Final Reflection

This class was definitely much more difficult than I had anticipated. By no

means did I plan on this class being easy, but I was not expecting how much self-

reflection and application that the coursework entailed. I thought it would be a

learn-and-regurgitate-the-information type of class, but I have learned more about

myself and my personal philosophy of education. For instance, I truly believe that

the point of higher education is to equip students with the tools to make the world a

better place. While a better place is up to interpretation, my role is to be a helper

in order to get students to that next level of understanding in their own individualize

journey. I have also developed professionally because many of the projects have

allowed me to see my current graduate assistantship through a new lens and build

connections with students that I had not otherwise. I think Block and Hughess

books were the most impactful course readings, not because they were readily and

easily applied to my current situation, but because they challenged me to create my

own action plan for what I want and hope for my offices; these books gave me

something to aspire to and to work on in order to be the best professional possible

without giving me the simple answers. The projects really stretched me because

they were long-term projects rather than just quick overnight type research papers

that are more common in undergrad. I really feel like I had a rich experience in

doing the research, and I had to learn by the very nature of the projects. I also

appreciated that the projects were not graded over the course of the semester,

because I was able to focus on getting the work done rather than focusing on the

grade that I may or may not receive. It was a less stressful process, and I produced

better, more thoughtful work because of it. It makes me wonder how I can apply this
concept of learning to students, especially since I will not work on the academic side

of a university (or, at least, I currently do not have plans to do so).

As for the equation that was discussed at the beginning of the semester, I

think it was a great starting point to learn about physical environments and how

they impact the students. It gave me a framework or frame of reference for the

idea, but as the semester progress, I relied less heavily on it in order to understand

the relationship between students and space. I think the creator of the equation is

completely spot on, but it can oversimplify real-life situations, which again why it is

a great starting-point. If anything, the B(f) P x E model has made more aware of

what my personal desk space and my two offices spaces say to students. I will be

mindful of the idea of space next year when I get an opportunity to create an actual

space for myself where I will interact with students more regularly. It is my hope

that I can start creating spaces that are comfortable and welcoming to students, so

that they feel like they can focus on learning rather than external factors.

At the beginning, it was hard for me to adjust to this class. I could not exactly

plan for it beyond doing the readings like I had for other classes. I needed to follow

the flow of the discussion and really be in the moment. However, as the semester

progressed, I got a better feel of the learning process. It was not so much answer

driven as learning the right questions to ask. For me, I like having a finite right or

wrong response to a question, so I was challenged to learn how to be okay with

ambiguity. I was always prepared, and I always tried to contribute, which speaks to

my commitment as does my openness to be wrong and trying on new ideas. I found

the readings rather difficult at times, partially because there was so much

information that it was difficult to retain it all. Often, I found my peers focused in on

a different portions of the reading that maybe did not stand out as much to me. In
the blog posts, I tried to show my understanding of the readings while

simultaneously bringing up other ideas or potential counter-points in order to spark

discussion. If I had the opportunity to do this all over again, I almost wish there was

a way to further break up the readings or assign the main points so that I could

focus in on what we needed for class rather than creating a new point that was

completely off base. While I think we had great discussion, sometimes I feel like

almost detracted because it was not the direction the class wanted to go which did

get better over time. However, it never stopped me from trying because I am a

verbal processor, and I need to talk and discuss in order for me to learn.

One thing that may have been helpful over the course of the semester would

be more written feedback rather than the verbal, in-class time. I was more

intentional in my feedback to colleagues when it was written, and I noticed the

same in return. More feedback and quicker feedback from instructors would be ideal

too, because it really helped all of the projects I was a part of narrow focus and

create a cleaner product. Instructor feedback helped with the direction of the work. I

enjoyed class discussions thoroughly once I got used to the less structured

approach. While I did not particularly enjoy our pop reading quiz, I think it was

beneficial because it was a great reminder for me to really focus on the reading. I

did the readings, but I know there were moments where I sped read in order to

cover it all rather than just sitting with the texts and reflecting on the application,

which did eventually happened in class. The readings were a tad overwhelming at

times, in all honesty, but I understand the logic as to why we had to do each of

them. The blogs were a great way to start the class because not everyone felt

comfortable sharing in class, but I appreciated how they stopped halfway through so

that I could focus on my final projects. Finally, I loved that I got to work with one
partner of my choosing throughout the course. Again, I am a verbal processor, and

both of my partners allowed me to work through the material through our group

meetings. I have a better understanding because I was able to process without fear

of sounding ridiculous, while simultaneously feeling productive because much of the

processing is reflected in the final products. On a personal note, it also made the

projects fun and a joy to do because I had someone to relate to from start to finish.

Overall, I truly feel that I put forth my best effort for this class. I always

participated in class, and I tried to have constructive or solid thoughts that

contributed to the discussion. I was always prepared for class, and even if I didn't

always make the connections on my own in the reading, I tried to take note of that

in class. I did miss one day for illness, but I don't think that my physical health

should prevent me from getting a particular letter grade. I would like to think I

submitted quality projects throughout the semester and that I genuinely did take

the feedback seriously which led to a better final product. I also attempted in my

own feedback to be thorough, so that my classmates could continue to refine and

better their work too. I am not asking for the top grade or a 100% in class, but I do

believe my work and effort constitutes for a solid 95 to 93 range. In my gut, I know

that I did my best and that I truly worked for this class, and I hope that shows

through in my final assignments. Regardless of the grade I get moving forward, I

thoroughly enjoyed this class and have grown because of it. I have been challenged

and stretched, and I hope that you all can see it in my work.