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.