At the first stage of the project, my self-efficacy was in a moderate level. I brought with me the experience of successful design projects from this semester, coupled with an awareness of available resources like Audrey's assistance and TA hours for coding challenges. Despite this, uncertainty lingered about my ability to create an engaging interactive board for a pre-school audience, ab area where I had limited experience. This challenge was met with a growth mindset. I realized that with the willingness to learn and draw inspiration from online resources, I could develop the necessary skills. This led me to explore how to integrate child-friendly and cute icons into my design. I ultimately chose colorful felt sheets for creating touch points with holiday cartoon figures.
Self-regulation was pivotal throughout my project as well. It involved a three-step process: first, drafting a detailed plan, including sketches and a weekly agenda (see my design document). Regular progress assessments were made, with consistent check-ins with Valerie. However, I encountered several setbacks. For instance, during the November break, a malfunctioning cable prevented me from compling my codes on Arduino. And the opening hours of the Fimbel lab restricted my access to checking out laptops. These obstacles highlighted the importance of cognitive flexibility. I shifted my focus to learning about crafting with felt sheets in my dorm, thereby adapting my strategy to the circumstances.
Active listening was important for me in processing feedback. The edpsych students who visited our class after break exemplified this skill. Their supportive feedback encouraged me to persevere despite coding challenges and offered valuable suggestions on selecting music excerpts for each holiday theme. Engaging in active listening allowed me to refine my project based on their insights. This process also fostered a sense of belongingness as I opened up more to Audrey and my peers about my project, feeling aligned with a shared goal. Emotional intelligence was crucial in managing feelings of anxiety and frustration that arose during the project. Resources like class videos and Audrey’s responsive support were key in helping me recognize and regulate my emotions, maintaining a positive attitude towards my progress and the final product.
Overall, while all these factors contributed significantly to my project, I found resilience to be the most crucial, especially in overcoming setbacks. Recognizing the need for further improvement in this area, I hope to better integrate resilience with a growth mindset to effectively address future challenges in the future.
In terms of connection between the elements mentioned above and what I've done in other contexts:
1) In a Class Setting: The growth mindset I developed when doing this final project has been crucial for me in other context, especially in classroom settings where stepping out of my comfort zone is necessary. For example, I was someone who dreaded public speaking. Whenever I needed to present my ideas, I'd feel extremely nervous and unprepared. But this semester, I learned about the importance of believing in my ability to develop my skills and the value of facing challenges head-on. With this in mind, I took the initiative to be the first to raise my hand in a sociology seminar at the start of the semester. My professor commended me for highlighting the most important point in the course reading, which was a proud moment for me and significantly boosted my self-efficacy.
2) Managing Time: I often rely on the three steps of self-regulation to manage my time and assignment submission. As I've shared in class, I keep a reflection journal which is particularly helpful for managing large, complex assignments. First, I will divide the assignment into smaller, manageable sections, allocating each section to a specific day for completion. The reflection journal plays a key role during the execution and reflection phase. I will higlight each small task upon completion on that journal book. I also engage in daily free writing, reflecting on what aspects of my work went well or poorly, and considering adjustments to my plan. For instance, if I fail to complete a task I've set for myself, I write a few sentences to understand why and to explore possible changes to my schedule. By following these three phases - planning, execution, and reflection - I'm able to manage my time effectively and generally submit my work before deadlines. Relating back to my final project, I originally planned to make four icons, but I finally adjusted my plan since 1) the storage for the circuitboard might not be large enough; 2) My schedule allows me to make more delicate and pretty physical products if I change my plan to make three icons only. Meanwhile, I also used the journal to help me track my progress, which I find is a great habit and I would keep taking journal to help me with self-regulated learning and time management.
3) Interacting with Others: Throughout the project, I believe active listening and giving constructive feedback helped me make several friends, which is applicable to other contexts as well. One day, while working alone in Fimbel at night, I met Moktsya. We shared our progress with each other, both employing active listening techniques. For instance, Moktsya asked me open-ended questions like, "What are your next steps?" and "How does this function work?" She was really patient as I spoke. Similarly, I practiced active listening by not interrupting her and refraining from making judgments. I maintained eye contact and focused intently on her words. This approach not only helped us clarify project-related issues but also proved effective in promoting sense of belonginess. In terms of other social contexts, as an introvert, I find active listening to be the most efficient way to build connections, since I'm not comfortable initiating conversations at all! :(
4) Finding courses, study abroad programs, internship/research opportunities: One valuable lesson I've learned about boosting self-efficacy is to find courses and secure internships or research opportunities by looking at the achievements of successful peers. Observing others who have successfully tackled challenging tasks increases my confidence in achieving similar goals. Additionally, learning from their experiences provides insights into how to succeed in various tasks. Similarly, for my final project, I watched numerous video tutorials made by beginners using felt sheets to create cute work. This observation not only bolstered my self-efficacy but also strengthened my growth mindset. I constantly reminded myself, "If they can do it, so can I!" I applied this same approach when selecting courses and seeking external resources. By studying the strategies and paths of peers who excelled in areas I'm interested in, I was able to identify effective approaches and avoid common pitfalls. For example, when choosing courses, I looked at the curriculum choices of students who had achieved success in my major. This helped me to make informed decisions about which courses would be most beneficial for my academic and career goals. Similarly, in seeking internships or research opportunities, I analyzed the experiences of those who had secured positions that I desired. I noted how they prepared, what skills they emphasized, and how they presented themselves during applications and interviews.
5) Planning a longer-term trajectory (such as choosing a major or post-graduation plans: In reflecting on these challenges, I realized that the resilience I practiced during my final project was truly important, as I learnt to adapt to difficult situations and cultivating the mindset that viewing obstacles as opportunities to learn and grow. While working on the final project, there were moments when I faced obstacles, such as coding questions or couldn't make the LED flash. But I didn't give up in the end, and I chose to view these challenges as opportunities to hone my skills. When encountering difficulties, I gradually learn to seek for help and build meaningful connections, broke down complex tasks into manageable steps, and maintained a positive yet realistic outlook. This approach not only helped me successfully complete the project but also bolstered my confidence in handling academic hurdles. Similarly, before declaring my major in sociology, I think these resilience skills really helped me in making the final decision. After receiving the lowest grade in my life for a paper, instead of being disheartened, I took it as a learning opportunity. I went to office hours for feedback, worked on improving my writing skills, and gradually began to understand the course materials more deeply. In this way, the sense of not belonging initially in class was tough. Through such persistence, engaging more with peers and professors, I eventually found my place in this major, and determined to devote a long time within ths discipline. Resilience honed through my experiences with the final project and my decisions in choosing sociology as my major, has been crucial in shaping my approach to learning and personal development. It taught me that setbacks are not permanent failures but opportunities to develop myself. In this way, I think resilience is truly important in planning and exceuting a longer-term trajectory.