Reflection

Completing my Capstone project has truly helped me grow as a person. The Capstone Project forced me to think in new ways and apply things I learned to real-life problem-solving. A majority of my project was independent work. I was presented with a set of parts and I somehow had to turn it all into a moving device without any instructions whatsoever. This is where my critical thinking and creativity was used. I was forced to think of how to build something out of what I was given while still being creative and think in a new way in order to get it to work. Communication and collaboration were at a minimum for my specific project. The only communication necessary was telling my mentor when I was able to come in to work or what the plan for our next meeting was. Collaboration was very minimum as well. My mentor simply provided me with suggestions or advice as I constructed the kits instead of simply telling me what to do because the point of the kits was to get me to figure them out for myself in order to see how I think individually.

The Capstone Project has helped me develop into the person I most likely want to be in the future. I was able to get hands-on experience with robotic parts, tools, and programming. I was forced to problem-solve on-site without any help. I was forced to think independently and creatively in order to get all of my kits to work properly. My professional social skills also improved. Sending professional emails or making appropriate phone calls no longer make me as nervous as they did before the Capstone Project. Completing the Capstone Project has definitely solidified what I want to pursue as a career in the future.

The main challenges I faced were time management and working independently with minimal assistance. Breaking my ankle in the middle of the semester really put a time constraint on my project. I was unable to drive myself around or meet with my mentor because we did not believe having a wheelchair in the workshop was safe. This took up almost a month and a half of my available mentor time so when I started to meet up my mentor afterwards, I made sure to put in multiple hours per day and make sure I was actually accomplishing something each meeting. I had to make sure I was working harder since time was much shorter than I had planned on earlier. I spent almost every day immediately after school in my mentor's workshop. Working independently was also quite challenging. I usually prefer working by myself, but once a problem arises I like to have a second person's opinion or suggestion in order to help me solve the problem. However, with this project, I was forced to solve things for myself. My mentor was only allowed to give me limited advice while I was forced to figure the rest out for myself. This became really frustrating after awhile. I became irritated because I really couldn't solve one of my problems or think of any other solutions. I got to the point where I simply just wanted my mentor to help me out and solve the problem for me, but of course, he refused. Once I realized that I truly had no other way around the problem besides sitting there and thinking it through for myself, I was eventually able to solve it. It took several trial and error methods, and several more hours, but I was able to do it. Working independently really helped increase my patience and my ability to stay calm when a project becomes frustrating.

The Capstone Project has definitely benefited me. I feel even more excited to study Computer Engineering in college and to pursue it as a career. I now have some experience with electronics and robotics that I can use to my advantage. My problem-solving skills have improved immensely and my brain is now open to thinking in different ways to solve problems. After my Senior Capstone Project, I feel like I've grown as a person, and am now ready to learn more about electronics and robotics in college.