CST 300 – Week 2 Learning Journal

Review and Reflect Learning Strategy

In the article “Effective Study Skills”, Dr. Bob Kizlik discusses various study strategies for students. Among these strategies, I noticed some that I have used in the pass with great success, and some that I have either not heard of, or ones that I wouldn’t consider to be a strong suit of mine.

Among those that I think myself to be best at are knowing when to study, getting the main idea when reading, and taking notes. I usually study at in blocks well ahead of a test or project due date. I usually am able to extract the main concept when reading textbooks or other assigned readings. I habitually take notes during lecture; I tend to follow the slides and add anything not explicitly stated in the slides or reading into my notes.

Some areas in which I need improvement are making every hour count, revising my schedule, and where I study. I have a bad habit of taking too long on certain areas fo study and too little on others. I also get stuck on certain schedules even if they don’t work that well. I also study in my bedroom where my computer is, a place which often leaves me distracted.

Preview Time Management Skills

Below is my activity log for January 19th, 2020, from the time I woke up to the time of writing.

Project Management Basics

A project is an undertaking in which one or more individuals to accomplish a set goal within a fixed amount of time. Project management is a process of in which one person coordinates a group of people in order to finish a project. The project manager takes on the responsibility of finishing the project and supervises it from all levels, from begin to end.

Previous Capstones

All of the capstones presented were very intresting. Watching these now was somewhat overwhelming, considering the gap in knowledge between what I know now, and what I will hopefully know in almost two years when it is time for my capstone. Some of the ones that really stuck out to me were as follows:

Mirrored Fantasy

This project was the first one to really catch my attention. I have a special love for video games, and the idea that someone was able to make their own engine and game for their capstone was really cool for me. I thought Andrew did an excellent job with this project and I would love to see the further development he had mentioned in his presentation.

PetRecs

This project was presented very well. The site looks very professional and modern, as well as appearing to be very purpose-driven while ‘trimming the fat’, so to speak, which I always appreciate as a user. The presentation itself was also very clear and well spoken.

STEMRanks

This project immediately caught my attention because I had a similar idea for a “RateMyProfessor for degree programs” site previously when searching for a bachelor’s program. It seems like Roger targeted an issue that with a clear niche to fill. The interface seems very clear and usable, and doing exactly what it needs to do.

Week Summary

This week, I learned a lot about project management. It seemed like a term that I had heard used in a lot of marketing materials without ever having been given a decent definition. I learned the importance of having a clear vision of your project before undergoing the work, and being able to create a schedule to accomplish your tasks in a realistic time.

From the Writing Lab, I learned a lot about writing in the APA format. I also saw the value of peer reviews from reading my teammate’s feedback on my writing!