Week 13 - Final Design

Oh the good old days of evaluating a design :P

Back in week one, I contemplated whether or not I would continue making journal/blog entries after the Design subject/unit ended, since this was created as a requirement for that subject. I believe I will continue with some kind of journal, since I do find value in it. However, I think I'll start afresh. While this journal certainly does reflect me in all respects, I feel it remains a subject/unit journal, and should end with that subject. So now, let me continue with this final weeks entry...

Subject/Unit Reflection. At the beginning of the semester, we were given reflective exercises. I did read through them. Although I didn't 'do' the exercises at that time, I still absorbed it and found it to be a useful guide. I'll just comment on one component of it.

Five Dimensions of Higher Learning (as reflection and evaluation):

• Declarative Learning 10% - I said from the very beginning that I don't tend to focus heavily on rote learning (except for essential or highly used material). So long as I know how to at least find the information, that's what matters most. Doing this design subject did not change that for me. This subject did provide many informational links that I have found valuable, and will make use of into the future. I may only direct 10% to declarative learning for this subject, but it needs to be quality 10%. I feel that it was.
• Procedural Learning 20% - There was a focus in lectures on the procedures that exist in design. The projects re-enforced this. Also, to a certain degree, the requirement to do this blog/journal is also part of procedural learning. I'm not sure that you can learn to be a good designer, but you can learn to be better than what you were. 20% feels right.
• Conditional Learning 15% - I always consider that learning-by-doing is the best way to learn. But 15% is all that I can give. I am counting mainly the group work in this, and a some of the journal. I didn't find the group work to be as effective for learning as it's meant to be. Everyone participated in the tutorials, since they were required to be there. However, outside tutorials was another matter. And being an older student, learning to work with others is not new to me. In terms of expectation, I would have given it a higher percentage at the beginning of the semester.
• Reflective Learning 35% - Considering the strong focus on reflection with the journals/blogs, it should be dominant. I considered this to be a good thing, especially with a subject like design. Reflection is like iteration. I also see it as being one of the birthplaces of new ideas. Design itself is born out of reflection, since one must ponder before one can create or improve-upon.
• Metacognitive Learning 20% - Did we learn how to learn - I'm uncertain. But we were certainly given the tools and opportunity to do so. As I said in declarative learning, we were given many useful links, as well as material discussing learning, and how to learn. It was up to each of us individually to make use of it all. I feel that I did. But having said that, I was kind of that way inclined in the first place.