Week 1: Two Cultures

I am a psychology major, which inevitably means the majority of my day is spent in Franz Hall, UCLA’s psychology building.  Franz is located directly on the dividing line of North and South Campus, separating science from humanities.

UCLA Franz Hall

Map of UCLA campus, highlighting Franz Hall

This is a particularly appropriate location for such a building, as I have heard countless times that psychology is truly a science, however I will be receiving a Bachelor of Arts in the field.  How exactly does this make sense? Professor Vesna’s explanation of the prominent divide in education made me realize that UCLA Psychology perfectly exemplifies the Two Cultures at UCLA, as it physically divides the campus without fitting neatly into either side. 

            

Division between arts and sciences

This separation prevails long before a student reaches the college level.  This became clear to me through Ken Robinson’s discussion of divergent thinking, an essential aspect of creativity that diminishes once a child enters the realms of the formal education system.  In addition, Charles Percy Snow asserts that the separate cultures of the arts and sciences does in fact begin in schools. This is of particular interest to me as I hope to become a Kindergarten teacher.  I have therefore realized that the path I hope to go on will lead me to the forefront of the Two Cultures issue. 

Children being formally educated in a classroom setting

Professor Vesna explains that this separation causes stereotyped beliefs that lead students to feel they must fit into either side in order to succeed. If children were taught with an eye towards collaboration between disciplines, not only will divergent thinking persist but over time the gap between art and science may close.  There may no longer be a North and South campus or a BA or BS degree, but rather a college with an education system that prepares one for the type of communication, collaboration and interdisciplinary exploration of the real world.

Sources:

Children raising hands in classroom. Digital image. Pearson Research and Innovation Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 2015. <http://researchnetwork.pearson.com/wp-content/uploads/kidsraisinghands_anchor.jpg>.

Miller, Deb. Art vs. Science. Digital image. CMS Wire. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 2015. <http://www.cmswire.com/images/artbrain1.jpg>.

RSA Animate Changing Educational Paradigms. Perf. Ken Robinson. YouTube. N.p., 14 Oct. 2010. Web. 3 Apr. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U>.

Snow, C. P. The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. New York: Cambridge UP, 1959. Print.

UCLA Franz Hall. Digital image. UCLA Life. UCLA Undergraduate Admissions, n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 2015. <blog.admissions.ucla.edu>.

UCLA Franz Hall. Digital image. Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 2015. <http://helper.ipam.ucla.edu/ucla_maps/franzhall.jpg>.

Vesna, Victoria. “Toward a Third Culture: Being in Between.” Leonardo 34.2 (2001): 121-25. Print.