects and collect plant samples. I loved how I could apply what I had learnt in class about the taxonomy and characteristics of insects and plants in the field trip. This module also taught me skills that natural historians/biologists use - like the catching and processing of insect specimens, nature journaling, the making of plant presses, and species identification keys! The module also emphasised on science communication, where we had the chance to work on the conceptualization of an art-science project (unfortunately due to COVID, we weren’t able to hold the exhibition). The lessons are pretty fun too - on our first lesson, Dr Ang brought us downstairs to the Berlin Wall area for a meditation session, where we learnt about the importance of mindfulness to our observation of the natural environment. We also had a birding competition which lasted for a few weeks, where we were encouraged to go outdoors and identify different species of birds, using an app! Dr Ang also held extracurricular lessons for us to enrich our learning, such as lessons on the watercolour painting of scientific specimen drawings.
Accessibility and Assessment: -
Manageability of Workload: 3
Being a fieldwork-based class, we didn’t have much readings but the workload was not light nevertheless! We had a mid term quiz worth 12% of our grade before recess week, which was manageable. But the workload felt quite high after our field trip ended, as we had many assignments from the module due around the same time. The field trip was compulsory and especially important because the specimens we collected and processed led up to the final product for our assignments (collectively worth around 60% of the grade)! But after that busy period, the workload in the rest of the semester was quite manageable - our art-science project was worth 15%, reflective essay 6% and class participation was 7%. The skills learnt in this module were all very new to me, but Dr Ang was happy to help whenever I met with any difficulties! There were a mix of both individual and group work, but for the field trip you mostly work in teams.
Learning Value/Recommendation: 5
About the Instructor:
I think Dr Ang is very passionate about the module! He tried as much as possible to design meaningful assignments and lessons for us, that were both interesting and enjoyable.
Additional Comments/Word of Advice:
Overall I found this module challenging but very interesting and fun! I love outdoors and nature so the module was a great fit for me haha. But one word of caution - you will have to kill insects by yourself to obtain specimens, so be mentally prepared I guess!