CODE499 ePortfolio

Introduction

Throughout this course, I felt like I was in deep waters, constantly grasping for a ledge to pull myself out. Although this was a nerve-wracking and trying time, it was also very fun and exciting. I was constantly wondering what new assignment would test my skills, and which one would ultimately push me past my limits. Creating a survey from scratch and pushing it through to the end was definitely one that almost drowned me. There were challenges and hurdles that continued to bombard me, and when I finally broke free of those, another one came rushing at me. I had to continously adapt to the changes and surprises that came along with every assignment. However, I couldn’t help but feel curious with each new hardship. A skill I am still developing is my time managment since I continue to procrastinate at every chance I get, but I am getting better at breaking free of that bad habit. Lastly, a risk that I took in this course was taking this course. Even though I had my teacher giving me lots of help, doing this independent class meant that I would ultimately be left to my own devices. I had to be my own peer reviewer as well as the classmate that I went to when I didn’t understand something. I see this as the risk I took because it encapsulates the feeling I had going into every assignment knowing that I was my own first line of defense.

Goal 1 (15%)

Based on 4b: Uses deep knowledge of global systems to develop and advocate for informed, appropriate action to solve complex problems.

The artifact I chose to submit for this goal is the conclusion of my final project. The reason behind this is that I believe the solution I suggest showcases how I achieved this goal. The evidence is posted below.

“After doing the interviews, the survey, outside research, as well as just experiencing life, I have come to the conclusion that we need to clear up the stigma regarding our interest in nature. I understand that it differs from person to person, but from what I’ve seen, I can tell that there are a lot of young adults who care about the environment and want to help save it. However, there are so many factors that keep them from doing anything about it. It can be very disheartening if it seems like everyone around you doesn’t care or want to take actions to change. If we can remove that stigma and show that there is more support for the environment than it seems, I strongly believe that it will allow for more young adults to become more aware of water equity issues and the need for land conservation, as well as get more involved with our partner HeartLands Conservancy.”

The conclusion of my final project demonstrates my learning because after contemplating the affects of societal stereotypes placed on us young adults, I was able to see that the stigma surrounding our involvement in nature conservation is doing more damage than you would assume. By coming up with a solution to counteract this propaganda, it will allow for more young adults to openly advocate for nature and get involved in saving it. This assignment has helped me develop a new skill as it prompted me to critically analyze my results and combine my understanding of global issues to come up with an effective solution. What I might do differently next time is explore that thought process more in order to thoroughly execute my findings.

Goal 2 (20%)

Based on 5a: Defines the scope of research questions effectively and selects information cogently to address them.

The artifacts I chose to submit for this goal is one of my research questions, one of my survey questions, and two answers from that question. The reason behind this is that I believe the way I acknowledged the initial question in order to get more information in the survey showcases how I achieved this goal. The evidence is posted below.

Research question: “What are the barriers that are keeping them from helping?”

Survey question: “Do you think any of the following factors make people more or less interested in nature? (Pick all that apply and briefly explain) (Multiple choice) List: age, knowledge about nature, personal interest, the environment they live in, the people they are surrounded by, other, none of these”

Answer #1: “Any age especially younger kids have less interest than older adults do because I think with the development of the internet and technology caused the change.”

Answer #2: “If someone lives in a city they not think of nature too much since they never are around it. On the flip side, people in rural communities tend to enjoy nature more.”

The way I transformed the vague research question into the detailed survey question demonstrates my learning because the answers I got from the survey were more in depth and allowed me to get a better understanding of the barriers perceive. This assignment helped me develop a new skill because it showed me that vague questions can lead to various interpretations, which can sometimes inspire responses that may not align with my research focus. What I might do differently next time would be to curate a better survey that expands on the thought-provoking responses the participants give.

Goal 3 (25%)

Based on 6a: Articulates own cultural rules and biases and recognizes and responds to biases.

The artifacts I chose to submit for this goal is one of my research questions and a quote from my quantitative report. The reason behind this is that I believe my changing mindset from the initial question to my report showcases how I achieved this goal. The evidence is posted below.

Research question: “What would make young adults invested in nature conservation?”

Quote from quantitative report: “After reviewing the results from my survey, I was left with one overarching theme that surprised me: Young adults are very passionate and concerned when it comes to nature and they realize that it is something that we need to conserve.”

This question, followed by this realization, demonstrates my learning by highlighting how I was biased at the beginning of my study since I believed that people my age weren’t invested in nature conservation. Even though I am constantly surrounded by people who have shown they care, I approached my research with that bias. However, after conducting interviews and a survey, I was able to change my mindset and see that young adults are very passionate and recognize that something needs to change. This assignment helped me develop a new skill because it allowed me to reflect on my own biases and see how they can limit my research. What I will do differently next time is carefully look over my initial work in order to seek out any biases that have slipped the cracks.

Goal 4 (20%)

Based on 8b: Uses compelling, appropriate delivery techniques.

The artifact I chose to submit for this goal is my final project. The reason behind this is that I believe the way I chose to share my findings showcases how I achieved this goal. The evidence is posted below.

“After reviewing the results of my survey, I can confidently say that the environment that someone grows up in or spends the majority of their life in determines how they view nature. I initially thought that it wasn’t something that can be considered as fact based on the answers I received to question 5, “Have you developed any biases because of where you live?” When given that question, 12 people agreed that they experienced biases in themselves because of where they grew up, but the other 14 people were either neutral or disagreed with that question. This made me see that there was a divide when it came to that belief and I had to scrap my initial assumption. However, when I got to question 8, that is when I realized that my belief might have held true.”

“Something else that I realized was that us young adults have grown up in the United States, so we constantly hear that teens and people our age are just caught up in social media and technology. We are constantly depicted as being unaware or just straight up insensitive and uncaring about the politics and problems around us. You see this in TV shows and movies, books and articles, and just in our everyday experiences.”

These quotes from my final project demonstrates my learning by showcasing my commitment to not just present data, but rather to craft a narrative around it. The quotes emphasize how I included my thought process, the ups and downs, as well as conversations I had with myself while going through the whole process of this study. This assignment has helped me develop a new skill because initially, I believed that data presentations were solely focused on numbers and technical jargon. However, I’ve come to realize that there are a variety of different ways that you can share your findings. What I might do differently next time is go deeper into my thought process and the details that I assumed would not have mattered to the study.

Goal 5 (20%)

Based on 13a: Demonstrates a thorough understanding of context, audience, and purpose.

The artifact I chose to submit for this goal is my final project. The reason behind this is that I believe the way I worded certain sentences as well as the information I included showcases how I achieved this goal. The evidence is posted below.

“A couple months ago I was tasked with coming up with a campaign to get young adults attending SIUE to become more aware of water equity issues and the need for land conservation, as well as more involved with our partner HeartLands Conservancy. “The mission of HeartLands Conservancy is to empower and collaborate with the people of Southern Illinois to advance and protect the health of our distinctive communities and nationally significant natural and cultural resources.” (HeartLands Conservancy)

This is something that is very important so increasing support for them is a goal that I am dedicating myself to along with my peers.”

“We find ourselves condemning people our age in the same ways older generations have done, but we are blind to the fact that if young adults everywhere are condemning each other, then this narrative is not completely true.”

These quotes from my final project demonstrate my learning by showing how I tailored my work towards a specific audience and used context to elaborate on the purpose of my study. In the first quote, I made sure to introduce what I was researching, who my partner was, and added context of the methods I used. In the second quote, I demonstrated my use of inclusive pronouns such as “we” and “us” throughout the essay. This in turn reflects our shared age group, highlighting the connection between my audience and me. This assignment helped me develop a new skill by forcing me to reflect on how seemingly simple elements, such as word choice and context, can significantly influence the nature of my work. What I might do next time is construct the visual aspects of the essay in a way that it is more pleasing to the eye.