Project 3: Flex challenge

Reflection C

Due October 1, 2024

Introduction

Cognitive flexibility is the "ability to learn or use knowledge in a way that reflects being adaptive and open to change" (Where do I go from here? Cognitive Flexibility).

Our sense of belonging is the "feeling of whether you are being respected and valued" (Is this for me? Belongingness part 1)

Themes: Cognitive flexibility, belongingness

1. Documentation

You can read all about our creative process for the Night Owl here!

https://sites.google.com/mtholyoke.edu/owl/home

2. Reflection

Group Dynamics and Initial Concept... or Forgetting About Belongingness and Cognitive Flexibility Pt. 1

Our third project was to work together in small groups to create an interactive tangible artifact using one or more new components on our CPXs. This differed significantly from our first two projects because of the small group dynamic. Initially, I was extremely apprehensive about this. I have had several bad experiences with group projects in middle school, with the core theme being me, the workaholic, doing most or all of the work for half of the credit. However, due to iDesign's central focus on self-efficacy, growth mindsets, belongingness, and cognitive flexibility (the overarching theme for this project), I tried to keep an open mind. After randomizing our small groups, Audrey gave us a suite of options for inputs (e.g., light, touch, gesture, distance, etc.) and outputs (e.g., light, touch, gesture, distance, etc.), and a time limit to create an initial idea. Surprisingly, it was not too difficult for me, Zeyu, and Willa to settle on an idea that was inspired by the first images that came to mind when we thought about LED-based technology: toys, kids, playfulness, and glow-in-the-dark. This was our first pitch:

A "2d owl made of geometric felt pieces with 2 eyes made of 2 CPXs that light up in response to dim lighting and make a little song."

I was grateful that everyone was on board, because not only did an owl-themed night light sound like a cute concept, but it seemed doable in the time we had (a little over a week). Then, after more planning, figuring out logistics like meeting times, tools, and materials, and reviewing SMART goals, we revised our pitch:

"By next Thursday, we will use laser-cut felt, two programmed CPXs, cardstock, and JavasScript from Makecode.com to create a large, owl-themed night light that helps kids fall asleep by singing songs depending on the color card (“mood”) shown to its neopixel “eyes.”

By now we had what felt like a solid plan. It was cute, cool, had a sight/distance-based input and a musical-based output, and seemed simple enough in terms of code and design that we believed we could craft and assemble it in one morning. It was also helpful to have multiple perspectives in the design process; we could bounce ideas back and forth, delegate tasks, and distribute our workloads with ease. I got so excited that I even prepared a quick laser-cutting template in Adobe Illustrator so we could get the assembly even faster when Saturday came. By then, cognitive flexibility floated to the back of my mind, almost completely forgotten. Who needed cognitive flexibility when a plan had no chance of going wrong?

The chosen owl design (for laser-cutting the felt)

Cognitive flexibility and early mornings do not mix. I say this as a morning person.

Group Struggles and Pivoting the Concept... or Forgetting About Belongingness and Cognitive Flexibility Pt. 2

So.

Remember how I said our plan had no chance of going wrong?

Well, it did. Even though I am trying to reframe "wrong" with the word "pivoting," "wrong" was the lens through which I viewed the Night Owl project on the day we were supposed to complete it. Why did I do this? Because I was having a really, really bad day. The night before, I had played D&D with someone that kept pushing my boundaries (i.e., excessive gore, sadistic tendencies in- and out-of-character, etc.) and then watched a very depressing movie about transphobia and suicide. Furthermore, I had also just learned that I was missing several reflections for this class (totally on me), and I had not made any dent in my growing mountain of homework for next week. No biggie, I thought. If I go to sleep early, I will be fully prepared to tackle my Saturday.

But no. I woke up, did my laundry, ate breakfast, and then realized I had lost my room key. In a panic, I ran all around the campus to retrace my steps from yesterday and arrived an hour late to our meeting (keyless). Fortunately, Willa and Zeyu seemed to have figured out the code, but we quickly realized it was full of bugs and that I was the only one who could use the laser cutter. What's more, Willa had to leave at 10:30 AM for a meeting, and I forgot that the Makerspace was closed on weekend mornings. Therefore, our morning assembly plan was scrapped.

At that moment, Willa reminded us of the idea of pivoting and cognitive flexibility, which I was incredibly grateful for. However, one look at their nervous faces made me feel like I had to prove that I knew what I was doing with the laser cutter. I did know; I had been using it for three years now. However, showing how the equipment worked without having access to said equipment was something I had never done. Panicking again, I logged into one of the lobby's Desktop Macs to show them our Illustrator file, and how it would be cut. However, I had to modify the file again (because we thought pivoting from felt-cutting to wood engraving would eliminate the time and need to glue the felt together) and the computer itself was so old and slow that by the time I finished, I still had not adequately explained how laser-cutting worked. We ended our morning meeting by scheduling an emergency cutting party at 1 p.m., and leaving the lobby with our apprehension and feelings of unpreparedness unaddressed.

Personal Struggles and Wanting to Punch the Concept in the Face... or Forgetting About Belongingness and Cognitive Flexibility Pt. 3

After a quick lunch, a call with my Dad (who had been trapped in Asheville NC during Hurricane Helene), and a visit to public safety (they had not found my key either), I dashed to Fimbel and opened the file in the Epilog Engraver. Willa arrived minutes later, but Zeyu ran into so much trouble with traffic, bus schedules, and Ubers that they could not come at all. What's more, we realized that the "eye sockets" for holding the CPXs and cords were the wrong size. Willa suggested that we pivot by laser-cutting three different iterations of sockets (separate from the owl) and taking photos for Zeyu, who volunteered to do most of the documentation to help from afar. Unfortunately, Willa had to leave at 1:45 p.m. and I had to laser cut the owl right then and there; otherwise, I was going to crack beneath the rest of my workload, frustration, and anxiety.

As I write this today a day later, it sounds so melodramatic. But I rarely have godawful days at college. The sheer number of things going wrong or going poorly was enough to make me spin my wheels all day long. Instead of pausing to seek other solutions, I tried to laser cut the owl, realized forty minutes too late that the board was several inches short, and cried in front of the Maker Staff (and in the bathroom a little while later). Instead of seeking alternative perspectives, I kept pushing for the laser cutter, even though nobody else knew how to use it. If I could tell my former self to remain open to easier solutions and communicate with the group to gauge their skills and ways to apply them, I would. Laser cutting, while beautiful, became the biggest time-suck of my Saturday (by the time I was done, it was almost 5 p.m.). It left me exhausted, stressed, and angry enough to need another long talk with my father, and have neither the energy nor motivation left to do the rest of my homework (which is still a lot, as of this Sunday night).

Remembering Cognitive Flexibility and Belongingness... a Little Too Late. But hopefully not going forward.

For me, group projects have always been harder than working alone. However, they always teach me something new. This one is no different. I appreciated having multiple perspectives every time they arose, and while we (especially from my point of view) could have fostered that dynamic further, I am glad we were able to accomplish as much as we did. I also feel like promoting the laser cutter so much might have diminished Zeyu or Willa's sense of belonging, and I feel bad that in rushing things, we did not check in very often about the group dynamic, how the workload was distributed, or our individual senses of belonging. I definitely think there was dissonance in belonging at several parts of the project. However, I hope that we can learn a lot from these experiences. I truly believe Saturday's lessons in cognitive flexibility, belongingness, and pivoting will be instrumental when we put the owl together on Tuesday and present it on Thursday. If not, they will certainly influence me going forward in my courses (i.e., my spring senior seminar) and perhaps even when I apply for summer jobs. Truly, even if I do not remember how to make a basic circuit, iDesign will leave a wealth of wisdom and experiences I will remember for years to come.

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