I think self-regulated learning and self-efficacy played crucial roles in the design process of the project. In terms of self-regulated learning, my collaboration with Valerie in class sparked the initial brainstorming ideas on creating a doorbell using coding skills learnt in class. Breaking down the project into three phases, I planned to use the fall break to sketching and, upon returning to school, collaborated with Claudia during TA hours to work on the coding aspect. During the implementation phase, I generally adhered to my plan. However, I came to realize that the core component of my doorbell resembled a music box. This realization initially caused huge stress. I even thought about remaking the project, while I didn't want my investment of time and effort to go in vain. Thankfully, discussing my concerns with Isabel, who shared a similar concern, provided reassurance. She told me that it's okay as long as I can meet the assignment rubric of the "Interaction" and "notification." Her words also cultivated a sense of belonging, connecting me with fellow project members and elevating my self-efficacy.
In the reflective stage, I received feedback from our instructor Audrey. While she praised the doorbell's cuteness, I asked whether I should try elements like cap touch and remade this project. Her response, encouraging me to move on to the next project, suggesting the importance of learning from failures and applying reflections to future projects. I followed her advice and decided to use the function cap touch in the next project. Regarding self-efficacy, I initially experienced high confidence, particularly in modifying music codes. However, during class sharing, seeing intricately designed projects utilizing multiple circuit playground functions other than light-sensing codes left me feeling unconfident about my accomplishment. This perception of poor performance led to hesitancy in sharing out my project with the class.
The experience reminds me of a similar situation during my final project in music history. During that time, I planned to create a video focused on music nationalism. Despite having strong connections with my professor and feeling a strong sense of belonging in the class, I struggled with self-regulated learning. Poorly planning my workflow and high procrastination pushed me into a cycle of staying up late to complete the project before the due date. Having consistently received excellent grades leading up to the final project, my self-efficacy was initially high. However, the rushing the final project showed significant gaps in my understanding of music history. I felt stressed and constrained by time for further learning. This journey, in retrospect, was not as successful as I had hoped, and it suggested the importance of avoiding procrastination, especially in the planning and doing stages of self-regulated learning. Reflecting on this project experience, it draws parallels to this doorbell project. When trying to finish the doorbell project on time, the challenges faced in managing time and self-regulation echo similar struggles for the music history project. It reminds me of the need to apply strategies learnt from self-regulated learning for independent project.