Taught by: Dr Jose Mendoza
Content (Structure/Organization): 5
It is very structured and organised. We covered the anatomy, their functions and traits of the invertebrates in different phylums. We also explored biomimetics and went on a field trip to tanjong rimau. Every lesson is 3 hours - first half is spent on lecture material and the second half is spent looking at specimens (some preserved and some alive!!)
Manageability of Workload: 2
Heavy. You will spend a lot of time drawing the labelled drawings of the invertebrate and memorising for the tests. But some of us really enjoyed it because it is truly not like any other NUSC courses (spending 1.5hours holding and looking at over 100+ species of invertebrates in the museum?????)
Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:
Very achievable. As long as you put in the effort, write a decent paper, memorise/study for the test, work hard for the sketchbook, and produce a decent biomimetics project and final paper, you can get an A+.
Learning Value/Recommendation: 4
Not very useful if you dont intend to look at critters/snails/sponges under the microscope but everyone came out of this course having a renewed appreciation and respect for animals that might be easily dismissed for not being as cuddly. It really defiled the assumption that invertebrates are pests/not as evolved/disgusting. They can be so much more than that!
About the Instructor:
Dr Mendoza is strict but in a good way and very nurturing and funny. All he asks for is for you to be genuinely interested in what you are learning and put in effort in what you do.
Name: Shi Shu Yuan (@Shi_Shu_Yuan)
Content (Structure/Organization): -
Lectures are scheduled once a week in a 4 hour time slot, though most lectures will end long before the 4 hours are up. The lectures will usually take about 2 hours, after which students are free to stay around to examine the different invertebrate specimens that are available in the lab, or to visit the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum exhibit.
The first 3 weeks preceding the first graded CA, the practical quiz are primarily for introducing what invertebrates are, and the different classifications of invertebrate species. These lectures would go into the details of the major invertebrate phyla and classes, and about their adaptations and characteristics.
Before recess week, there will be a field trip - an intertidal walk where students will get to look for the different invertebrate species living on the shores of Singapore. For the semester I took the module, we travelled to Tanjong Rimau, a rocky shore behind fort Siloso. The field trip takes place very early in the morning (roughly 5am to 9am), and it can be quite dark. After the trip, students will be asked to share their findings, and to write a post field trip reflection on the species that they have encountered on the trip.
Past the introduction to invertebrates and the field trip, the module goes into greater detail about some innovations and adaptations of some notable invertebrate species, and about the biomimetic inventions that they have inspired. We also had some additional sharing sessions and talks by some of the LKCNHM staff, and got to learn about the nature of their taxonomic work. Towards the end of the semester, we also learn about how taxonomic work and the study of invertebrates is linked with society, and about how public perception towards invertebrates, taxonomic knowledge, scientific communication, and species conservation are all interlinked issues. The class groups will also be sharing on their biomimetics projects, about how we may take inspiration from invertebrate designs to solve problems in human society, so there's a fair amount of peer learning as well.
Overall, I think the first half of the module is quite structured, while the second half of the module is very much driven by student participation and involvement, especially for the engagement sessions with the LKCNHM staff and the group project presentations.
Accessibility and Assessment: 5
I can't really comment much on accessibility personally, because I had a fair amount of exposure to the study of biodiversity back in secondary school and JC, though it had been about 6 years since I last studied the topic. However, most of the class comprised of students from non life science majors, and many were from the FASS. It seemed to me that most of the other students were able to pick up on the concepts taught in class, and remained engaged throughout the semester.
Being a biodiversity module, the module content may require a fair bit of memory work, which can potentially be a bit more challenging if you don't have prior exposure to the topic, and especially so if you don't have a strong interest in the topic. Thankfully, the module weightage is mostly comprised of project work, and the quizzes that require such memorization aren't too difficult.
You get to learn about different adaptations that invertebrates possess to allow them to survive and thrive in their native environments, and the general classifications of different invertebrate species. You will also learn how to identify the body parts on different invertebrates, and know their respective functions.
In terms of practical skills, you will get to experience handling invertebrate specimens, including live specimens. You may also learn how to better identify different invertebrate species in Singapore. If you take the time, you can also learn how to operate the microscopes available in the LKCNHM learning labs, which can be used to view smaller invertebrate specimens.
Manageability of Workload: 4
Assignment Weightage:
CA0 - Self reflection essay 1 (not graded)
CA1 - Practical quiz (3%)
CA2 - Post-field trip essay (15%)
CA3 - Specimen sketchpad (10%)
CA5 - Written test (7%)
CA6 - Self reflection essay 2 (10%)
Class participation (5%)
Biomimetics group project:
CA4 - Group oral presentation (30%)
CA7 - Individual paper (20%)
Self reflection essay 1 is a supposed to be a short essay on your personal sentiments and experiences with invertebrates, which is to be submitted before the 1st lecture, but it isn't graded and is kinda there for fun and maybe for stimulating some discussion in class (idk I wasn't present for the 1st lecture cos I fell sick that day, but Dr Mendoza quoted some essay responses in his slides) - No pressure at all
The Practical quiz covers the content taught in the first 3 lectures on invertebrates and their different classifications. Generally, it involves the identification of the phyla/ class of selected invertebrate specimens in the lab. Can be somewhat tough for some students with little prior knowledge as it does involve some memory work, but its pretty low in weightage and most students should be able to get the hang of the content over time.
Post-field trip essay is a short 1000 word essay on the field trip, and about notable invertebrate species that were found. Students are expected to identify the invertebrates found, and to discuss the adaptations that they have made to survive in their habitat. Species identification can be a bit tricky, but students can make use of the wildsingapore website to assist in identification, or seek other students for assistance. Overall, this essay can be finished fairly quickly (not like you have a choice - its due in about 5 days after the field trip)
Specimen sketchpad is quite a fun, but time consuming assignment. Students are assigned to produce a sketchpad with sketches of invertebrate specimens from all the invertebrate classes discussed in class (and which are also available as specimens in the lab), with labelled body parts and notes. The specimen sketches do not have to be photorealistic or fully detailed, but students should attempt to capture as many parts and characteristics of the specimen in their sketch (It's meant to be more of an exercise in identifying the different parts on an invertebrate, rather than a test of one's artistic skill). The sketchpad assignment can be started at the start of the module, and is due in week 8, so there's quite a bit of time to work on it. I think being consistent on working on the sketches can help to manage the workload for this assignment, and I think it can be somewhat therapeutic to sit and sketch invertebrates occasionally. That being said, I think some other students were also able to rush this assignment out the day before the due date, so it might also be feasible to just rush out the whole sketchbook in a single session.
The written test is done at the end of the semester, and covers the topics covered in the module lectures. The test consists of several MCQ questions, and some short answer questions. Overall, I think it is harder than the practical quiz, but might be more manageable since most students would have a better grasp on the topics by the end of the semester (but there's also more memory work).
For the biomimetics group project, students are preassigned into groups of 5 at the start of the module, and are expected to select a model organism to base a biomimetic solution on. The groups will send a rough proposal of their ideas to Dr Mendoza before recess week, and can consult him to discuss the feasibility and innovativity of their ideas. After settling on an idea, students will conduct their own research, and are expected to cite information from different scientific sources to support and justify their solution. They will then make a group presentation on their project in front of the whole class, and each individual member of the group will have to write an individual report on the project. For the project, I feel that the toughest part is settling on a single idea that everyone in the group can get behind. Finding a truly innovative biomimetic solution can be very tough, as it requires a great understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms, and the problem that you are trying to apply the biological mechanism to. Additionally, there are tons of invertebrate species out there, which can make the task quite daunting.
Self reflection 2 is basically just a reflection on the module as a whole, not really much to say here tbh
Overall, I'd say that the workload is quite manageable, with maybe the sketchbook being a bit of an exception. As long as you maintain a good working relationship with your groupmates in the project, it should also be fairly manageable as well.
Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:
I think its quite achievable as long as you understand the content and make a reasonable amount of effort to participate in class? Please look at other reviews to get a better idea for this part. I think Dr Mendoza is fairly liberal in handing out good grades, but I don't actually know how much I scored for each individual CA besides CA1 and CA3, in which I did well for both.
Learning Value/Recommendation: 4
For me, this module was a bit of a refresher course, since I had some prior experience in learning about biodiversity. However, I still learnt quite a few new things as well, especially about how taxonomic work is conducted.
I really enjoyed the field trip, as the museum staff were very helpful and knowledgeable guides, and were able to help us spot many different invertebrate species. I also really liked the biomimetics project, as it was quite interesting and challenging.
About the Instructor:
Dr Mendoza is very experienced and knowledgeable in the subject domain of invertebrates. He is a carcinologist (a scientist that studies crabs), and has documented and named several crab species found locally in Singapore, so do ask him more about his own research!
I think Dr Mendoza teaches best through demonstrations, such as through showing us how to observe and identify the different parts on invertebrate specimens. In the field, he is also extremely experienced and capable, and knows where to look for some of the more elusive invertebrates such as the giant reef worms.
In terms of assignments however, he isn't particularly transparent about what grades he gives out (I only know my scores for CA1 and CA3). That being said, you might be able to find out about your scores if you try emailing him - he did mention in class that students curious about their written test scores could email him after a week or two.
Dr Mendoza is also quite flexible - one of the other students in the class would sometimes email him to request the opening of the learning lab on non lecture days, and he is quite willing to entertain the request. Do feel free to email him if you have any requests or suggestions!
Additional Comments:
This module tends to be heavily oversubscribed - you may have a better chance of getting it if you have y3/y4 priority. Also, not sure if Dr Mendoza will be around next year to offer this module, as he mentioned that he may be going on a marine expedition next year.
Content (Structure/Organization): 5
You basically learn about invertebrates.
Accessibility and Assessment: 4
You may or may not get smurfed on by science kids
Manageability of Workload: 2
Around the same/slightly less than other NHS/NSTs
Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:
B+ should be easily achievable
Learning Value/Recommendation: 3
I guess if you wanna learn about invertebrates you should take this
About the Instructor:
Most passionate prof i've ever come across. You can tell he really loves what he's teaching
Additional Comments:
A big chunk of the assessment is a group project. Groups of 4-5. Groups are allocated to ensure each group is as diverse as possible. You cannot choose your groupmates. You get hands on with various preserved/live invertebrates also. Very fun, would recommend.
Content (Structure/Organization): 5
Incredibly well structured. Dr Mendoza even revisits the syllabus multiple times in the semester to make sure everyone is on the same page. The Canvas course page is very comprehensive and impeccably organised, it'll have all the details and resources you need.
Accessibility and Assessment: 3
Can be really intimidating at first for people who don't have much experience with biology or biodiversity related training. Dr Mendoza however, is really cognisant of these challenges for some students and makes a concerted effort to help out. If you really want to excel in the course though, you should read/watch the supplementary material he issues and do your own research on the side.
Manageability of Workload: 3
Lots of assessment components (i.e. reflection essays, biomimetics group project, labs, sketchpad drawings) mostly concentrated in the first half of the semester so the second half is much more chill. How bad or good this is for you would probably depend on your own personal timetable.
Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:
Dr Mendoza has a lot of passion for his subject matter and this makes him a very, VERY particular grader. If you want an A -- make sure you read the assessment briefs, sort out your grammar, formatting, make sure you have the facts right, do your own external research, and have genuinely good reflective points. It helps to participate and be active, be this during lab work, the field trip, group presentations or just the regular old seminars.
Learning Value/Recommendation: 5
I have personal interests in biodiversity but am from a non-related major so getting to do this was a dream for me. No matter your interest level you're absolutely sure to learn something from this course. However, if you're looking for an effortless A this might not be the class for you.
About the Instructor:
Dr Mendoza is such a jovial and exciting person to learn from. His passion is infectious and he is a great teacher. It is also great that he's so organised and particular.