October 2011 Archives

     This past weekend, the honors class had the option of going to see the play Dracula put on by the CSP theater department. The play was very well done in both the acting and the effects. The play itself focused on the demise of Dracula and the struggle of those that defeated him. It was very gruesome at times. The most intriguing and entertaining character was Renfield. Renfield is a crazy person that calls Dracula her master and whose biggest desire is for Dracula to honor/ be with her. In the end, Dracula kills Renfield, choosing instead to force blood from women that want nothing to do with him.

     This play had a lot of Christian themes in it. The most powerful items in this play were the consecrated host, the Bible, and a crucifix. Evil could not stand to be in the presence of these items. It also tells a lot about being human. This play feeds on the fears of people: the most "innocent" people being corrupted, having a change take place inside of you that you have no control over, loved ones dying, and more. This play has a lot of human elements to it. Going to the play both Thursday night and Friday night revealed something very interesting about interconnectedness. Although seeing a play is often thought of as an individual experience, the mood of the audience as a whole greatly affected the mood of the individual audience member. Thursday night's performance was given to an almost silent, highly engaged audience. Friday's performance, on the other hand, was given to an often-laughing, lighthearted audience. Thursday's performance was therefore much scarier, because the entire audience was treating it that way.

     I think that going to this play was a good use of my time. It helped me understand some human and Christian elements in a new way, while also entertaining me. It was a good opportunity to be encouraged by good conquering evil and love enduring through hardship. I never knew the story of Dracula before seeing this play, so it was a new story, which is also a valuable thing to hear. I have walked away from this play with a slightly new perspective. 

     Today the honors students had the option to go to a convocation called "The 'Dirt' on Hippos: PBL and Archaeology". It was both interesting and informative. In this convocation, Dr. Schuler and the seven Concordia St. Paul students that went to Israel this past summer talked about their experiences digging and sightseeing in Israel, as well as problem-based learning. Each student shared a bit about their own personal experience. It was apparent that each person was greatly affected by their trip. It appeared that they learned a lot and no longer see things in quite the same way that they used to.

     This convocation discussed many relevant ideas. One of the major focuses of this convocation was problem-based learning. This type of learning is motivated by the need to solve a problem. By looking at what others have tried to address the problem and trial and error, a solution is discovered, and learning occurs. One of the most beautiful parts of this type of learning is the interconnectedness of it. People work together, sharing their successes and failures, so that each person can learn. It was also briefly talked about how much information is lost when the students first begin learning, because there is so much information being given to them at once. This really connected to the brain science that is being studied by the honors class currently. Many of the students also talked about the impact that seeing the places where Jesus walked had on their faith. They gained a new perspective and understood what the Bible teaches at a different level.

    I really enjoyed this presentation and am very glad that I went. Problem-based learning is one of my favorite types of learning, and I wish that we did more of it in the honors program and college in general. It tends to be more effective and more useful than other types of learning. I also really would like to go on one of the Israel trips at some point during my college life. I've had an interest in archaeology for a very long time and would also really love to see the Holy Land. As with any college student, however, money is the issue. I hope that God will bless me with the opportunity for this amazing experience. This convocation was a great opportunity to hear more about the trip and problem-based learning.