SYNTHESIS PROJECT

By Quynh Nhu NguyenITEC299

My reasons for taking this class:

I was initially interested in taking this class because of the title: “How 2 Lrn w ur iPod.” What motivated me to take this class was the idea of learning about different types of technology that can help maximize my learning potential.

Learning Preferences

Learning Preferences

My scores for the Learning Preference Survey were fairly balanced.

− Active/Reflective, I scored a 3 towards Active which means I learn better when I am actively doing something with the information.

− Sensual/Intuitive, I scored a 1 towards Intuitive which means I learn better when there is less memorization involved. However, since I only scored a 1 in this category, I can be both a sensual and intuitive learner depending on the information and situation.

− Visual/Verbal, I scored a 1 towards Visual. Again, since I scored a 1, I can both be a visual or verbal learner but I tend to learn a little bit better when I can see the information in a visual representation.

− Sequential/Global, I scored a 1 towards Global. I can be both a sequential or global learner.

Learning Preferences

It is important to know your personal learning preferences in order to take advantage of what learning style works best for you. After taking the survey, I feel that I am more aware on what learning style works best for me. For the most part, the survey was pretty accurate in identifying my personal learning preference. If I were to take the survey again, I think my scores will remain mostly the same. If there was any change, it would be very insignificant.

Learning Pathway: Sage

Learning Pathway: Sage

At the beginning of the class, I chose the Learning Sage Pathway which means I want to learn about a wide range of technologies instead of focusing on a few. I had high hopes for this class because I wanted to learn more about technologies that may improve my learning. I feel that certain technologies work better than others depending on the subject. I wanted to have a wide variety of technologies to choose from depending on the subject and situation.

Learning Pathway: Sage

I think the Level 1 Quizzes helped me the most in contributing to my ability in regards to my learning pathway. The quizzes taught me the basics of each technology.

The Level 2 Activity helped me get a deeper understanding of the technology. I had to actively use the technology and evaluate if they work with my learning style. This helped me filter out the technologies that did not work for me and allows me to see which technologies did work for me.

1st: Screencasts

Screencasts appeals to my visual and verbal learning preferences. I scored a 1 towards visual which puts me into a position where I can learn both verbally and visually although I tend to learn better visually. The visual representation of the information in the screencasts helped me a lot. The verbal explanation that accompanied the visual representation was also great. For my own learning outside of class, I use KhanAcademy.org to learn about various subjects.

2nd: Multimedia

Multimedia is a combination of different forms of media such as text, video, audio, graphics, and animation. I use multimedia everyday. When I want to know more about a specific topic, I use the internet to find more information. The internet is an example of multimedia. Overall, multimedia has played a large role in my learning for as long as I can remember. As a child, I loved watching documentaries on television, which is also an example of multimedia.

3rd: Games and MMOGs

Games and MMOGs appeals to my visual and active learning preferences because Games and MMOGs requires the player to actively interact with the game. As a result, the player is forced to use their initial knowledge and the information they have acquired in order to make educated decisions that can lead to positive outcomes.

For my own learning, I have been using anatomyarcade.com to learn more about the human body. I am taking anatomy and this website helped supplement my learning. The games on anatomy arcade are not only fun but also informative. I'm having fun and learning at the same time.

Experience with Different Technologies

After investigating the different technology quests, I feel that I have learned a lot about various types of technologies. Even if I do not use all of the technologies over the course of my academic career, they are options that are still available for me to use when necessary.

Physiological Factors

Before this class, I lived an unhealthy lifestyle. I slept late, ate badly, and did not exercise. However, after doing the Level 3 activity for Physiology of Learning, I have seem tremendous improvement. For the Level 3 activity, I had to modify my diet, exercise, and sleeping habits. Now, I sleep at least 8 hours a day, cut out junk/”bad” food, and exercise at least 5 times a week. As a result, I now live a pretty healthy lifestyle and the positive effects of this has made me more active and alert. Along with those improvements, my memory has significantly improve and I am able to grasp concepts faster than before.

Future

I will continue to use the technologies I have learned in this class for future classes. For example, I will continue to use screencasts to supplement my learning. I am now aware of my learning preferences and I will use this knowledge to maximize my learning potential for the rest of my academic career. I will also continue to live a healthy lifestyle as long as possible, although certain outside factors may interfere, in order to keep my memory and cognitive skills strong.

Overall Experience

Overall, I enjoyed being a Learning Sage. I have learned a lot about various technologies and I feel that these technologies will help me tremendously in the long run. I am now aware of the different ways of learning and that everyone's personal learning style is different. I am also aware of my own personal learning style.