We all have those days when we wake up feeling sick. Well, today was my day. I quickly thought about putting in for a substitute but I hate asking for coverage on such short notice, it puts extra stress on everyone. I decided to drag myself to work after swallowing a variety of horse sized pills to sooth the pounding in my head from the stuffed sinuses. Today had to be a video day. They say you are your best substitute. My choice of video was “Super Size Me” the educational version. The video gave me an opportunity to relate and revisit the scientific method, experimental design, biochemistry and bias. I sometimes feel guilty for showing videos, but this was truly relevant and timely. Typically, I only show small video clips to supplement the instruction so my auditory/visual learners got a treat today.
I use this in the classroom as it is a great stimulus for discussing bias, the difficulties in drawing conclusions in epidemeology etc and also for examining the possible links between diet and disease. I also find the TED talk by Ben Goldacre is good for this although only for older pupils due to the language.