Engineers without Borders - Capstone Project Example

Information communication technology Name: Institution Instructor Date: Date Working on the EWB project compared to my expectations at the beginning of semester Before starting to get indulged with Engineers without Borders, I had my personal expectations. Some of the expectations were negative while most of them were positive. After a stretched indulgence with the EWB I can testify that the experience has been awesome and most of my expectations have been fulfilled in a very satisfying way. I can say that the experience has been fulfilling and adventurous. I have gained skill that I had anticipated and some which I did not expect. Ideally, studying about EWB has enabled me achieve the aim in my career. Having the passion in Information and technology, it has broadened my sphere on how to approach on real life issues and solve them. These are mainly issues that concern the in information communication technology. This has enabled me to identify areas where the society has embraced technology as well as the areas that still face challenges. I have developed into more of a leader as I have been nurtured to be responsible and accountable for the action that I do and those that we do collectively with my team. At first I was not sure of my abilities to undertake risk but after these committed activities at the EWB I have gained the mental strength to undertake risk. Through some projects at the EWB I have been able to expand my knowledge on various diverse issues that surrounds me because there are something’s that I did not specialize on but now I can undertake due to my experience with my team and other stakeholders. Through EWB I have been able to work with other stakeholders to address the deficiency of basic necessities such as clean water, adequate sanitation, energy, communication technology, engineering education and even waste systems. Some of these activities performed and skills gained at the EWB were first very unfamiliar as they were very different with my major field of study but as time went by I gain momentum and appreciated the need to take part in such. Some of the activities I undertake are very familiar to my major field of study and I felt at home while undertaking them. I can say that I am now rich of diverse knowledge and I appreciate the skills, knowledge and experience that I have received during my commitment at the EWB. Motivations of Studying at the University Although as a student I felt enthusiastic about learning I still needed inspiration, challenges and stimulation from my environment so as to motivate me. Whatever amount of motivation brought to the university always transforms either for better or worse taking into account its results. In this semester, engineering has explored my passion about technology. This has impacted positively on my major (computer systems). The skills I have acquired have enabled me to understand networking practice as well as computer hardware and software technology (Padilla, 2009). It has been interesting learn how the software part is integrated with the hardware so as to achieve their desired function. While undertaking my engineering course, I found programming to a bit challenging. This was attributed to the fact that, there was need to embrace various programming languages that had different coding techniques. With the advancement in technology and web application, the current programming requires combination of various programming languages. This calls for proper knowledge of a number of programming languages (Hajdini, 2008). Initially, when I started my Engineering course, I had lots of expectations. Most of them revolved on how I would acquire knowledge and become a computer expert in solving computer problems. I have achieved most of my expectation as I am now competent at integrating the software and the hardware part of the computer. In the next semester, studying at this university is going o be very exciting. This is because, I have perfected my communication skills and I am now capable of speaking fluently with my friends who speak English as their first language. Additionally, I have adapted to the environment and I can take my studies freely and consult with my instructors where I have doubt. This would enhance my performance at the university as well as improve my social skills. Moreover, I have learnt how to conduct thorough research. This would enable me to study on my own from the instructor’s guidance that would enhance my class work performance to improve. Essentially, Engineering forms the backbone of technology. New technology is put into practice through engineering. This makes me to be proud of studying engineering as I am able to embrace new technology and change people is life’s (Baillie, 2010). In this project, most people around Timor have little knowledge about computer systems and applications. Having done a course in Computer Engineering, this would enable me address their issues effectively. The skills I have acquired would also enable me set up communication centers in our project and work on the technical support of the project. I saw that I would be motivated if my needs were to be capitalized. Learners always do best when incentives for learning within the university are satisfactory to their own motives that lead them to enroll in a course. Some of the wants university students bring with them is the need to learn something so as to subsequently achieve or complete a specific task and even to gain skills so as to become competent. When such needs are satisfied one feels rewarded. The other thing that I considered to be motivating at the university was when the instructors would hold high but realistic expectations for the students. Teachers’ expectations always have a powerful consequences on the students’ performance. The instructors’ standards should always be high in a way that they are enough to motivate students so as to reach their maximum potential but it should not always be exaggerated that it frustrates in the process of meeting expectations. To establish the drive students also needed to believe and trust that success is possible and provide early chances for it. There is need for students to set achievable goals for themselves. Failure to achieve unrealistic goals is always irritating and frustrating. Students should focus not only on their grade but also on their continuous improvements. Students should be constantly be encouraged to consistently critique their personal work, analyze and evaluate their strengths and also work on their weaknesses. This can be done by working on self-evaluation forms with assignments. The course has been structured in such a manner that the students are motivated. This has been achieved by the ensuring that the university administration regularly work from the students strengths and weaknesses by devising case studies that that relate the contents of the course to students experiences and expectations and relatively the interests. The institutions also allows the students have a say on what is to be studied during a session. The course undertook should always be simple and encouraging at the beginning of the semester and increase in complexity as the semester progresses so as to give room for students confidence build-up. In a way there should exist variety in teaching methods. This is because study shows that variety reawakens student’s indulgence in a course and their motivation. There should be consistent reward for success. Research indicates that university students are motivated more by positive feedback that is successand the incitements that subsequently come with it. When there is recognition of sincere efforts there is improved self-esteem, confidence as well as competence. All these aid in promoting effective learning in institutions. Barriers While undertaking big project, the funds allocated may be inadequate that makes the project that I intend to do come to a halt. Ideally, inadequate funds are very critical barrier to studying at the university. Additionally, the intended information may be obtained from very expensive a book that needs to be purchased online as noted by Tomlinson (1993). Without enough financing students cannot buy adequate items needed to supplement the learning process like the books needed and other stationaries. It is the lack of these general education requirements that can dampen many students’ overall motivation and excitement about university because they often seem irrelevant to their major or area of interest. Students also are likely to face social and cultural barriers. Students’committedto local cultures have limited understanding of other cultures and limited recognition of cultural differences as they subsequently do not appreciate other culture and tradition due to their conservativeness. Therefore, being in a new culture and framework may be perplexing to international students. They also face social obstacles in the different community they live in and the new school they attend. Social and cultural differences may limit students’ participation in at the university and in other activities. Another barrier tat likely occurred is the in ability to fully participate in the community activities. Ideally, most university students are likely to face deficiency of community support that is also a strong barrier for them. Students in many occasions do not usually get involved in community events. Students at the university level always identify the lack of role models as a very strong barrier on average, although some of the students think of it as a strong obstacle. Low achievement of parents is also considered a low barrier because it does not usually apply to many of the student. Reasons for Our Team Success The strategy of ensuring that, the team member function effectively requires a team leader to be selected. Additionally, we selected three people who would aid the team leader in managing the project. They would offer guidance on each section that would be narrowed down. This would split the role on each member to fall under each group and would later on be discussed with the team leader. We involved the have also involved a morphological chart that would give scales on the ideas that have been suggested by members. This would aid to prioritize the activities that have to proceed before the others. Our team has always worked the way it is working because of a number of reasons that we have always paid attention to so as to have successful team work. To begin with we have always made an attempt to effectivelyclarify the common goals and purposes of the team so that everybody within the team works with a personal target which will enhance the group objective and goals. We have always seen the necessity to the team’s purposes clear. As a group we take the time to articulate the team’s performance goals and how the team contributes to the EWB’s success. Within our group we have made attempts to clarify each person’s role in achieving the common purpose of the team. We together saw the need to define each person’s role in terms of its input to the group’s and the EWB’s overall goals. We always as a team recommended that this should be carried out in specific terms, not in vague generalities. While managing the ICT project, the group has also embraced the culture of accepting all ideas without criticizing them. Each idea raised from the members are analyzed and evaluated to find out which place they can suite. Another issue that has always made us operate the way we operate is the fact that we have always paid attention to conflicts when they rose. We always considered it natural and normal when conflicts arise during our team works. We realized that conflict when handled well can actually produce very productive ideas as always has been the case. Sometimes our team members will irritate one another, involuntarily step on each other’s toes, or hurt each other’s feelings. Sometimes authentic and honest disagreements can convert into personal and heated discussions but the way we handled our issues effectively made us always come with a durable solution that was healthy to the team. As a team we give room for unpopular views and even the minorities so as to have a trade balance within the group instead of blindly misusing democracy whereby the majority always has the final say during crucial decision making. As a team we realized that we can effortlessly slip into “group think,” exclusively when they are efficacious. There are some members who may not be satisfied by the decisions we make and therefore see flaws in the way the team operate, there are those who may suggest or see improvements that could be made. We have always acted considerately and evaded politely ignorance of their views or even treating them with hostility as we realized that teams where this happens always flopespecially when their atmosphere or desiresadjust and they can no longer afford to adapt. We have always collectively tried to effectively build team trust by encouraging adiversity of opinion. We always ask, definitely for other perspectives. Through Inquisition into opinions that may not have been spoken always allow better team performance as has been the case with us. Through asking the group, “What else do we need to do? Allowperceptions not yet well-thought-out to be put on the radar and evaluated. Our team has natured an all-inclusive tradition so that those in the mainstream are always able to trust and believe that those members who differ do so honestly and with virtuousintents. We always encourage those in the minority so that they are able to have confidence and subsequently speak up voluntarily without being punished or left out. We always communicate our team success. If there is always possibility, we usually let our superiors know what we have accomplished and achieved so far as a team. In our reports we include a detailed description of what we did during our project work, state why this undertaking is significant to the company. We do also include what challenges had to be overcome. We usually do not forget to name people who made key contributions, including those outside our group. We are always keen to include those stakeholders who are usually left out of such acknowledgments, such as the receptionist who handled the overflow of calls after a fruitful public relations effort and the information technology individuals who installed the complex software we used. By doing this, our superiors have always been able to motivate us and advised us where the saw a necessity to do so. Through the guidance of our superiors in this field we’ve always managed to be relevant in our proceedings. References Baillie, C., 2010. Needs and feasibility: a guide for engineers in community projects : the case of Waste for Life. [San Rafael, Calif.] , Morgan & Claypool Publishers. Hajdini, I., 2008. Information communication technologies: Information communication technologies' impact in international companies' strategies, structures, productivity and environment pollution. [München], GRIN-Verl. Keenan, F., 2011 .International development: a casebook for effective management. [S.l.], Iuniverse Inc. Padilla, R. V., 2009. Student success modeling: elementary school to college. Sterling, Va, Stylus. Tomlinson, T. M., 1993. Motivating students to learn: overcoming barriers to high achievement. Berkeley, Calif, McCutchan Pub. Corp. Read More