Henry Fan's Learning Journey

About Me & Us

A collective goal of mine with The Learning Code Community is to encourage the world to see more humans as scientists & mathematicians, undiscovered. After 5 years of formal education in Computer Science and Humanities, I agree with Chris Emdin: a STEM with no root, bears no fruit. Here I show that STEM exists within us, no matter how disheartening our experiences within these disciplines in the academy have been.

Let's 1) measure changes in: values, attitudes, limits, feelings, desires, boundaries, beliefs

2) to learn languages and knowledge, that doesn't come naturally to us

3) to be as skilled, reflective, and critically minded as we can, to thrive & give our greatest gifts to the world.

I am studying computer science and humanities at SJSU, and a proud transfer from Foothill College. My goal is to obtain a PhD in CS, so that I am able to extend my technical training and critical pedagogy incubation for as long as possible, before I become a good representative of STEM subjects to the next generation of students.

To be able to 'sell' CS to the next generation requires consistent plan->action->reflection, technical skills and essential observation about how to read students better. I am knowledgeable in what CS students truly struggle with, why there is such a high incompletion rate in STEM disciplines, and how to empower students for deep learning.

I love learning about pedagogy and what empowers humans to thrive. I am working on loving STEM, to be able to share that love to my students. For more advanced learners who don't think there's any deficiencies with CS higher education, my question to you is: what are you computer sciencing bruh, and what for? have more than a 20/20 vision: when we focus too much on the what, we might lose sight of the why

Achievements

I am proud of tutoring, coaching, and mentoring over the past 6 years. I've been fortunate enough to work with hundreds of students and athletes of diverse backgrounds, and this comprehensive experience has helped bring clarity on how I may give my greatest gifts to our world.

Strengths

I find deep joy in developing empathy like a muscle or better yet myelinating axons that exist in between my neurons so that I can relate, sympathize, and empower humans better.

Goals

I am working on strategic ethical deep learning CS, so that I can earn my credentials, while not losing sight of my horizons of focus for my purpose during my time here.

Values

Family

Family is a roman keystone that inculcates empathy, courage, learning, belonging, and happiness. I treasure my family more than anything in my life because when disconnected, everything in life becomes foggy.

Learning

To borrow some words from my learning doctor Jeff Anderson, I love defining learning as a process of change. Changes that involve: values, habits, viewpoints, and learning and is a growth process that takes place in our head and hearts. Without learning, life becomes dull and compresses to limited dimensions. Reference: https://thelearningcode.school.blog/2020/09/17/we-believe-in-you/

Integrity

I struggle with integrity because I feel that more often than not, we are pitted against each other in academia or industry. The philosophy: survival of the fittest and shareholder supremacy fundamentally infringes on our collective definition of integrity. If the “cut” to survive is to run an 8 min mile and you’re competing against 5 min mile runners when you started the training program with a 10 min mile, what do you do? While the toxic competitive nature of many systems in our society has led to a tyranny of meritocracy, I hope to slowly pull the band-aid off destructive integrity and cultivate meaningful work over time.

Service

Having worked in hospitality and education for a decade of my life, this word means a lot. I am eager to position myself to gift transformational service for my peers rather than transactional service for the people I encounter. I remind myself personnel is policy, and to be the change you want to see.

Health