Reflection on Part 1

Explanation

Evidence suggests* that reflecting on things we’ve just learned can help us to hold on to new knowledge, deepen our understanding, and increase our self-awareness.

In this assignment, you’ll write a short reflection on what you’ve learned in Part 1.

Instructions

Complete a short reflection

Using paper and pen, a text document on your computer, or a voice note, put together a short reflection on the readings and exercises you completed in Part 1. There are some tips and prompts just below!

Tips

If you get stuck, or can’t think where to start, have a look back through the work you completed in Part 1, or briefly review the assignments.

Still feeling stuck? Here are some prompts:

• What did you learn about your existing skills? Since you completed the skills exercise, have you had any other ideas about how they could help you as a designer?
• How do you feel about “imposter syndrome”? Have you experienced any advantages of embracing it so far?
• Within your day-to-day, what practices do you think could help you to get good at design?
• Based on what you read in Part 1, how would you now define design? Are there any ways that you think you could expand that definition?
• Has your learning so far made you think any differently about something you see or use every day?
• Have you experienced any negative thoughts during Part 1? What were they, and how do you think you could challenge them?
• What positive thoughts have come up so far? Are there particular assignments that you felt good about? Why do you think that was?

• What are you looking forward to?

You can also try things like making a list of all the things you learned, writing down any questions you have, or reflecting on topics you’re feeling unclear about.

Assignment version 1.0
Last updated 7 June 2021

* Reflection is a part of David Kolb’s influential model of the experiential learning cycle (1984, 2nd edition 2015  ). Jennifer Moon argues for reflective learning in professional development courses — see “Using reflective learning to improve the impact of short courses and workshops” (2004  ). A study by Robin Stark and Ulrike-Marie Krause suggests that reflection on learning positively impacts learning outcomes — see “Effects of reflection prompts on learning outcomes and learning behaviour in statistics education” (2009  ).