modules, modules,

Just thought I should post something here... 2008 is coming to an end!

Anyway, I went to rethink my modules' choice for Sem 2 again. In the end, I actually dropped HY2241 (Why study History? The 20th century, 1914-1989).

Why?

I'm not too sure either. Somehow, it seems counter-intuitive. After all (given the title), it should be most relevant, either in preparation for a teaching career or in terms of professional development as a historian.

Yet, having seen the syllabus etc via IVLE, I'm not convinced. At least, that's how this particular lecturer(s) is going to do it, and I don't like it. I feel rather... cheated? Is that the right word? Suffice to say, I think the syllabus and the title does not match. It seems to place an over-emphasis on a particular region, although the title and past year papers (seem to) suggest something along the line of 20th century world history. Yet, after painstakingly downloading the readings for the module, I decided it was best to kiss it goodbye and wait for it to be re-offered (if they do) two sems down.

Of course, I think every lecturer has the right to structure the module in his own way, but here, it's like a case of... bad online shopping? Like you see this item, you buy it, and then you realise the goods don't match. Ok, maybe this isn't such an appropriate analogy. In any case, I'm not going to waste my precious module slots and then belatedly lament the fate of being cheated.

But this places me in a predicament. Apart from EU1101E (European studies exposure) and HY2255 (Islam in World history), I was thinking of doing a Singapore studies module, one Singapore history module, and currently I have a Singapore popular culture history module in my bag. I swear I'm going to be so sick of this area by the end of the day. Maybe it's time to go module hunting again.
(No, at this point I'm not thinking of venturing out of FASS yet)

Speaking of which, there is this rather interesting (or so I thought, initially) science GEM (General Education Module). It's called GEK1539 - A Brief History of Science. Now, I should not have been so hopeful, considering that the courses are offered by physicists. Hoping against hope, I went to check the module out (thankfully), and again, I was disappointed. The module description goes:

"Even Science students tend to be unaware of how modern concepts have arisen, what their impact was at the time and how they changed the world. This course is intended to explain the history and significance of scientific developments on societies and how perceptions of the world have changed as a result."

I was like Wow, you mean the Science people do this!. The exam paper turned out to be something like "[Fill in the date] - Law/discovery/invention," or "[Fill in the Law/discovery/invention] - [date]," or "Give [number] [examples/reason/consequence] why [...]". I think any amateur (not to mention serious) historian would fume with rage.

Another interesting-looking Sci GEM was GEK1506 - Heavenly Mathematics: Cultural Astronomy. It's description goes like this:

"After taking this course you will become conscious of the motion of the Sun and the Moon and notice and question things you have earlier taken for granted. You will appreciate mankind's struggle through the ages and throughout the world to understand the mathematics of the heavens."

Again, hopes were dashed. Simply put, if I took the course, I would definitely struggle, because it's a Mathematics paper. Something like "Oh it's Jan, the Sun moves so many degrees, how long would it take for the moon to yadayada". Of course, I definitely would understand the mathematics at the end of the day, but certainly would be as ignorant as I was before taking the course with regards to the cultural dimensions of it.

Thus ends my first Science-GEM hunting :( No wonder they're called GEMs - you've really gotta sift out the gems.