The assignment for the honeybee unit was one of my favourite assignments because it provided the opportunity for different groups in the class to propose different mechanisms in a process of interest, and eventually combining all of the information into a single model. I enjoyed both sharing my group’s paper and learning about the papers assigned to other groups. I found it fascinating that even though each group presented a different mechanism that influenced caste switching, none of the ideas contradicted each other, but instead, complimented each other when combined into a single, consistent model.
Through this experience, I learned that there may not be a single and simple answer to a research question. As demonstrated in the honeybee unit, there can be multiple mechanisms involved in a process, which highlights the importance of having an open mind to different points of view. Overall, this assignment showed me that collaborating with others who have different ways of thinking is an effective way to achieve a fuller picture.
Here are the links to the questions assigned to my group and my answers, respectively: