Melbournelife: Brainiac mania

I got a new TV program that I like to watch during weekends, Brainiac from Channel 9 (may be not really sure). This program about science myth and facts that is presented in a fun way. A very smart approach to educate young children to love science. The topics are varied, some are simple things around us, some a bit 'heavy contents' about explosion, etc. The most impressive thing is all of these topics are covered in a very fun way. Lovely.

One topic from last week for example about the smell from garlic. Three experiment participants eat garlic breads, pizza, and other foods containing garlic ingredients. One of them then eat parsley, another one brush her teeth with soda, and another one eat a lot of mints. In the next morning as soon as they weak up, they present in front of the researcher, and one by one the researcher will test them whether their mouth have nice or bad smell. The first one (who eat parsley) was asked to take a deep breath, open his mouth and blow his mouth to the researcher. The researcher reaction was fine, means his mouth smell not so bad. The second one (who clean his teeth very thoroughly using soda) did the same, and the researcher who smell his mouth move backed and close his nose. His expression revealed everything for the TV audiences. I can imagine that it smell yakky....huahaha....The third one (who eat lots of mint) did the same and the similar things happened. yakki......huahahaha...we were laughing. It is difficult to express in a written way, but visual expression in this program really bring a science into the house in a very fun way. Arundati seems to love it too. Sometimes she doesn'yt understand and ask, but sometimes she understand and just laughing with me.

That was just one topic, there are many like: Nurse, I am so bored today, can you tell me what I can do with my body? And the nurse say something like move one of your hand for some seconds and then you compare it with another hand. It's like magic the length of both hands are not the same. It is about science about muscle, etc, but because it is presented in an interactive and interesting ways, noone would feel bored to learn science.

I say, if I can go back to high school I will definitely love science. I hope my daughters can have opportunity to learn science in such a fun ways. I hope when we come back, there are changes in Indonesian curricullum so that children can learn science, history, environment, geography, anything in a fun way. Learn from environment around them rather than stag in the class room and being forced to memorised everything. May be watch video like this would also increase the students interests to learn science.

Students as little as elementary school in Melbourne for example often go for fieldc trip to Victoria Market and learnt how to do bargain, to know about the price, about the market situation etc. There are many aspects they can learn there from histroy of Australia, multiculturalism, and even economy and trade. No wonder when they are grow up, many of them have clear understanding about many social,e conomic and geographical aspects about their surrounding environment. May be it has also connection to a very high awareness of Australian people towards their environment, their society, or even to other areas around the world. NOt sure though, just my guess. For a subject that is often considered as a difficult subject like science, the program like Brainiac I believe would enhance children interests to learn science.

Moreover, this program is developed seriously, involving science professors from university, and using examples that are familiar with our daily life. In Indonesian context,we don't need definitely follow this type of program as it is. What I want to say is that we need to think about creating a program for children that can motivate them to learn something in a fun ways, which just appropriate for their age. Don't push them to remember the formula, don't impose them to remember the year when RA Kartini born, etc. Show all these things through the surrounding environment. Theree are many things that could be used as an instrument to enhance students interest to learning.

What TPI did in the past may be can be adopted in the current situation, not totally of course. But we can actually take the basic ideas to create better generation through fun programs in television. Not like a program that are imposed to watch by children at certain time like what happened about TPI program in the past of course.
What I also heard about local content in Indonesian curriculum may be can also modified into better kind of program for children.
So many ideas, so many things want to do, but it is always not an easy way to do this.

To develop better program for enhancing children learning process require not only one or two television program. It requires changes in many aspects such as curriculum, teachers training, etc. Many aspects need to be prepared if we wasnt a sustainable education program in Indonesia. Need to think about education system for teachers too. Because they who will teach the children, who will implement any changes for better generation. May be if I can work for UNESCO after I finish my study, I can do something, not all aspects I have concerned about, but may be I can do something, share my ideas, share my concerns and contribute something for the children through my work. It is not far away to go, but I need to determine my way, where I really wnat to go. Hoepfully whereever I go I can go to the best place where I can do something for the disadvantaged groups in the society, especially children.