Connect- Extend-Challenge

 

Connect: I learnt the foundations of cytology in Year 8 Science, where we were introduced to the concept of cells and how they work together to form the complex structures we know today. Therefore, I knew about the cell theory and the organelles before I began this assignment. I also had some knowledge of the solution fluency before this project, admittedly not very good experiences but I knew the outline or what was expected from the pedagogy. In terms of scrapbooking and compilation of data, I connected this idea to my previous experience with scrapbooking (Year 7 Canberra Scrapbook). After reading through my reflection from then, I managed to gain an insight on how to work through the scrapbook better and arrange it in a way that was easy for both me and the marker to understand.

 

Extend: In terms of extending my learning, I found that this assignment allowed me to find new ways to absorb information for the long lasting memory instead of the short term. Usually, I stick to my basic procedure of ‘How to do an Assignment’ but because the solution fluency required me to show my understanding though various different methods, I had to try different techniques and skills to prove that I really did understand my topic. This task also allowed me to extend my communication skills, both with my teachers and peers. In most cases, I don’t rely on others to ease my doubts or ask for a second opinion until the feedback time in group sharing time but I found that I did this much more frequently during the assignment period. There is no doubt that these second opinions, feedback and advice allowed me to improve my work as well as my communicational skills as I had to convey exactly what I wanted to ask. I am not afraid to ask teachers for help when I need it (even when I don’t) but I’ve found that I have been getting out of practice and my struggle is a lot more evident so this assignment has helped me get back into my growth mindset and not be afraid to ask questions if I honestly don’t understand something.

 

Challenge: There were many things that challenged my thinking in this task. For example, I never really wondered what happens as a cell ages. My assumption was that the organelles just kept working fine or the organelles gradually reduce in efficiency that they kill the cell. I never researched exactly what happens in this process so when I learnt about lysosomes, I had a moment where the connection or link between the two concepts was established (which was one of those ‘OH! SO THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS!’ moments). A lot of the theories also challenged my current mentality, such as the primordial soup theory. At first, I was found it hard to comprehend, as it didn’t fit in with my prior knowledge but eventually, I accepted it into a new space in my brain, which was quite relieving.

 

Strengths and Weaknesses of my Model

 

In deciding what I wanted to make for my interactive model, I really considered which option would have strengths that outweighed the weaknesses. The reason I chose to make an online interactive model is due to the fact that a 3D model would take a lot of time but it’s strengths only laid in the fact that people could get a more hands-on experience. The 3D model would be more difficult to transport/access, less accurate and limited information could be put on (even with using QR codes, the viewer would have to download the app on their phone which took them to a website on their phone which worked better on the laptop). With an interactive model, it was easier to access (once given the link, the user would only have to type in the URL in their browser and the model would pop up). I did consider the disadvantage that an interactive model would require a lot of clicking and transportation to many other sections (which would confuse the viewer) but I reduced the chances of this occurring by putting all the information on the same page so if the viewer did get lost, they could easily find the information they were looking for simply by scrolling up or down. Another disadvantage of my interactive model was that it was not hands-on and I understand that there are many people who are visual and practical learners so this model would not be compatible for their methods of learning. To fix this situation, I stuck a copy of my key findings and summaries in my scrapbook so the viewer could simply look through the pages, read the information but have a physical copy for their hands-on learning method. In terms of strengths, my model was really colourful and easy to use. By simply clicking on the button of the organelle you wanted to learn about, you would be taken to a section with information and visuals relevant to that organelle. Also, the interactive model could be accessed by anyone who is a member of the technological public meaning easier access to the information for anyone, which is better than a 3D model limited to use in a specific classroom setting.

 

The Solution Fluency and Journey through the Project

 

As the first group of students to use the solution fluency when it was first introduced to the school, it was really hard to understand a pedagogy that was new to both teachers and students. Due to the lack of understanding of the system itself, the first project involving the solution fluency did not turn out well at all, with majority of the students just following through their normal procedures when given an assignment. It is defendable to say that there was much discomfort and annoyance in having to use a misunderstood system where our instinctual mental processes had to be written out coherently step-by-step. I guess I could say that the solution fluency did not have a positive imprint on my mind due to that incident, which explains why I avoided this method of learning for the next 2 years. It wasn’t until last year that I encountered the solution fluency method again when I was asked to use it for my Physics assignment on Motion. Keeping in mind that I had quite a doubtful and negative preconception of this method, I didn’t find it very useful in completing the Physics assignment and found it a lot harder to comprehend and complete it on time compared to assignments that did not require solution fluency. This makes two occasions in which the solution fluency affected me negatively, so when I was asked to use solution fluency for this biology assignment, I immediately felt out of my comfort zone. Honestly, it took a while for me to come round to giving the solution fluency another go but as soon as I changed my mindset and really gave it another chance I started to find the benefits of the solution fluency. Writing down all my mental processes meant that I was able to track my thinking and look back on my reasoning so I could explain concepts or myself when the time came. I could also reflect on my mistakes and use them to further myself. For example, I set out a timeline of when I should complete certain details of assignment but found that there were too many complications and unexpected events that threw where I was actually up to well off my timeline. Form this experience, I have kept in mind for next time that a ‘guideline’ would be a better option or just a simple ordered checklist would keep me going fine for the deadline. The solution fluency was also beneficial in the fact that it demanded me (or at least, that was how I interpreted it) to absorb the new knowledge in multiple different methods so that my brain could gather a deeper understanding of the concept itself, instead of regurgitating the information.

 

I feel like this assignment was the only assignment I was able to properly use solution fluency for and realise the benefits it brought to the project itself. I was able to follow the steps and find the flow of the system, which meant I could progress through the project knowing exactly what I was doing and which deadlines I had to meet. I also understood the task a lot better through the step ‘Define’ as I unpacked the task sheet and read the provided rubric whilst writing my own interpretation of the task. This analysis and interpretation meant that the information being passed on was absorbed in a variety of ways and helped me gain a deeper understanding of what Ms Gorman was asking for. Through the step ‘Discover’, I collated data and information from a wide variety of sources and went through annotating and analysing each and every one. This process was very time-consuming (most likely due to my thorough nature) but was incredibly rewarding when it came to writing up my final summaries and putting them on my website. I had previously learnt about the organelles already but the process of solution fluency helped me be more thorough and move through the sources knowing exactly what I was looking for, instead of just browsing websites on the internet without taking in the information to mind (only absorbing key ideas for the short-term). ‘Dream’ and ‘Design’ helped me transcribe my mental visualisation to paper so that I could gather a sense of realism from my ideas, weigh out the strengths/weaknesses and compile all my ideas onto one. This was a much more efficient process compared to typing out my ideas in words and then having to read back but still be confused as to what I was thinking. ‘Dream’ and ‘Design’ required me to draw out my ideas and annotate them so I knew why and how I was going to work towards my goal. ‘Deliver’ was the step which required producing my ideas in Dream and Design, which I usually refer to as the ‘dream come true’. This is where and when your ideas really come to life and the product of your visualisations finally become a reality. ‘Debrief’ is the reflection of your work and the piece where you sit down and really think about how you got from Day 1 to the final product, ready to hand up. I feel like the Debrief is sort of like the wisdom you gained from the experience and the advice you would give to your future self, so when you read it again sometime for another project, you can get tips. Debrief also allows the teacher to gain a better understanding of you, how you approached the assignment, how you produced your final product and how you journeyed throughout the whole assignment. What’s important in this project isn’t just the final product that you hand up, but the journey you took to get there. At the end of the day, it isn’t only about learning about the content, but how to tackle these assignments and develop skills for the future.

 

As we progress through life, we encounter more and more situations we don’t know how to deal with and which require our problem solving skills. This assignment has helped me build on a method/skill I can use to help myself through these difficulties, with a logical flow of steps I can easily identify my mental processes with. With more practice, I will be more able to tackle these problems with less difficulty and struggle.  

 

Problems Encountered

 

There were a few problems I did encounter whilst doing this project. Firstly, halfway through the assignment (when I was just setting up my website), I realised that the school browser did not support the website builder I was using which meant I was not able to work on the website during school hours. This increased my homework load and put a little stress on me but I pushed through by re-organising my time and got the job done. As a very vocal person, I would often find myself in situations where I could explain the concept to someone face to face but struggle to write down my ideas coherently on paper. At first, I tried to write my key ideas on the paper and slowly expand them out but found that all my points were interconnected but went off on a tangent so I lost my original point in the haze of my crazy thinking. I consulted Ms Gorman, who introduced me to the dictation function on Microsoft Word. This tool was extremely helpful as I could ramble on and talk about everything I knew about the topic, replay it back and write down my key ideas. From there, I would start writing out my polished condensed yet concise copy of what I needed to convey. Finally, the last problem I encountered was juggling the lesson times with the unexpected or unplanned events. There were times during this 2-3 week assignment period where we would have to miss lessons for events or have no afterschool time so catching up was quite a challenge. However, I overcame this by having a proper sit-down, going over my goals in my Define and Dream and organising time so I could complete the task. I can’t say that this journey was smooth sailing but I really did enjoy overcoming these hurdles as it boosted my motivation to complete the task and gave me a little bit more reassurance that I could get over obstacles if I found the right way and approached it with the right mindset.

 

What have I learnt?

 

If I were answer this question truthfully, it would have to a really long list but to keep it short and simple, I would say that this project taught me to really persist and work at it, no matter how hard or complicated things get. With the problems and hurdles I encountered, I really struggled to maintain that balance between all my other subject’s homework and making time for myself to take a break but resilience and persistence kept me going (along with the support of friends, teachers and family of course).

 

I also learnt many new IT skills I found really difficult to comprehend and make before but after hours of formatting and working out how to use the builder, I managed to make my way through the assignment and build up my skills. Not only did I work on my cytology assignment for this project, but I also work on my IT skills.

 

Being the analytical person that I am, I did not find it challenging to read through a source and criticise every single work and detail but with so many sources to deal with in this assignment, I managed to only highlight the key ideas and sort them out without paying attention to needless details (otherwise all my sources would be covered in bright yellow highlighter).

 

Using this opportunity to practice my presentation skills, I found that the practice at home really helped me improve my public speaking skills and keep my explanations clear but short. Usually, I ramble on to the point where I realise I’m going off on a tangent then stop myself, but I’ve come to realise that less can actually be more in some cases and it is important to stop and think about everything you want to convey before spluttering out everything on your mind (which can be a good thing but not when it comes to assignment explanations).

 

Future Improvements

 

If I could do the assignment again, I would have made both an interactive model and a 3D model just to showcase two different styles of knowledge gain. It would also allow me to show the teacher that my understanding of the topic itself is deeper as I learn and grow with more activities I partake in. I would also have spent more time getting the formatting a little bit better than it is now (not that I’m unhappy with it but it could’ve been better) but I am thoroughly pleased with how I managed to pull off tricky technological techniques. Other than that, I would not change a thing.

 

Final Statements

 

Overall, I am really happy with how my assignment turned out. Of course, there will always be doubts and I will look back and think, ‘I could have done that better’ or ‘If I could turn back time, I would have done this…’ but it’s through these experiences that I am able to learn and grow for the next time I encounter an assignment like so.