Aiden Horne’s Final Geology Reflection
Abstract:
I personally feel like this class went very well for everyone involved. I personally met all of the goals I set out for myself when starting this class. I also feel like I have both finished my assignments completely and retained information about geology from my experience here. The skills I’ve learned here should also help me in other educational and life situations greatly. I would say that I’ve earned a high grade in geology for my work.
Introduction:
I would say that my general knowledge of our planet and processes is pretty decent. I do know that every single natural system is connected and a change in one can have a domino effect over all the others, and this includes the geosphere. I also know that humans are most often the cause of these domino effects, however, quite a few want to help out the environment. We interact with these different natural spheres every single day, and all are equally as important. The geosphere is impossible to ignore as it composes the ground under our feet, but we also interact with it more directly by digging through it for materials and studying its properties. There's also the biosphere, which consists of all organic matter both alive and dead, which is what we easily interact with the most. Finally, there is the hydrosphere, which consists of all water bodies on earth, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and much more. The focus of this class is Geology and the geosphere, and I am now confidently comfortable with a few of the multiple objectives relating to them. I do know quite a bit about plate tectonics and the specifics of the Earth’s interior. The order of layers leading to the center is the crust, outer mantle, inner mantle, outer core, and inner core, the first one being where we live and where tectonic plates are found. These plates slide around on the mantle and rub against each other in multiple different ways, and the points of impact are called plate boundaries. Plate tectonics also connects to or has influenced almost all global environmental processes in some way. For right now I likely couldn’t identify specific minerals based on their physical properties, and it’ll be interesting to find specific minerals in my location Taiwan. I do know the three major rock types of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic, and the processes of how each is formed. While it’s not complete yet, I am well on the way toward being able to identify around 15 different samples in the class. However, I have managed to complete the mineral test of identifying 20-30 different mineral samples, 25 exactly. I am decently familiar with reading maps, but not geologic charts or “deep time”. I hope to improve my knowledge on both during this class. The specific subject I feel I’m most interested in is actually plate tectonics. I already have knowledge about them from my time in Oceanography, and this class should go into even further detail.
Goals and Objectives:
My smart goal for this class is similar to my Oceanography goal, in that I want to both feel like I’ve retained information about Geology and also that I’ve learned skills here that will be useful in my other activities. My goal if this were a graded class would be the same as always, pass with at least a B while still accomplishing what I’ve said in my smart goal. So far I would say that I have done my goals and objectives justice since I set them at the start of the semester.
As of the end of the semester, I can safely say that I have managed to meet all of the goals I have set out for myself.
Methods:
Because they worked well in oceanography, my methods for this course will be similar as well but are obviously subject to change if the situation calls for it. I’ll make sure to balance my personal and work time because too much of either could harm both my learning and general mood. I’ll also make sure to keep up good communication with the teacher and check my previous work and notes to see if I wrote down the correct information. A way I could assess my growth is by looking at the SLOs themselves and their feedback. Obviously taking into account the teacher’s words but also my own feelings on the project. If I feel satisfied with where it ended up and what individual actions led it to that point. That should help me figure out what works and what doesn’t.
Above are the learning methods I set for myself when this class first started, and I would say that I’ve followed them diligently. Whenever I am confused about a topic I talk about it with the teacher, and I’ve also referenced my previous notes and assignments more here than in any other class. I’ve also managed to keep a decent balance between my school and home life while still getting in all of my assignments. Part of this has to do with the fact that so far I’ve always gotten to class on time and I always pay attention to the information being stated. I haven’t kept an *exact* count, but I would say that I spend around 8-10 hours a week on this class as I can get through individual projects in good time. I would definitely say that this class has helped me learn the process of working on a project with others, as before this class I mostly did my projects by myself. I do still partially prefer it that way, but it’s a good skill to learn for any career field. As what I’ve been doing has worked so far, I don’t think there's a need to make large changes at the moment, but obviously, improvement is always possible and if need be I can shift around how I work.
Now that I am at the end of the class, I can say that I have used all of the methods I set out for myself and as a result, they have served me well. I don’t remember an exact count, but I can safely say that I was able to finish all assignments as they were handed out to me before their due date. I usually spend around 8-10 hours a week as usual, perhaps a bit less as the end of the semester usually dies down the work a bit.
Final Conclusion:
I would say that my engagement in the classroom was high and that my interaction has affected its atmosphere for the better. Always making sure to be present for crucial information, assignments, and of course, never being late. A previously untapped life skill that this class helped me practice is definitely presenting and talking to crowds. Even when simply raising my hand or giving an answer to a question, having an environment to just *do* it has helped me feel more confident in that particular area. I would say that my true knowledge of the subjects I have learned is quite sound. Writing down notes and completing the e-portfolio has helped me retain the scientific information that I already had an interest in. As for how it affected my life personally, the first is that it has given me a place where I can get away from my busy house for a while, which I appreciate. Secondly, interacting with my teacher has helped me feel more confident about some aspects of life, especially everyday driving which previously stressed me out. In addition, I feel like I’ve found people not too dissimilar to me in terms of interests and an ethic to try their hardest. What I would say I am most proud of accomplishing in this course would be the obvious choice of the e-portfolio made over the semester. It does show my knowledge of the subjects presented but also acts as a representation of everything else I’ve managed to accomplish. Completing my first college lab class, interacting with more people through its feedback, making peace with life risks, and many more. I would say that I have earned an A in this class for what I’ve done, and am confident that my teacher is in agreement with that statement. There's one last thing I’d like to say for my teacher Mrs. Jamey Cooper, this class wouldn’t be the same if it were led by anyone other than you. You’ve made both geology and oceanography a great experience for me, and your methods of education should be reflected in more areas than they are now. If you find an opportunity to teach another fall or spring class I would love to come back for a third round. Regardless if that happens or not, I won’t forget you, your words, or your actions, and I’ll be sure to keep the Yellow Jade Bracelet you gifted to me in hand and in mint condition to commemorate that.
-Aiden M. Horne