Week 3

 Week 3 (January 22nd - January 28th):

1. Learning Strategies for International Students

This topic wasn’t directly one of the areas I mentioned last week that needed improvement in my study process, but it is closely related to the writing skills I need to enhance. As I mentioned before, English is not my first language, so I face challenges in communication. Grammar and syntax are more difficult for me compared to native speakers, and organizing sentences clearly takes me longer, especially in academic settings. Spanish grammar and syntax differ significantly from English. For example, Spanish uses more commas and fewer periods. I used to struggle with run-on sentences because sentence structures in Spanish are often the opposite of English.

One of the tips from academicstips.org suggests reading the outline before starting the material to better grasp and retain information. This has been particularly helpful for improving my reading skills. Reviewing an outline helps me prepare for the actual lecture or paper. For the listening component, the site suggests recording lectures and replaying them if I have trouble understanding an accent. While I don’t usually have issues with this, I often turn on closed captions for better clarity. If the material isn’t recorded, I make it a point to ask questions. The site recommends forming small groups to discuss and ask questions for studying. I’ve found this very useful, as my current team has been an excellent resource for understanding topics from different perspectives.

2. This week’s lectures have been incredibly useful for improving teamwork and developing ethical knowledge as professionals. One of the topics I found interesting was identifying work styles, such as:

Get it Right – Task-oriented

Get it Done – Task-oriented

Get Along – People-oriented

Get Appreciation – People-oriented

Recognizing my teammates’ and my own work styles is essential for enhancing collaboration and teamwork skills.

During the Lab Exercise on OLI about Conflict Styles, I discovered that I primarily exhibit traits of accommodating and collaborating. I find it important to ensure everyone on my team feels heard and valued. I enjoy listening to others’ perspectives and learning from them.

I also learned about the importance of ethics for Computer Science students. The ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct was particularly impactful. It outlines guidelines for professionals in CS, emphasizing that the public good should always be the primary consideration in ethical decision-making. This aligns with personal morals and values, which I believe are essential for success in any career. 

Going through Snowden's case was not something I was familiar with, as I didn't immigrate to the country yet when it occurred. Learning about it has been eye-opening, particularly in understanding how people evaluate actions through different ethical frameworks. His decision to leak classified information has opened debates centered on moral and ethical dilemmas, such as the balance between national security and individual privacy. It also raised questions about the responsibilities of whistleblowers, the ethics of disclosing sensitive information, and the potential consequences of those actions for society at large. I found it fascinating to see how most view Snowden as a hero for exposing government overreach, and a few see him as a traitor for jeopardizing national security. The difference in perspectives shows the complexity of ethical decision-making, especially in cybersecurity and technology.

3. The document What a Computer Science Major Needs to Know provided valuable guidance for excelling in the field of CS. Elements like building a portfolio (sometimes more important than a resume because employers can see tangible projects) and developing communication skills by expressing technical ideas to a non-technical audience are essential. Also, I didn't realize how important STEM courses like calculus, physics, statistics... were to solve complex problems, and I am glad I took many of these classes back in Engineering school. Unix Philosophy is something I need to become more familiar with, such as command-one tools and text-based configurations. Security is crucial these days as well. By writing reliable code, we avoid vulnerabilities and attacks, which is crucial in society. I am excited to learn UX (User Experience) because it ensures the interfaces in software design are user-friendly. All these practices are great steps for me to be working over the next two years.

4. The Code of Integrity emphasizes ethical conduct and academic integrity, especially in online courses. The main takeaway is always citing your work, even when someone reviews your code. Sharing or leaving code exposed online is a violation of this code. Maintaining integrity in all aspects of coursework ensures fairness and fosters trust within the learning environment.

Week 2

 Week 2 (January 15th - January 21st):

Part 1: Review and Reflect Learning Strategy

After reading Dr. Bob Kizlik's document, Effective Study Skills, I reflected on my study habits and identified both strengths and areas for improvement. One of my strengths is avoiding procrastination; I dislike putting things off and prefer starting assignments as soon as they’re assigned. Once I know I have a task due, it stays on my mind until I begin working on it. Another strength is my weekly scheduling. Each week, I create a plan that prioritizes tasks based on deadlines and the time required to complete them. However, one area I need to improve is asking myself questions after reading, as this practice helps develop critical thinking and improves information retention, something I learned from the document.

The SQ3R method (Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review) stood out to me as an excellent study strategy. I already use the "Survey" step to get an overview of content and tasks. Asking questions helps make the material more meaningful and connects it to things I already know, which improves retention. Reading directions and rubrics carefully is also a key part of my process, and I often reread content multiple times to view it from different angles and ensure I fully understand it, especially since English is not my first language. Reciting helps me solidify concepts and visualize them better, while reviewing notes allows me to synthesize and organize ideas. One tip I found particularly helpful was avoiding studying within 30 minutes of sleep. I sometimes fall into this habit because I get so engaged in my work, but I’ll now try to avoid it for better study outcomes.

Part 2: Preview Time Management Skills:

Part 3: Project Management Basics

Video 1 (Intro to Project Management): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBSCvPYGnTc&t=38s

Projects also have a goal, a start and end date. They are all different and depend on multiple factors like resources or location. Time, scope and cost are the main tools needed for the its success, in the case that one of them fluctuate the other two need to be adjusted too. Like moving a project's deadline for a specific reason. A project manager is in charge that a project is completed in the best way possible and they are accountable for the success of the project and representing their entire team. Good communications and leadership skills differentiate them.

Video 2 (How to Create a Work Breakdown Structure: A WBS Masterclass): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyR2VLP3xnA

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) helps splitting parts in a project to make it more manageable as well as organizes the levels like the main deliverable at the top, the key categories, major deliverables and smaller components. Each level is designed to show what needs to be completed. The WBS helps multiple project management processes and also other tools like schedules and budgets. 

Video 3 ( Project Management in Under 5: What is a Gantt Chart?): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB0wsdmV3Sw

A Gantt chart is another important tool for planning a project. It plots time on the horizontal axis and tasks on the vertical axis and each of them is represented by a bar. The length of the bar shows the duration of the task and the position shows the schedule. Independent tasks are set parallel and dependent tasks are sequential. This is a great tool to track projects in an effective manner.

Part 4: Check Out Previous Capstones

The following projects from the Summer 2024 Capstone Festival are the most interesting projects to me: 

I really enjoyed the Cyber Security Project, which was a collaboration with the US Naval Research Laboratory. The project addressed the challenge of helping team members without technical backgrounds better understand the risks in generated code. Previously, there wasn’t a clear way to measure the severity of vulnerabilities. This project is particularly valuable because it simplifies cybersecurity risk management, making the data more accessible and easier for everyone to understand.

Another project that caught my attention is the National AI-Campus project because it improves a computer model that helps detect brain tumors in MRI scans. The original model, called the baseline, used an encoder-decoder system to simplify the images and highlight different areas of the brain, creating a labeled output called a mask. The team improved this by using a more advanced model called U-Net, which is better at processing medical images. They tested both models to compare how well they worked and made changes to improve the U-Net’s performance. This project is useful because it helps doctors identify brain tumors more accurately and quickly, making diagnosis and treatment easier.

The last project I liked is DriveDiary because I made a similar project using GUIs in one of my Java classes. This project is a simple tool that helps users keep track of gas usage, maintenance, and other vehicle-related expenses. Many drivers forget or skip maintenance because they don’t have an easy way to stay organized. This app solves that by giving users reminders and a simple platform to manage their vehicle's needs, helping them keep their cars safe and reliable. I find this useful because it helps drivers stay on top of maintenance, making it easier for people to care for their cars even if they don't have technical knowledge.

Part 5: Summarizing my week

This week, I learned several new things, including project management in companies and the use of Gantt Charts. One highlight was discovering effective study techniques, such as the SQ3R method, and the tip to avoid studying 30 minutes before going to bed. In OLI, the focus was on emotional and social skills, particularly how teams are more productive when members have higher emotional and social intelligence, and when there’s greater representation of women. This was eye-opening for me. Additionally, the peer review process was a refreshing experience, as it’s been a while since I’ve done it. It’s a valuable way to gain new perspectives and incorporate others’ approaches to improve my own work.

Week 1

Week 1 (January 8th - January 14th)

Wow, first week already!

This is my second time going for a bachelor's degree, this time it is a lot different tho. I was 18 when I started my first semester of Financial Engineering. To put it in perspective, bachelor's degrees in my home country, Colombia, take five years or ten semesters to complete (it varies for degrees like medicine, which last, usually, 13 semesters). 

Having to commute was probably the most stressful part of my school life as well as classes at 6am on a Saturday!!! Yes, I had Differential Equations on Saturdays from 6-9am as well as many classes at 6am as well as others at 6pm. Glad it is over with and that my last in-person class was last semester FA '24 with Java 2. 

I got my Associate's Degree in Computer Science from Grossmont College last semester (Fall '24), and most of my classes were online. It definitely made my life easier. I consider commuting a "dead time" because there is nothing else you are doing but listening to music or maybe listening to a cool podcast. That is one of the reasons I am so glad I was able to get into CS Online, it was actually a goal I had since I started my Associate's Degree, to get into CSUMB.

After this first week, going through the school's history, faculty, the structure of the assignments... I can finally see I made a good choice by choosing this school because it seems it fits my needs, I can make connections and collaborate with others. I've been able to meet my team: some talented individuals, whom I am hopeful to learn from for the next 99 weeks. 

Team 4:

Wish everyone a successful two years, cheers!