Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Critical Reflection - next stage of my learning draft


Critical reflection – next stage for my learning


Even though I have to spend four extra hours on a non-credit module, I learnt how to improve my writing skills, in particularly, the language aspect. Before this module, I did not know when to use a semicolon or when to capitalized certain words. I am aware that my grammar is atrocious and solely attending ES1102 is not going to significantly improve it. Therefore, I would pick up a book during my free time and embark on a reading adventure, to seek further improvement in my English proficiency.

ES1102 focuses on getting students equipped with summarizing and academic writing skills. Being a business student, both skills are considered critical, as business modules tend to require the submission of written business reports. This is especially so for marketing and management modules. Since I am likely to specialize in management, I see the importance of improving my writing capabilities. Summarizing is deemed equally important due to the fact that business reports require students to present information that are of reliable standards. In order to achieve that, students are supposed to rephrase the concepts and convey the ideas in their own words.

It is highly similar in the work place. A human resource executive would be tasked to generate corporate proposals on issues such as policies, benefits and etc. Generally, there is no escape from report writing, in the business sector. The absence of the academic writing style in business reports would inevitably portray the writer’s incompetence, especially so if the writer is a business graduate.

Therefore, I had no regrets spending more than a thousand bid points on this particular class. Brad was engaging and encouraging in getting his students to voice their opinions. Lastly, I absolutely agree that ES1102 should be transformed into a credit module. 

Monday, November 4, 2013

Critical Reflection - Essay


The diversity loss essay that I have written for this module was practical since I am taking a module on environmental biology. Writing this essay requires me to do further in-depth research regarding Singapore’s biodiversity, which allows me to better understand the certain topics in the module.  I felt that the essay topic is good in a sense that it is very broad, giving students the chance to develop an essay that interests or benefits them in some way.

Something that I had to work on was to link the big topic of globalization to my focused topic, the loss of biodiversity.

The essay process was fulfilling since it was done over several weeks and I got to experience the formation of my personal academic essay. From the first draft to the final, I am able to see the vast improvements. Through the one to one consultations with Brad, I was shown a different perspective, as to what I could consider exploring in this particular essay topic. The advices given were not solely on the language aspect, but also on content and analytical thinking. And I expect Brad’s advices to aid me in crafting my future business reports. This is so, because essay writing is a skill transferable to different modules and different aspects of our lives. 

Final globalisation essay


The loss of biodiversity in nature reserves is a significant issue resulting from Singapore's continuous urbanization; the Singapore government would have to do more than simply classifying an area as a nature reserve in order to safeguard Singapore’s biodiversity. The loss of biodiversity is becoming a very common phenomenon throughout the world, with the increase in human activities and urban developments. By the end of the 19th century, Singapore has become one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Asia (The World Bank, 2013), with 95 percent of it’s original forest being destroyed for urbanization in 2003, and more so by today. This is critical since Singapore lost up to 73 percent of its flora and fauna over the last two centuries and 77 percent of those remaining are being threatened (Pickrell, 2003). Even today, the rapid development has never been at a standstill with the constant revelation of new commercial, residential, recreational and transport developments, which are propelled by the government’s vision, of turning Singapore into an international business hub (Economic Development Board of Singapore, 2012). This paper examines the consequences of the loss of biodiversity in contemporary society, as well as highlights and evaluates possible measures the government could adopt to protect Singapore’s remaining biodiversity.    

The loss of biodiversity is a dire consequence because it affects every living organism in Singapore. Clean water is achieved through the forest’s protection of the water catchment area and plants regulate the fresh air. Fruits and flowers are available to humans due to insects’ pollination, while birds and animals disperse the seeds. Natural ecosystems found in Sungei Buloh, Bukit Timah, Pulau Ubin, etc., are also needed for Singaporean’s recreational and educational purposes (National Parks Board, 2009). Therefore the government has to do more, on top of creating nature reserves.

The first solution is to implement more species conservation and recovery programmes. Over the years, the National Environmental Agency (NEA) has carried out activities to conserve and recover several native species. An example is the Oriental Pied Hornbills, which is an international concern (National Parks Board, 2009). The initial objective of the Singapore Hornbill Project is to increase the population and distribution of the locally endangered bird in Singapore. Artificial tree holes were created as nests; male birds were tracked with a global positioning system transmitter; infrared video cameras were installed within the nest to provide round-the-clock observations. The project provided insights such as the growth progression of nestlings, food requirements and sensitivity to external disturbances. Within two years, the Oriental Pied Hornbills’ population was increased by 20 successful births. The tropical rainforest is the richest in biodiversity; with Singapore having it as one of its resources, the government should extend such programmes to other species, to prevent further extinction (National Parks Board Singapore, 2010).

The second solution is to extend green corridors to counter fragmentation. The remaining forests in Singapore, labeled as nature reserves are highly fragmented and largely degraded, due to developments (The Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, 2009). Transportation is one of the main reasons, with the Singapore government building highways across forested areas. An example is the BKE expressway being built across Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and the Central Catchment area, causing the high occurrences of road kills when animals try to cross over (National Parks, 2011). The government has plans for an Eco-Link bridge to reconnect Bukit Timah to the Central Catchment. Subsequently, more green corridors should be developed that eventually allow animals to transverse across various nature reserves. This would increase the safety of the animals and encourage population growth due to bigger habitats and a wider choice of mates.

The last solution is to reconsider development projects that threaten Singapore’s biodiversity. For example, the government should conduct an environmental impact assessment in order to evaluate the environmental trade off made to construct the new cross-island line (Sim, 2013). The government should also take into consideration the concerns environmentalists are raising regarding the project, since they have the expertise in that area. Being said so, if the assessment shows that the development of the cross-island line would degrade the existing nature reserves, the government should abort the plan and search for other alternatives in order to protect Singapore’s biodiversity.

However, these solutions require time, manpower and finance, in order to be implemented effectively. Since the government has limited resources to be distributed among other projects in various sectors such as healthcare, education and housing, the loss of biodiversity might not carry the same weight. Thus, Singaporeans should also step in by voicing their concerns over this issue, pushing the government to take further actions and raising public awareness, because the loss of biodiversity is not solely the government’s problem, but of every Singaporean’s, and ultimately, the world’s.   


References
Economic Development Board of Singapore. (2012, September 15). Facts and
ranking. Retrieved October 1, 2013: http://www.edb.gov.sg/content/edb/en/why-singapore/about-singapore/facts-and-rankings/rankings.html

National Parks Board. (2009). Conserving Our Biodiversity - Singapore’s National
Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan . Retrieved October 1, 2013: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/cms/docs/nbc/NPark-booklet-final-4sep.pdf

National Parks Board. (2011, July 30). Construction Starts for Southeast Asia's First
Ecological Corridor. Eco-Link@BKE to Link Two Nature Reserves Across the Expressway. Retrieved October 3, 2013: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/cms/index.php?option=com_news&task=view&id=264&Itemid=50

National Parks Board Singapore. (2010, September). 4th national report to the
convention on biological diversity. Retrieved October 2, 2013: http://www.cbd.int/doc/world/sg/sg-nr-04-en.pdf

Pickrell, J. (2003, July 23). Singapore Extinctions Spell Doom For Asia? Retrieved
October 2, 2013: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/07/0723_030723_singapore.html

Sim, R. (2013, June 14). Cross Island MRT Line: LTA delays environment study - See
more at: http://ride.asiaone.com/news/general/story/cross-island-mrt-line-lta-delays-environment-study#sthash.BEPs3vF2.dpuf. Retrieved October 2, 2013: http://ride.asiaone.com/news/general/story/cross-island-mrt-line-lta-delays-environment-study

The Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation. (2009). Forest Fragment
and Breeding Habitat Characteristics Explain Frog Diversity and Abundance in Singapore . Retrieved October 1, 2013: http://www.dbs.nus.edu.sg/lab/evol-ecol/documents/Bickford_etal_Biotropica_2010.pdf

The World Bank. (2013). Urban population (% of total). Retrieved October 2,
2013: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS