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Why do we sleep?; Pomona - Title of the class,contents & why chose it/


cicijolee 5 / 19 4  
Dec 30, 2013   #1
This essay question threw me off the first time I looked at it...basically I was really intimidated. I just need some general feedback about what you think and whether my essay about what class I would create answers all parts of the question (something I'm worried I didn't do) and does a good job in general. Oh and my ending...should I use it? Thanks!

prompt:
Pomona's Critical Inquiry course is required of all first-year students, and is designed to be highly interdisciplinary and engaging. Recent class titles include: \"Molecules of the Mind\", \"The Economics of Sin\", and \"Punk: Poets, Politics and Provocation\". Imagine you were hired to design and teach a Critical Inquiry course. Describe the title of the class, its contents, and why you chose it.

To Sleep or Not to Sleep, that is the Question
Why do we sleep? No one seems to be able to find a definitive answer but scientists have concluded that sleeping has many benefits. Several studies have shown that people who neglect their slumber tend to have poorer health and lower performance levels the next day compared to those who sleep about seven hours a day. The question should probably be instead, why should we sleep? Scientists cannot pinpoint exactly what makes this activity so beneficial. My class would try to fill in this blank by analyzing the activity of the brain during sleep, studying the evolutionary theory of sleep, and formulating one's own ideas of why sleeping, even dozing for a couple of hours, is so essential.

I named my class "To Sleep or Not to Sleep, that is the Question" because part of the mystery is why and how did our value for sleep change over time. Exhaustion was once a feeling we would succumb to at night. These days, however, it seems that society encourages people to sleep as little as possible and that people choose to willingly. Figuring out the biological and sociological aspects of sleep would not only help reveal more about the brain during sleep but it may also help people to make better choices.

This class would integrate different subjects together: history, neuroscience, and psychology. In this day and age where progress and advancement is constantly on the rise, it's important to remember the basics of life and not to forget their importance. Scientists have found that sleep is important for a reason and have formulated an evolutionary (ecological) theory. One of their proofs is the evolutionary history of the Bottlenose dolphin. This animal sleeps, but only with one hemisphere of its brain at a time so that it is still partly conscious to remember to come up breath. The fact that this dolphin species has evolved to have this interesting sleeping pattern suggests that sleep has an essential purpose. For us to neglect it may produce negative impacts in the future. I want my students to leave my class having learned the science behind the benefits of sleep, how to analyze brain scans such as CT scans and MRIs, the evolutionary theory of sleep, and also that sleep is a necessity that they should start to catch up on for themselves, after, or course, my final exam.
badra100 - / 9  
Dec 30, 2013   #2
Pomona is very good to create a new class.
mlozano11 4 / 18 3  
Dec 30, 2013   #3
I do not believe that title of your class is very relevant or fluid..Allusions to Shakespeare's "to be or not to be" are very cliche and many people do not exactly understand its connotation. I would come up with something else
OP cicijolee 5 / 19 4  
Dec 30, 2013   #4
mlozano11
it sort of just came to mind when I sat down to write the essay. Wasn't really thinking about it but I see what you mean, thanks !
Kondite - / 44 9  
Dec 31, 2013   #5
Your essay seems quite mundane. You can tell that Pomona wants a quirky and creative essay when you read the 2 titles of their Critical Inquiry courses. Many people will probably write about a multidisciplinary course with different topics. You only have one last day so my advice to you is make your essay more creative. With these kind of essays, go out of your comfort zone and explore a different style of writing.
rianhawaiian 4 / 17  
Dec 31, 2013   #6
The class sounds like another science course. I would just restart and think of the most absurd class you can and roll with it. After all, they want people "out of the box" and all that jazz, right?


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