Second Learning Reflection

Motivation

Please refer to the Syllabus for the general motivation for doing learning reflections rather than traditional assessments like homework, exams, and quizzes.

We have now entered the second half (or even last-third) of the semester and it is time again to reflect on what you are learning about data analysis, environmental systems, and your own learning.

Approach

You should this as an opportunity for critical reflection on the course, its contents, your learning experience, and the course learning objectives by responding to the prompts mentioned below.

Course learning objectives

  • Apply principles of open and responsible science to acquire, process, and visualize environmental data
  • Understand different types of models and environmental data and how they can be used to characterize environmental issues
  • Interpret environmental data to characterize the causes and effects of environmental problems
  • Evaluate complex environmental systems using computational tools to
    • Understand causes and effects of environmental problems
    • Realize limitations of data and models
    • Effectively communicate scientific and technological information
  • Analyze, present, and defend the results and conclusions from projects that involve environmental data from observations and models

Before you begin

  • Review your notes, course learning objectives, and the skill/ content list (TBD).

Reflection Questions/ Prompts

  1. Organize what you have learned towards the course objectives in a concept map. Save the concept map as an image and add this to the repository.

  2. In your own words, what are the major themes of the course and do you see them fitting together? If they don’t fit together, think about what is missing to make the picture complete.

  3. How do the skills you learned relate to the semester project?

  4. Based on the above question, what are the next steps you should take for the semester project to

    1. Advance the project itself
    2. Improve/ practice your data analysis skills
    3. What is still missing?

  5. Which of the course themes is most relevant to you and why?

  6. What have you learned about yourself during ISAT 420?

    • This can be about preferred work style, technical skills, course contents/ topics/ environmental issues

  7. This question is simple: What letter grade would you give yourself for Class Participation (including engagement with course materials)? Please provide a brief explanation for your choice.

  8. Lastly,

    • What specific steps could you take to enhance your own learning?
    • What specific steps could be taken to improve the learning community?
    • What specific steps could I (your instructor) take to enhance your learning?

Submission Procedure

The learning reflection should be shared with me using the private GitHub repository using the tools that we have practiced.

  1. Format: A markdown (*.md) or jupyter notebook (*.ipynb*) file using markdown formatting as needed, including headings, lists, …
  2. Filename: Save the filename as LearningReflection2_<yourname>.md or LearningReflection2_<yourname>.ipynb (Don’t forget the correct file extension).
  3. Location: Use the folder Learning_Reflections in your private repository and add the file.
  4. Use github-desktop to commit and push the file to GitHub.com, so that I can see it.
TipSubmission Format
  • Create a folder for your Learning Reflections in our private Teams repository.
  • Use file formats that are displayed well on Github, like .md, .ipynb.

Evaluation Criteria

I will be using the following rubric for assessment.

Criteria Unsatisfactory-Beginning Developing Accomplished Exemplary Total
Content Reflection 50
Reflection lacks critical thinking. Superficial connections are made with key course concepts and course materials, activities, and/or assignments Reflection demonstrates limited critical thinking in applying, analyzing, and/or evaluating key course concepts and theories from readings, lectures, media, discussions, activities, and/or assignments Minimal connections made through explanations, inferences, and/or examples. Reflection demonstrates some degree of critical thinking in applying, analyzing, and/or evaluating key course concepts and theories from readings, lectures, media, discussion activities, and/or assignments. Connections made through explanations, inferences, and/or examples. Reflection demonstrates a high degree of critical thinking in applying, analyzing, and evaluating key course concepts and theories from readings, lectures, media, discussion activities, and/or assignments. Insightful and relevant connections made through contextual explanations, inferences, and examples.
Personal Growth 30
Conveys inadequate evidence of reflection on own work in response to the self-assessment questions posed. Personal growth and awareness are not evident and/or demonstrates a neutral experience with negligible personal impact. Lacks enough inferences, examples, personal insights and challenges, and/or future implications are overlooked. Conveys limited evidence of reflection on own work in response to the self-assessment questions posed. Demonstrates less than adequate personal growth and awareness through few or simplistic inferences made, examples, insights, and/or challenges that are not well developed. Minimal thought of the future implications of current experience. Conveys evidence of reflection on own work with a personal response to the self-assessment questions posed. Demonstrates satisfactory personal growth and awareness through some inferences made, examples, insights, and challenges. Some thought of the future implications of current experience. Conveys strong evidence of reflection on own work with a personal response to the self-assessment questions posed. Demonstrates significant personal growth and awareness of deeper meaning through inferences made, examples, well developed insights, and substantial depth in perceptions and challenges. Synthesizes current experience into future implications.
Style, Quality, and Technical. 20
Poor writing style lacking in standard English, clarity, language used, and/or frequent errors in grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling. Needs work. Average and/or casual writing style that is sometimes unclear and/or with some errors in grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling. Above average writing style and logically organized using standard English with minor errors in grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling. Well-written and clearly organized using standard English, characterized by elements of a strong writing style and basically free from grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling errors. Technical submission requirements (markdown formatted file uploaded to Github) are met.
TOTAL POINTS (sum of 4 Criteria) /100

Rubric adapted from Denise Kreiger, Instructional Design/Technology Services, SC&I, Rutgers, 4/2014