When I received the Circuit Playground Bluefruit and the lab to work on, I began to question whether or not I was fit for this class. I was lost and did not know how to code or how to begin the program. The directions were very clear, and I had a partner to work along with, so I was able to finish the first steps without much trouble. However, each step was more complex than the one before, which was stressful. At some point even my partner did not know what to do, so we asked the TA’s for help, which also took some time. When the Arduino software gave me an error it stressed me more, specifically when I was working on the music box. I probably failed more than 20 times trying to fix the code and get it to do exactly what I wanted.
Factors that contribute to my sense of belongingness are feeling welcomed. When I can connect with people who have similar experiences as me, I feel more at ease. In the beginning I thought that most of the people had some level of expertise on this subject, so when I heard that most of them did not, I felt that I was part of this class. It gave me confidence; I believed I could also manage to work things out. The main reason I wanted to take this course was because I want to pursue architecture. However, I do not have any experience in programming or woodwork knowledge, so I thought this class would help me build those basic skills. Overall, it depends on each person to decide if something is fit for them.
After carefully browsing through each website, I feel more welcomed in the second link because the title is architecture and engineers. Therefore, I know I will encounter people who have the same interest as me. The website design is simple and direct, not overwhelming with too much information. On the other hand, the first website is a lot more complex, with more colors and images. It definitely seems to be more tech related, but after reading more, it seems to also include topics such as smart grids, cities, building automation and about other industries such as construction. Though it does seem to be more visually appealing, I still feel like I would be out of place. Which is why I would choose the second website.
Leave a Reply