Introduction

Learning is about obtaining new information and using it to tackle a problem. Whether it is learning a skill that helps you solve a problem you are facing, or out of pure interest or enjoyment about the topic, learning is all about seeking information, and putting it to use.

Computer Science 375

I have learned many things throughout university, and I still have much more to learn. My best learning experience thus far has to be from the Fall 2024 semester, in the third year of my Health Information Science (HINF) program. During that semester, I had my best learning experience in communication and teamwork. One course sticks out, “Computer Science 375: Introduction to Systems Analysis” (CSC375), taught to us by Professor Roberto A. Bittencourt. Teaching CSC375 was a learning experience for Professor Bittencourt as well, as it was his first time teaching it, but I digress.

In CSC375, students were divided into 24 groups of six, and were instructed to work on a large-scale group assignment that would total 70% of our grade by the end of the semester. The assignment was broken into 9 components, and all six of us were involved in those components. When starting the semester, I had a difficult time assimilating with the group, especially since I was meeting some teammates for the first time.

A Constructivist Approach to Communication

However, throughout the semester, I took on a constructivist approach to learning how to communicate and work in a team. To elaborate, a constructivist approach to learning means I took on new experiences and advanced my learning using a hands-on approach (Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T., 2018). I created an Instagram groupchat to facilitate inter-group communication, and I chose a leadership position in the group to cultivate my communication with all other members. More specifically, we all had different roles, and I was the Project Manager.

As a Project Manager, I progressively learned to create in-person meeting times and locations, discuss/allocate responsibilities, and communicate with all team members. This not only allowed me to know my teammates much better, but it also improved my communication skills, a category I previously underperformed on.

Conclusion

Overall, I believe that taking CSC375 has taught me how to communicate more effectively. This occurred through a constructivist approach of persistently communicating with multiple people throughout the semester. Ultimately, I learned how to communicate better, and I will continue to learn more.

References

Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. (2018). Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism: Comparing Critical Features From an Instructional Design Perspective. Foundations of Learning and Instructional Design Technology: https://edtechbooks.org/lidtfoundations/behaviorism_cognitivism_constructivism