Personal Learning Self Reflections

 

Technology Assignment: Powtoon

Powtoon is an animating software I chose in order to supplement my skills as a designer and support a client. Powtoon offers training videos to help learners become acquainted with the platform.

I employed two main learning theories throughout this project. First, my learning encompassed the four principles of andragogy in that my learning was self-directed and reflective with former experiences with animation influencing my designs. I was eager to learn in order to bolster my credibility within an ID role. Throughout my experience with the platform, I was focused on solving problems in order to match the end result with my intended design. 

 

Furthermore, learning was project-based. All resources were manipulated to bring about a desired end product. By focusing on this end goal, I was able to discover and incorporate new capabilities, tools, and functions into the animation.

This approach was very effective. I was intrinsically motivated to learn the tool in order to immediately improve my service offerings, support a client, and become more marketable. It would have been inappropriate to test me on abstractions or memorization. Doing so would have demotivated me. Besides, this is a creative tool whose products cannot be reduced to "right" or "wrong."

​
 

Learning About the Body in Middle School

Mrs. Finnegan was teaching us the importance of warming up our muscles. She brought in airheads that were in the freezer and had us try to bend them: they all snapped in half. Next, she had us warm them up with our hands and slowly bend them - showing us their dexterity and flexibility under the right conditions. I was learning this to make sure I didn’t get hurt and to show how much more I could do if I prepped right.

Others: learning to type quickly or playing math games on the computer or at home or with dad. I loved a challenge, competition, or story. Whether competing against my highest score or putting myself in the action or seeing how I could impact events. For math class, for impressing my dad, for a high score. Not really aware of the goal.

 

 

Learning about Education for the First Time in College

Education courses: informal learning and the other learning one. An edu/engineering teacher who worked in museums and another educator. Both kickass women. We would have assigned reading and sometimes field experiments where we had to go out and explore outside our usual premises. We went to museums on our own and in groups and compared the experiences. We reflected solo and together, with stimulating conversation. A lot of it was info/content. I was learning out of pure interest in the area. I wanted to use it for work and my general desire to help people fulfill their potential. Very personal / prof goals.

 

Learning about Company Reorganization at MassChallenge

Steffanie was teaching me about how to reorg the company. She put me in front of the problem and challenged me to solve it. At first, I just felt under pressure and went with my gut. By talking with her, she showed me a more systematic way to break down the problem and taught me to really think about what I wanted to achieve, what the greater organization needed first, and be more objective. It was a skill I was learning so that I could grow, succeed, see new perspectives, and use these moving forward.