Project Development
Learning outcomes:
- Evaluate project plan
- Apply time management techniques
- Summarise and communicate the essence of a project
More Evidence:
- What is the deadline? How much time do I have left?
- What tasks have been completed, and what tasks remain?
- How will I complete the remaining tasks in time?
- What has worked?
- What hasn't?
- What questions still need to be resolved?
- What have you learned?
What is the deadline? How much time do I have left?
My presentation is due on June 21st at 10:45AM. I better be done by the day before, and that gives me two weeks...
What tasks have been completed, and what tasks remain?
There are a few things that have been designed, but the majority has to be designed and produced. I am glad that we are in summer break.
How will I complete the remaining tasks in time?
I will develop a detailed project plan that will outline my leveled success goals and be sure to work toward those targets. This plan uses spiral development to ensure that I have some sort of deliverable product by the time that I am set to present.
What has worked?
The project plan was very helpful. Also the fact that I am a high school teacher in summer break meant that I could contribute 12+ hours a day to this job.
What hasn't?
Ocassionally I would get nervous, frustrated or confused. and those were really points where things didn't work. Mostly it was me -- a 'user error.' More specifically, I did struggle with getting the LCD to work and the Keypad to integrate. I think that I would go for a more integrated solution (combine a few of my ATtiny44 boards and use an ATmega328) in a future iteration. This will allow for more 'free data flow' between related sensors and contollers. Serial communication could then be restricted to communication between more complex objects, and make better use of a command protocol. Really, just read the progress page for many more specific examples...
What questions still need to be resolved?
How to integrate the load cell. How to integrate internet connectivity. How to best integrate the electronics. Really, just read the progress page for many more specific examples...
What have you learned?
Quite a lot...
I could go on and on here, but I will focus on three main pillars: 1) technical skills 2) project/ time management realignment 3) curriculum planning
The technical skills that I have leanerd and refined across Fab Academy generally and, more specifically, this final project are incredible. Before this class I didn't know HTML, or how CSS related. I had built some arduino projects, but nothing of this scale. This course certainly provided me my first opportunities to meaningfully develop projects in 2D and 3D, for a goal (larger than the sake of trying it). I first explored parametric design for this course. Before this course I understood the concepts of molding and casting, but had never done any. Composites were completely new; beyond concrete and rebar. Networking and interfaces were both new skills aquired in the class. Project integration is something that I knew existed in the distance, but had never spent any energy working towards, always being content with my naked-wire, wide-open and taped-together projects. The skills I have learned here have extended my tinkering and projects to a level that is now much higher than my peers in education. It is gratifying, empowering and (if it weren't for the Fab Lab network) solitary. And I love it.
This spring, I learned to work. I have held many jobs, for nearly two decades, but this is the first time that I have had a job/ class/ project push me to my limits. I am a reasonably smart and able person (at least for the little ponds I have lived in) and this spring I needed to flex some mental muscle to get things done. In order to get my essential Fab Academy work, School work, social obligations and fitness goals to be completed I needed to push myself. It required budgeting time and mental effort in ways that I haven't had to do before. According to my girfriend, it appeared that the requirements placed on me while maintaining a teaching job, Fab Academy and a life were not unlike that of med school. If I had these stressors at a different time in life, I would not have been able to succeed. I owe much of my success to the support of my school, girlfriend, and station in life. Each of which supported me on my way.
Finally, the context that is conveyed by the Fab Academy class, and this project, were a brillant way to inform my future curriculum planning. Although I am happy to be nearing the end of the Fab academy course, and feel proud of that achievement alone, I had enrolled with a different goal: developing a free curriculum for students K-12. This goal was the mandate from my school for my entrance fee. I am glad that they supported me, and continue to do so. It is essential to bring these skills to the masses, as our society would be amiss if we let technology obfuscate into magic. Happily, SCOPES-df has also decided to take up this charge, and I am delighted to have been a part of some of their early discussions. I look forward to the development and roll out of a sensible and adaptive technology curriclum to impliment locally at my school and extend globally. We are in exciting times in education.