CODES 221

First Week Introduction

For this semester, I’m definitely looking forward to this class and what it has to offer. One goal that I plan on putting to use in this class is civic engagement, judging how I was last semester. I feel I need to step more out of my comfort zone and start actively engaging in open discussions with my peers. One of my strong suits, as of now, is problem solving. I’m not a confrontational kind of person so I’m really quick with trying to come up with as many solutions as possible so that work gets done in a timely manner.

Midterm Introduction

During the first half of the semester, I’ve learned a lot about how to do research and how to really understand the bigger picture behind my topic. At the beginning I wasn’t too confident about how to find good sources or how to connect everything back to our group project. But as I started looking deeper into the water and sewer issues in Cahokia heights, I began to get the hang of what direction was best for me. I learned how to find reliable information from places like the EPA, HUD, and the army corps of engineers, and how each one plays a different role in fixing the city’s problems.

A big skill I’ve gained this semester is knowing how to break down complicated information and explain it in a way that actually makes sense. Some of the government reports I read were full of technical terms, but now I can pull on the main ideas and relate them to my research questions. I’ve also gotten better at organizing my notes and writing clear summaries, which has made the assignments a lot easier to manage.

Final Introduction

Now that I’ve reached the end of this semester, I can truly say that I learned a lot more about local government agencies and the purpose that they serve when it comes to the water contamination within Cahokia heights. I was able to do a lot of in-depth research on these agencies and weave out the ones that don’t serve that much of a purpose. When doing this I felt as though my research skills were being flexed and strengthen, which I think is a very important skill for this type of class. One skill that I do need to work on still is my organization skill, I think that was a big issue that I faced this semester because I was dealing a lot of heavy workload from multiple classes and it took me a minute to get back on track and also understand the importance of organization and why it is one of the keys to a successful semester.

Civic engagement (25%)

• I will be able to take information and express to my peers’ what conclusions and ideas I was able to get from what I pulled. (1b)

What will you do to learn the content/ develop the skill?	What examples will you add to the portfolio to demonstrate your learning?	What characteristics of the chosen examples demonstrate you have met your goal?
– Break down information I collected into easy to understand summaries – Bring my information to meetings, ask questions and help the group think through the confusion together – Use what I learned to suggest next steps in our research process	– Site Visits – Group meetings – Presentations – Group Projects	-Shows that I was willing to step outside the classroom and directly engage with real issues – Shows collaboration, active listening, and willingness to contribute to shared goals. – Shows leadership, clear communication, and ability to translate complex information into something others can understand

By doing site visits, I showed civic engagement because I took the initiative to see the issues in Cahokia Heights firsthand instead of relying on secondhand information. Being physically present helped me better understand the community’s need and bring more accurate insight back to my group.

Participating in group meetings showed civic engagement because I actively participated in conversations, shared what I learned and listen to others perspective.

Giving presentations showed that I used what I researched to inform and educate others in my group. It allowed me to communicate the importance of the issues clearly and help motivate the group to stay involve.

Critical and Creative Thinking (25%)

• I will take risks when it comes to our assignments as well as different approaches when it comes to learning new information. (2b)

What will you do to learn the content/ develop the skill?	What examples will you add to the portfolio to demonstrate your learning?	What characteristics of the chosen examples demonstrate you have met your goal?
– Question sources and compare information – I will look at how the information fits into the bigger picture and explain connections to my group on a deeper understanding. – After gathering information, I will brainstorm Ideas to help my group think outside the box	– Reflections – Group Projects – Conducting Research – Site visits – Group discussions	– Shows that I can think critically about my experiences and recognize where my ideas can grow – My willingness to consider different viewpoints shows’ flexibility, collaboration and creativity – Shows that I can carefully evaluate information, identify what is credible

Conducting Research shows critical and creative thinking skills because I had to evaluate sources, ask meaningful questions, and decide what information mattered most. It also pushed me to think creatively about how to apply the information to my project and explain it to others.

My reflections show that I took my time to analyze what I learned over the semester and reflect on the course overtime. This shows that I can take a step back and apply my feedback to know how to help me for the future.

Working in group projects show that I collaborated, compared different ideas, and helped my group come up with solutions that wasn’t so obvious.

Information Literacy (15%)

• I will be able to find information that best aligns with given research questions. (5a)

What will you do to learn the content/ develop the skill?	What examples will you add to the portfolio to demonstrate your learning?	What characteristics of the chosen examples demonstrate you have met your goal?
– compare multiple sources – Double check the information that I find and make sure that it’s up to date – Use trusted sources like government websites or academic websites	– Group Projects – Reflections – Conducting Research	– My ability to bring in accurate, well-researched information shows that I can filter out unreliable sources and only use the ones that are credible. – Me constantly questioning where my information from shows me that I’m not just collecting data, I’m analyzing it. – I showed that I can search efficiently, verify facts, and choose the most relevant sources for my work.

In group projects, I showed information literacy by finding reliable sources and helping my group understand them in a clear and accurate way. This demonstrates that I can locate, evaluate, and share information responsibly.

Conducting research shows that I can search for high quality sources, compare information, and decide what is most relevant to my work.

Oral Communication (25%)

• I will be able to deliver a clear message to my peers as well as include evidence to support my message.  (8b)

What will you do to learn the content/ develop the skill?	What examples will you add to the portfolio to demonstrate your learning?	What characteristics of the chosen examples demonstrate you have met your goal?
– Explain in a way that’s organized and easy to follow – Participate in conversation, ask questions and respond respectfully	– Group projects – Reflections – Partner meetings – Presentations – Site Visits	– My group projects show strong oral communication and demonstrates clarity as well as teamwork. – My reflections demonstrate that I can reflect on my growth and communicate about my academic progress more clearly. – My community partner visits allowed me to communicate my ideas openly and demonstrate active listening and engagement.

My presentation showed oral communication because I organized my thoughts, practiced what I wanted to say, and delivered information clearly to my group. This demonstrates confidence, preparation, and the ability to express myself effectively in these kinds of settings.

During partner meetings, I communicated my ideas, listened to feedback, and worked through any confusion together.

In group projects, I showed strong oral communication by clearly sharing my ideas, asking questions, and making sure everyone understood the information I brought in.

During my site visits, I asked my partner questions and also engaged in conversation with him when I noticed something that would be helpful to my group.

Problem solving skills (25%)

• Coming up with various of ways to solve a given problem (9b)

During group meetings, I used problem solving skills by talking through issues, suggesting solutions, and helping the group stay organized when things got confusing.

While preparing for presentations, I solved problems like organizing information, deciding what to include, and figure out how to explain it clearly.

In my reflections, I analyzed what was working for me and what wasn’t, then thought about how I could improve my academic habits.

In group projects, I helped my group by offering ideas and working with others to choose what would best work for the group.