Reflection

Reading research from other experimenters opens the opportunity for me to use critical

thinking. I have learned that most of the researches still contains knowledge gaps that need to be

filled. One of the researches let a hamster take glucose and another hamster takes caffeine before

running in the maze. The result is then compared. In my view, I think that there are too many

factors in the trial. The outcome cannot be identified. As there is nothing to prove that whether

the effect of learnings ability comes from glucose or caffeine. After doing the research, I have

learned that the productive experiment should not have more than one factors. It would be

difficult to control and also result in unreliable outcomes. We then learned from their mistakes

and came up with our own experimental design. We decided to use only one factor to conduct the

test. We chose glucose as a factor. As glucose is one of the necessary nutrients in most animals

bodies. It is also nontoxic and safe for animals. Conducting this maze experiment makes me

learn lots more things about the behaviors of the hamsters. It is important to make sure that the

hamsters have no fear and also stress before running in the maze. Classical conditioning is used

to decrease hamsters stress. The experiment focus on one of the classical conditioning,

counterconditioning. It is a common treatment for aggressive, fears, and phobias. This

conditioning is the use of positive stimuli to create a positive response while the animal has an

aggressive or nervous behavior toward another stimulus (Mcleod, 2014). I have learned how to

use the training method effectively. Stimulus 1 or food is great, Stimulus 2 or human is

frightening as hamsters shows fear and unwanted behavior when humans are exposed. When the

hamsters saw stimulus 2, they were given stimulus 1 immediately afterwards. We repeated this

again and again till the hamsters dont show any stress to the stimulus 2. We could assume that
the hamsters start to associate stimulus 2 with the feelings they get from stimulus 1. Training the

actual hamsters gives me a chance to learn lots more behaviors about them. They loves digging

and running around the cage. I have learned that they are very active and quick learners. This

project opens the opportunity for me to train the hamsters which gives me a lot more information

that I cannot find from the internet.

Learning from other studies makes me know that not only the genetic factor that has an

effect on learning ability. Other factors such as environmental, physical, and nutrition also have

an impact too. Our experiment is going to prove that this statement is reliable. During the first

week of the experiment, each hamsters was given only normal food. For the next following

week, they took normal food and also an additional glucose. After observing the maze

experiment, we could clearly see the differences between taking food with additional glucose and

without additional glucose from the time taken each round and mistakes. During the second

week of the experiment, hamsters took less time and less mistakes than the first week of the

experiment. I have learned that glucose does have an impact on brain function of the hamsters.

We could answer our research question that glucose has an effect on brain function of the

hamsters. We also prove that the genetic factor is not the only influence on learning capacity, but

nutrient factors also has an impact too. These are considered as my successes. My failure is that

our group experiment could not tell the specific amount of sugar that the hamsters took during

the second week of the experiment. The glucose powder was mixed with the normal food in a

specific amount, but we couldnt find out the amount of glucose that the hamsters took in each

day. Another failure is the maze is too low for the giant hamsters. They could climb the maze

easily. We decided to use plastic to cover the maze. Every problems has a solution, we can help
solve the issues within the group by discussing and brainstorm. This is what I have learned from

my mistakes.

Our experiment is to find out whether the glucose has an effect on brain capacity of the

hamsters or not. The two females hamsters was used to conduct the test. Each hamsters was

given only normal food during the first week of the experiment. For the next following week,

they were given normal food and additional glucose. In each week, they had a chance to

complete the maze 4 times. The result is they could complete the maze faster and faster in each

times. For the first and second trials of the first week of the experiment, the hamsters spend time

between 3.21 mins - 4.29 mins. For the third and fourth trials of the first week of the experiment,

they spend time between 2.15 mins - 2.53 mins. According from the result, the last 2 trials show

their learning as they spend less time in the maze. For the first and second trials of the second

week of the experiment, the hamsters spend time between 2.4 mins - 3.4 mins. For the third and

fourth trials of the first week of the second experiment, they spend time between 0.56 mins - 1.58

mins. According from the result, they have more ability to recognise the pathways within the

maze. In the second week of the trial, they even spend less time than the first week of the

experiment. Our hypothesis states that if glucose has an effect on memory, hamsters that receive

food with added glucose will be able to remember and complete the maze faster than the hamster

that received normal food. According from the time taken and mistakes, our hypothesis is true

and reliable. I found out that the hamsters sometimes feel afraid of something during in the

maze. They just stop running. This might lead to inaccurate result. As if they might spend less

time to complete the maze if they are not any factors that make them scared. Glucose is the only

form of nutrient that brains can absorb and utilise. Hamsters that took appropriate amount of
glucose will improve their learning ability as seen from our experiment. Hamsters can remember

that this pathway does not lead to the exit. They also recognise that if there is a dead-end, they

will not walk to that way. This also takes times. The more they run in the maze, the more

learnings they get. From my finding, it could state that glucose does really have an effect on

brain function. We can use these knowledge to apply with human. If we let the children to take

the appropriate amount of glucose, they might improve their brain function and learning

capacity. The result of this experiment would make some benefits for the further experiment.

My strengths as a learner is that I am always curious about things that could happen.

I also always open my heart to receive new knowledge. My weakness is that I sometimes cannot

concentrate much on something for a long time. I will try to find the motivation and inspiration

for me learn. This might be helpful in the future. I learned that reading other studies could be a

great inspiration to build my own experimental design that could also fill the gap knowledge of

other researchers. I learned that studying new things is always a challenging thing for me. For the

ESLOS, I choose Use technology to create high quality products. Without the help from the

internet and technology, this project would not happen. Doing research for inspiration and

creating the video also need the help from the technology.