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Singing Science
udderly writes "
Wired is running a story about a University of Washington biology lecturer,
Greg Crowther, who sings lectures. From the article: 'Crowther bursts
into song to the melody of Sugar Sugar, the bubble-gum '60s tune - "Glucose,
ah sugar sugar / You are my favorite fuel from the
bloodborne substrate pool / Glucose -- monosaccharide sugar -- you're sweeter
than a woman's kiss / 'cause I need you for glycolysis."' In
college I used many different types of devices to help memorize information like
this. Crowther has a page
where you can download samples. Among my favorites are
The Krebs Cycle and Come On Down (The Electron Transport Chain)."
I'm all for using mnemonics to remember somewhat arbitrary information (Roy G. Biv, Every Good Boy Deserves Fish), but not for semantic cramming. If you need a song to understand the difference between glucose and fructose, then why bother taking the course in the first place? You're just going to forget everything you learned as soon as you complete the final exam.
The most rabid believers in American Exceptionalism are the exact same people whose policies are destroying it.
My favourites are 'The Ballad of Sir Isaac Newton' and 'Why Does the Sun Shine'.
Loose lips lose spit.
Reminds me of Fourier's Song that we got to listen to in class this year.
I highly recommend taking a look at www.physicssongs.org . It's full of fantastic songs about physics.
Didn't Jack Black do this (or pretend to) in School of Rock?
Also , never forget the Animaniacs' Warner Bros (and sister!) doing the countries of the world, among others (http://www2.cruzio.com/~keeper/00.html).
Oh, was that my outside voice?
Our professor brings his electric guitar to the lab, and plays blues, rock, along with songs about DNA and cloning. He gives extra points for writing haiku about DNA as well. It's not for memorising, but to have fun and like the class. Once you are not bored you really learn something! A Man named Taq: Let me tell ya story 'bout a man named Taq Always priming forward never looking back Amplifying sequence for the research mind Extending off the primers on the PCR line Born near a thermal vent in Yellowstone Park Livin' in a hot spring, his life was a lark A surfer guy named Mullis saw what he could do Now he's amplifying DNA for me and for you ...etc
I think we can all agree that remembering something has nothing to do with understanding it. That's why I have serious doubts about this kind of "educational practice", because it focuses on memory. Well, if the main purpose of the class is passing the test and getting a grade, I guess it's ok. If the guy actually wants to *teach* something, it's gonna take more than funny songs to put _knowledge_ in people's brains.