Week 8: Refinement and Looking Ahead For Summer

This week focused on refining the course based on everything I’ve learned so far and preparing for the final stages of the project.

I spent time reviewing and updating the curriculum based on student feedback and observations. After multiple sessions, it became clear which parts of the lessons were intuitive and which needed clearer explanations. I simplified instructions, adjusted pacing, and made certain steps more flexible so students can explore somewhat independently without getting stuck.

I also noticed that for this type of course it required having a mentor (me) present at all times to guide students. I felt that a course like this was impossible to make fully independent since there are always unclear areas and things to clarify. I took this time to reflect on how I learned most of these skills and how brute-forcing them built bad habits and took much longer. With the right refinements and mentorship, students using this course should be able to pick up the basics of engineering in no time!

I also worked on organizing and documenting student progress and data collected throughout the project. This includes compiling observations, survey responses, and examples of student work. Having everything in one place will make it easier to analyze overall trends in engagement and confidence.

Another major task was beginning preparation for the final presentation and research poster. I started outlining key points to highlight, including the problem this project addresses, how the curriculum was designed, and what the results suggest about hands-on learning.

This week was about stepping back and looking at the project as a whole. With most of the development and testing complete, the focus is now shifting toward presenting the results and reflecting on what this project has achieved.

Stay tuned!