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Reflecting on learning circuits with arduino

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Reflecting on learning circuits with arduino

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I borrowed the first slide and a few pictures from my other presentation - the rest is new!

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I combined some of my thoughts from my Part 3 to create this reflection!

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Enjoy!

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My journey of learning to cook...

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Here's the link to the powerpoint I made, and I've updated the access so anyone can check it out !

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This updated prezi does not include the voice over from LSN #3, but it has my reflection.

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Learning to Crochet Alice Ochs - 07/07/2020 Background Knowledge Background Already familiar with "yarn over" and "starting chain" from my first attempt. Making Mistakes I started over a lot to make this. Mistakes Accomplishment I finished my first crochet project. A dish cloth.

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Here is my updated presentation to include my Part 5 Project Reflection!

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Hey all you fancy people who figured out how to upload your project... You're so smart!

In leu of an uploaded doc, here's the link to my slide show. Complete with an embarrassing rendition of "A Wonderful World!"
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/10NKgq6gCw_KIB-mwtXP6SZ1TaVGAh0QGvg4n5fSlxOA/edit?usp=sharing

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Here, I hope this works this time. I don't understand what happened yesterday but today I just resubmitted what I had done. Thanks for your patience.

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It doesn't seem like the link on my original post works, so I'll give this another attempt!

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I posted it in my comments yesterday, but I thought I'd follow the trend and repost it as separate column. Here's my final presentation.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1gOVz5fmJXIFcojAVLutDkk-fud_I1nSfdeYAMr5KO-8/edit?usp=sharing

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My presentation with artifacts on my Arduino and Coding journey!

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CI561 - LSN Final Presentation - Kottkamp, Brooke

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Here is my final presentation. Overall, I didn't get to the level I wanted, but it was fun tracking the progress :)

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Attached is my presentation and update on learning to cook. I included three photos of meals I have made over the last two weeks that I enjoyed and plan to make again in the future. There is still more growth to be made, but I am feeling more confident in the kitchen than I once was!

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Hello, everyone! I've attached a link to the video of my final presentation. Thank you!

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I added a link to my presentation in my original post, but here is my Google Slides!

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Hello Everyone! I have attached my presentation below.

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Hi all!

I've attached the presentation of my learning logs in my time learning foam rolling for this project!

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LSN #2.5 Update: My previous updates were attached to my first post, but I couldn't add a picture. I have decided to learn to play a 2 chord song based on two chords that I have played before (building on prior experience) on a different instrument, my autoharp. I think it helps me because at least I know what it' s supposed to sound like (by ear). However, it is very different playing them on the ukulele. This was me practicing yesterday, on the 4th of July. Also, I took a picture of the chords I'm learning. My husband drew a diagram of the chords for me to look at while practicing.

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LSN #2.5 Update: My previous updates were attached to my first post, but I couldn't add a picture. I have decided to learn to play a 2 chord song based on two chords that I have played before (building on prior experience) on a different instrument, my autoharp. I think it helps me because at least I know what it' s supposed to sound like (by ear). However, it is very different playing them on the ukulele. This was me practicing yesterday, on the 4th of July. Also, I took a picture of the chords I'm learning. My husband drew a diagram of the chords for me to look at while practicing.

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Hi Everyone! Here is a presentation with my final results of my portrait project!

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I'm unsure how to attach this to my first post. If you can offer some tips let me know!

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Arduino Circuits and Coding Update #1 (aka week 2)

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Arduino Circuits and Coding Update #1 (aka week 2)

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I looked up a youtube tutorial on how to make a circuit with a button using an Arduino (a task I know my kids will want to do on their projects).  I found a really comprehensive tutorial that helped me set up the circuit and showed me what code to use.  Thankfully this kind youtube engineer also included comments on what sections of the code was for.

Once I had a working coded circuit recreated from mimicking the tutorial, I tried tracing the path of electricity in the hardware, comparing it to sections of the code.  I got really lost because my wires were not all that orderly and my model didn't seem to fit with the order of statements in the code.

I took some time to reorganize my breadboard (the white plastic piece all the wires plug into) to make tracing the path of electricity more clear.

I then intentionally broke sections of my circuit that didn't make sense in my model to determine how the electricity moved.  This is where I realized I had drawn the path of electricity through a third of my circuit backwards!!!

I redrew my model for that section of the circuit and annotated key components of my model with terms from the code (input, output, pin2 and pin 4).  It was helpful I realized to trace each part of the circuit back to the Arduino since I could then determine how the code comes into effect in terms of controlling the circuit.

Next steps include researching the purpose of specific terms used in the code, exploring the function of resistors (am I using them correctly?), and finding a tutorial with a light sensor.

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In a previous PSU class I was asked to learn something new and I decided to learn the basics of American Sign Language. I discovered the signs were easy for me to learn, as I am a visual learner, and the signs often connected or looked like the words they represented. Once I got into grammar and context, it became very complex! I loved learning about it and am looking forward to this second opportunity to learn something new.

I took a Ukulele 101 class at my local library and learned that they rent out Ukuleles! I just checked on their website and saw that they have one available to rent, so I think I will continue to learn and develop my very-novice ukulele skills.
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Update 2 (Videos)
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Update 3
I've started learning chords, which feel petty awkward. Especially the D chord, where I need to press three strings in a row on the same fret... I feel like my fingers are too wide to fit them all! They squash together and barely fit where they're supposed to.
The "Learning Ukulele" book has some chord practice, but the ones that aren't a tune I recognize are difficult because I'm unsure if I've played it correctly just by listening.
I found some easy ukulele songs online with chords, which has been fun for me to practice. I also just practice switching between chords while saying their names to myself to help me remember. Repetition helps with some muscle memory in my fingers and saying the name helps me connect the names to the finger patterns.

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Here is my most recent work on the first portrait of NK Jemisin.

I started out by watching 5 or so YouTube videos about painting portraits and mixing skin tone colors with acrylic.

I first painted a dark background on a different panel, and then quickly realized, it would be impossible to draw the outlines of the portrait on it in detail - I tried chalk but it wasn't cutting it. So I had to start over on a new panel.

I also really struggled with this particular photo reference because there is warm lighting coming from the right and cool from the left - so I had to mix around 20 colors.

It has been fun so far!

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I am going to be working on learning how to build circuits and add computer coding to those circuits using an Arduino (Hardware device - connects physical circuits to software).

I chose this because I am a mentor for my building's MESA (Math, Engineering, and Science Achievement) chapter which has student teams use an Arduino in their annual build competition yet the most I have figured out how to do is make a light blink on and off!

I want to be a better teacher and coach for my MESA chapter - having a better understanding of Arduino will allow me to do this.

Some goals include learning how to use the different inputs and outputs, finding and building interesting projects online which I could later use to engage and inspire my students, and learn the basics of the coding used for Arduino (C/C++ ) so that I can better coach my students when they have coding challenges.

Possible challenges include not having the equipment that interesting tutorials talk about needing and being unable to troubleshoot my code/figure out why it isn't working because of a lack of C/C++ literacy.

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I will take this opportunity to learn to sketch draw. The reason I choose this are for a few reasons.

The first reason is that it is a skill I don't much care for, so I can see what it takes to hold my interest and adapt the lessons accordingly. The next reason is that my husband is great at it. He is in his own right as described in the reading this week, an expert. I plan to look to him as my teacher.

Lastly, I would like to increase my basic knowledge of this skill for my children. They are very young and I would like to find creative ways to teach great skills that have lost center stage due to various political reasons in the business of education. Schools are not known for focusing in on these valuable skills and abilities. I believe that by learning a new skill such as sketch drawing, I can transcend the skills I learn and adapt them accordingly in various platforms, such as Science, Math, or emotionally challenging situations.

Update - LSN#2
So far my motivation this week has been low to practice. At this time it is inconsistent however I am practicing here and there a few times a week for about 5 minutes.

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Pen tool & Paths in Photoshop/ Illustrator

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Pen tool & Paths in Photoshop/ Illustrator

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One of the most powerful tools in Photoshop and Illustrator is the pen tool. It allows you to create drawings that can be scaled up and down infinitely without getting that pixelated look that comes from trying to work with a low-quality image.

I also hate the pen tool with a passion. Like really hate it. When we learn about the tool in my class, we have to rely on video tutorials and other resources; I am little to no help. In the past I have tried to learn the tool with no success, probably because I didn't have the time to commit to learning it well.

My first goal is to learn how to use the tool to make curves (straight lines are easy) and complex shapes that can then be filled in with color. Following that, I want to learn how to modify and combine shapes created with the pen tool after the fact. Finally, I want to apply these skills to re-draw a cartoon character (like a Pokemon), which I want to turn into an assignment for next year.

Because I have struggled in the past trying to learn how to use this tool, I think that will be the biggest challenge for me will be to not get frustrated and power through.

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Crocheting is something that I have tried once before, and it was about 2 years ago. It was more challenging than I expected to pick something that is truly NEW for me. I have dabbled in trying many things and stuck with some longer than others. Crocheting is an activity that I have the materials for (needle and yarn), but I do not remember anything about it. I have a small "how to" book that I will use for guidance as well as videos online. I would like to complete a couple of simple projects by the time we finish this course. I also chose this project because it is something that I am genuinely interested in continuing to do after we are finished with this class.

UPDATE
I like learning kinesthetically and visually, so having a book with picture directions and a crochet hook and yarn to move physically are both helpful  for me. While it has been a while since I tried this, and it feels awkward and new again, I am trusting that with more practice, my hands will develop or remember the muscle memory that this activity requires.

I have learned a chain stitch, and a single crochet stitch. I had no problems starting the first chain with a basic chain stitch. However, when it came time to start on a second chain, I  went to youtube for more visual support and explanation.  I started over a few times, but learned how to add on a second chain and so on. I definitely need more practice to figure out turning on the corners.

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I have been pretty active for most of my life, I workout regularly, was a cheerleader, played college golf, do yoga, etc. Recently, I downloaded a yoga plan that incorporates learning how to do a handstand. Over the next couple weeks, I plan to begin the process in accomplishing this goal. I have always wanted to master the handstand, as trivial as it sounds, but have never really committed to it, so now is the perfect time. I will be using the plan I purchased, as well as strengthening my body with my other workout plans.

UPDATE
The program I chose starts with core work before you even begin any real yoga poses/stands, so I haven't gotten to the "meat" of it yet. I really appreciate the core work though because my other yoga program is benefiting from the ab exercises I'm doing. The instructor, Karen Dimitrovova, has three days of self-paced core work, and three days of guided yoga moves (videos). One day is a rest day. I think I prefer the video days, since it most mirrors the Buti Yoga classes I used to take. I hope within the next few days, I will get to start trying the holds.

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Reflection (LSN #5)
I updated my presentation to include reflection slides at the end.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Eb9ggkLZQeyDefdw-TGDfc-a0zSjeWab2UxlVDSVCGg/edit?usp=sharing

Description (LSN 1):
I am going to learn to play the guitar in three weeks. That sound reasonable, right?

I am starting from absolute zero with this endeavor. I know nothing about the guitar and despite the best effort of my mother, neither clarinet, piano, nor drum lessons yielded much success in the way of making me a musical child. I did not retain anything from those long-ago lessons, I hated them all while they were happening and yet, about two minutes into adulthood regret at not being able to play an instrument kicked in. (Sorry, mom.) I am so completely in the dark that I’m not sure what goals to set. Can I learn one chord in three weeks or can I learn all of them? I retrieved the guitar that I’m borrowing today, so now I know that “parlor” is a type of guitar and that “feeble fingers” is a term people use. I’m already learning!

I was already toying with this idea given the quarantine but had not quite motivated enough to make it happen. This will be the perfect opportunity to try something that I’ve been curious about for a long time. I have a beginner’s book and I plan on accessing video tutorials. Fender (fender.com) is currently offering three months of online lessons for free. I suspect they will be well above my level, but I’m going to check them out.

Outside of abject failure, my only concern is that I will be a bother to the cohabitants of this house. I don’t want to be an irritation to others so that may pose a problem in trying to practice.

UPDATE (LSN 2): Unfortunately, I don't have many successes to report. I am having trouble finding the time to practice. I have three classes that are keeping me pretty busy. I am also trying to respect the schedules/desires for quiet of the other people in this house so that is another time limitation.
I'm struggling to remember the chords that I'm studying. I suspect that my cognitive load is too high at the moment. I'm trying to be really mindful during practice, trying to be present and not let my mind wander, but that in itself is difficult because I am worried about other deadlines and I don't feel like I should be spending time on this "hobby."
Finally, I'm having some physical problems. My left hand wants to cramp, my left wrist is angry because I have carpal tunnel, and apparently I have short fingers because I really have trouble reaching the 5th and 6th strings.
It's a frustrating thing, but I'm learning a lot about learning and I can see the value in the experiment already.

PRESENTATION (LSN 3):
I had some technical problems and as such, this doesn't look how I wanted. The animations and audio portions are missing, which really diminishes the product. But, in the spirit of not letting the perfect be the enemy of the good, here it is...

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I have always admired people who play any musical instrument and I am passionate about learning how to play the guitar. I recently borrowed a friend's guitar to learn how to play about a year ago but I never got around to it. I am a visual learner, so using Youtube would be a great way for me to learn. My bonus goal would also to be reading music but that might be in the far future.

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LSN #1: DESCRIPTION
I am interested in learning how to embroider. While I have been shown a stitch once and leant a needle from a friend, I have yet to begin. While some embroidery can be quite tacky, there is also some amazing embroidery projects out there. I enjoy working with textiles, and this seems like a good opportunity to learn more. I have a old jean jacket with the letters “IND” embroidered on the back. My first goal will be to embroider the letter "K" before it. After that, I would like to be able to embroider a scene on a piece of cloth. A challenge will be learning the different stitches without someone in person to teach me. Youtube is a great resource, but certainly not perfect.

LSN #2: UPDATE
Alright. The hardest part is designated time!I have collected the materials, practiced a few stitches, and attached the backing. Once I began, I realized that the coat needed a few mends. As is quite typical when I begin any project, I have now become distracted by everything else. Alas, I have added embroidery to my todo lists each day. This makes it much more likely I will take time each day. I am excited by the prospect of looking cool in my jacket ;) and making gifts for others, so I am motivated.

LSN #4: PEER REFLECTION (I have posted on other's responses, but I was not sure if I needed this reflection here).
Looking through my colleagues’s presentations I noticed that some of us struggled with the stick-to-itiveness necessary for acquiring a new skill. I noticed that some noted, as I felt, that it was challenging to motivate to find the time to practice. Even though I had motivation to learn embroidery and I am still not done learning about it, I did not prioritize practicing. I often learn skills quickly and because of this I can be lazy when it comes to practicing. I think about my students who either have no interest in learning the subject we are covering in class or are used to being successful, so haven’t learned to put in sustained effort. It is easy to feel frustration with these students. I am reminded of the importance of making the learning in our classroom engaging and relevant to my students as well as teaching students how to practice and develop more “stick-to-itiveness,” when there are difficult concepts or skills to learn.

LSN #5: PROJECT REFLECTION (not sure if this is the right place for this information)
I chose to learn how to embroider because I love the aesthetic of it and I wanted to finally finish mending and embellishing my jean jacket. I had a simple goal of embroidering the letter K on the back on my jacket to add to the IND already embroidered on to the back. I have had this jacket for almost two years with the letters IND. It was a fun game to ask people how they think the person who previously owned this jacket wanted to finish the word. The best answer I heard was to write the word “KIND.” This project reinforced the reality that I struggle with learning and practicing new skills without outside motivation. Were I to be embroidering for someone else or a part of a class, it would have been much easier for me to stick with the practice and completion of the project. I would say I sort of succeeded. I completed my goal of embroidering the K on my jacket, but it was not at the quality I would have hoped.

Although I crave it, I am nervous about receiving feedback. I can often guess what the feedback giver is going to say as I am usually my harshest critic. This realization always reminds me of the importance of having students reflect on the strengths and growth areas of their work. When they, and I, can develop that meta-cognition, the learning is often deeper and the motivation to succeed stronger. There was no constructive peer feedback on my project, so responses brought more confidence and optimism about my work.

As this project and reflection relates to equity in our classrooms and schools, I continue to be reminded that it is necessary to reflect students' strengths back to them in order to build their confidence. This and the necessity of making learning relevant and important to students, are both culturally responsive and effective practices as it relates to inclusion of students. Choice in content, process, and product are also important ways to develop equity in the classroom. Through this project we were asked to choose the skill we wanted to learn, in doing so we were more engaged and the barriers of access and relevance were mitigated. This awareness allows for the cultural and racial differences between teacher and student to be lessened because students are able to engage in their world instead of experiencing the continued agenda of assimilation into dominant culture ideas.

LSN #3: PRESENTATION
My journey.

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Learn Something New Project _Haffenreffer

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To round out my MS ELA classes especially online (and with an eye on Project Based Learning, Real World Problem Solving and Experiential Learning) I want to learn and practice adding music into the lesson. In preparation for this I will experiment with technology (Padlet, FlipGrid and Canvas especially) which I will have to learn pretty much from scratch. I will also need to attempt to pick out the matching music which to date has been something I usually just avoid thinking about. I suspect this will mean listening to more music and there may be some helpful apps to acquire.

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For an art teacher, I have very few experiences painting portraits. My own professional experience with painting is limited - my focus in school was on drawing, printmaking, and mixed media work, including fibers and sculpture.
I was already planning to learn how to paint better portraits this summer, so I am excited to start this journey! I have a vision of a portrait series that I want to make featuring women who have inspired me during this time of crisis - but I need to build some skills to bring my vision to life.
My goal for the next three weeks is to paint at least two draft portraits, in preparation for the portraits that I will paint for my final series. I would love to have four drafts by the end of this course, but I want my goal to be reasonable as I'm not sure how time consuming each draft will be at this point.
One challenge that I anticipate coming up is frustration with color mixing for skin colors. I have experienced this challenge in the past with paintings - once I mix a good color, it is hard to recreate it, and acrylics dry really fast.
Another possible obstacle is trying to determine the amount of realism I want to include in the portrait. I want to strike a balance between impressionistic and realist styles, but I'm not exactly sure what that looks like yet!

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I'm able to cook a few things, but don't have very extensive knowledge and honesty just get lazy sometimes. Especially during the busiest times of the year for me (sports seasons) I've found myself going for freezer meals because it seemed like the quickest option. My goal is to try cooking 2-3 new meals per week and increase in a little more difficulty each week (for example, maybe a little bit more prep beforehand) to see what will work best for me when things get busier in the fall, and learn a few new healthy recipes as well!

UPDATE:

So far I've found the time to cook two new meals through the app eMeals, and I've found that I don't like following directions to a T and improvise with ingredients. With my first meal (a taco salad) I improvised and used white beans that I had in my cupboard instead of the required black beans, and used ground turkey instead of ground beef. The next one I did was brown rice, and chicken with grilled mushrooms and mozzarella cheese. The side was supposed to be green beans, but I had a bunch of leftover lettuce and made a salad instead. My friend tried it last night and rated me a 6/10 - could've added more seasoning to the chicken and the rice was a little undercooked, so I definitely have some areas of improvement. Otherwise, it's been fun trying to cook some new meals I wouldn't normally make!

My goal for this week is to try to stick to the recipes as much as possible.

Final Presentation:
To view my presentation, you'll need to download it because of the file size.

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Learning Something New Project (LAUREN STARTS)

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I've wanted to learn to crochet for a while now. I'm one of those people who need something to do with their hands, even while sitting still. I'd much rather be crocheting than playing on my phone, so this is a good time to learn. I tried once before, but it didn't come easily, and I gave up. I won't give up this time. I have crocheting needles and yarn; I just need to the motivation. Now, I've got it.

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I have a friend who loves golf and has been spending a lot of the quarantine golfing, since golf courses are one of the few recreational places that stayed open over the last few months. I've never played before (aside from the occasional game of mini golf), so I went along with him to the course last week so he could teach me. It was definitely a rough first try, and I realized there are so many subtle movements that go into an effective golf swing. Although it was a rough first try, I'm trying to keep a growth mindset and hope to become better in the coming weeks!

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I am a newly graduated student that spent one year living off of dorm food, two years in my sorority house being fed by our house cook and one year living in my own place where my boyfriend cooked all of our meals. Although not cooking for yourself sounds amazing, especially when we get really busy but it has always been a goal of mine to learn to cook for myself. Now that I am in between jobs and have extra time to spend on perfecting my cooking skills, I plan to! I have already created a Pinterest board of recipes that I plan to try over the next few weeks. I plan to cook meals without meat/dairy when possible and limit carbohydrates such as bread and pasta. Not only do I plan to expand my cooking skills in general, I also plan to learn to cook healthy meals using correct portion sizes. I am really excited to share this journey with you because it has been something I have thought of doing for the last few years, I just never had the motivation to do it!

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A couple of years ago I took a summer course with Nellie Edge in Salem, Ore. She offers many courses in kindergarten reading and writing. She is also very well known for her Sing, Sign and Read videos, CDs and books, which I use every day in my kindergarten classroom. Nellie sings and plays the Baritone Ukulele. When I took the class we were able to play with one of her ukuleles to explore what it would be like play it to sing with children. I was so inspired that I immediately began to look for a Baritone Ukulele of my own. Within a few weeks I found one for sale (a retired music teacher) in Florence, Ore. I drove over from Eugene and bought it. It needed some work done on it (the action was too high), so that took me another year to get done. Now, it's ready to play and I'm ready to learn how to play it! For this class I would like to learn how to play at least one song  that I can play and sing with my kinders when we are back to school in the fall. Here's a picture of Nellie Edge and I at the end of one of her wonderful summer workshops back in 2018. I just love her and I want to be  just like her when I grow up!

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My job as a ceramics teacher and ceramicist is quite physical (handling 50 lb boxes of clay, loading/unloading the kiln, etc.). Additionally, since quarantine started I've been running a bit more. At the end of the day, my back and muscles can feel quite tight and I have heard great things about foam rolling to help alleviate some of the physical stress that we can carry around with us. I’ll be learning more about foam rolling and am making a goal to work on this new skill at least 5 days a week.

I tried my first session today!

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After Running Foam Roll Routine. Reduce soreness, increase performance, free massage video

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A few years ago, my wife and I went on a jogging "kick" because our older son had participated in a couple of half marathons. Well, long story short, after some training, we made sufficient excuses (time, age, too few/many 5k events, too much soreness, etc.) and abandoned our efforts. Since the pandemic, I started  exercising more regularly. I decided to include jogging  in my regimen because I remember feeling really good  physically and mentally - despite the soreness! Recently, I learned that PSU Campus Rec scheduled a virtual 5K on August 2. I figured that participating in this event would give me the incentive to actually start jogging. Motivation is the biggest factor - I'm a team player at heart.  As an individual it becomes way too easy to give up! Jogging is pretty tough on my body so I know I'll also have to combine it with other activities like yoga or stretching exercises...and the company of my wife and/or daughter to coach me through!

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Something that I have always wanted to be able to use in my music classroom is my classical guitar. I have had it since college, but haven't devoted the time I need to be proficient in playing it while I sing. One method of playing that I really want to work on is finger picking. I have found this method challenging in the past because it takes a lot of coordination of the right hand, the picking hand. This is hard for me because my first instrument is the viola, where the right hand fingers do not engage in separate fine motor movements. A classical guitar is unique because the top three strings are nylon instead of steel, which makes it easier for my small hands to play tough chords, unlike an average acoustic guitar. The compositions of Villa Lobos have always been some of my favorites for classical guitar.