David Frias

May 1, 2007

I. "MY SYNTHESIS PRODUCT SHOWS THAT..."

A. I can convey who I want to influence/affect concerning what (Subject, Audience, Purpose).

- I felt that I was very clear on the fact that my goal was to not only educate myself on the subject, but the audience as well; the audience being the ordinary citizen and the local and state governments of Phoenix and Arizona.

- I think that I would have had more of an influence on my audience if I would have dedicated a section of my synthesis project to discussing what the ordinary citizen could do to ensure that public transportation became successful in Phoenix.



B. I know what others have done before, either in the form of writing or action, that informs and connects with my project, and I know what others are doing now.

- I definitely know what others have tried in the form of urban planning, zoning laws, real-estate development, public transportation, and the use of taxes to try to solve the problem of traffic congestion and the promotion of public transport.

- I could have done a bit more work to find out about more organizations that are promoting the use of public transportation and smart growth in order to stop urban sprawl and traffic congestion. If this was included in my paper, then it might have helped motivate others to take action and join these kind of organizations.




C. I have teased out my vision, so as to expand my view of issues associated with the project, expose possible new directions, clarify direction/scope within the larger set of issues, and decide the most important direction.

- I think I did a great job at this because I researched all the various players of the issue and found out how complex solving traffic congestion by using public transportation was. I discovered how the government, private developers, transit authorities, and the public must work together to make all the different solutions work. I was able to sort through the complex background research to come up with the solution I ultimately came up with.

- As stated before, the one direction I didn’t pursue was that of finding out about the organizations that exist in trying to solve the problem and how the regular individual can become involved in order to try to solve the problem or urban sprawl and traffic congestion.



D. I have identified the premises and propositions that my project depends on, and can state counter-propositions. I have taken stock of the thinking and research I need to do to counter those counter-propositions or to revise my own propositions.

- I think I did a good job because for every idea that I thought was good and I suggested be used, I searched for the counter arguments in order to come up with my response to those arguments. I was very critical of all my suggestions and thought of the possible negative aspects myself.

- I think that I could have been a bit more sympathetic to some of the criticism and concerns that were raised by people instead of simply trying to contradict them. Looking back, some of them were very valid and I could have worked on a way to address their concerns while still trying to achieve my goals.


E. I have clear objectives with respect to product, both written and practice, and process, including personal development as a reflective practitioner. I have arranged my work in a sequence (with realistic deadlines) to realize these objectives.

- I think I virtually excelled in this. Since the start, I knew what I wanted my project to be about, although I had a bit of trouble explaining myself. The flow of my paper was very structured and designed to educate the reader on the subject and why I made the suggestions I did. I set deadlines for myself that were not always met, but close. I met my objectives and goals concerning the final product and the methods I used to get there.

- The one thing I feel I could have worked on would be to have met my deadlines. I missed them because of my other class’s workload, my work, and personal life duties. Time management became an issue at times that led to me missing deadlines.



F. I have gained direct information, models, and experience not readily available from other sources.

- I feel that the best information that I gained that I could not get from my research was that of using dialogue. I facilitated a dialogue with peers in order to get their ideas on how they thought public transportation should function. I was able to get the ideas of the actual people who I want to convince to ride public transport; it was the best thing next to conduction a survey. I learned more in this dialogue than I did reading up on public transportation and why it was a failure in some places and a success in others.

- I would have tried to have had dialogues with different groups of people in order to have gotten a larger spectrum and more knowledge from the average citizen. I think speaking to the average Joe is very important when trying to figure out how to get them to leave their cars behind and take public transportation most of the time.




G. I have clarified the overall progression or argument underlying my research and the written reports.

- I believe I was successful in this aspect because my chapter on the history of urban sprawl and traffic congestion and the solutions being attempted to solve them, allowed the reader to realize the complexity of the subject and to understand why I chose certain solutions to solve Phoenix’s traffic congestion problem.

- Although I think I did a good job clarifying my arguments and my thought process, I could have probably done a better job at explaining the reason I was so interested in the subject. I know I gave the reasons in my paper, but somehow I don’t feel I made the reader really realize why I was interested in this subject. Sort of hard to explain why I feel this.



H. My writing and other products Grab the attention of the readers/audience, Orient them, move them along in Steps, so they appreciate the Position I've led them to.

- I feel I did a great job on this subject because readers who have looked at my project were very interested in it and seemed like they had learned a lot. Feedback from my presentation was that they were really interested in it and learned a lot. My reader for the project admitted that they had no interest in reading the paper bud did so because of my request for them to edit it, but after they were done, they loved it and were very interested in learning more about the subject.

- I think I could have improved on my project by helping the average Joe better understand the complexity of the subject and what they could do themselves to solve the problem. I think I attempted this, but I could have done way better in my opinion.



I. I have facilitated new avenues of classroom, workplace, and public participation.

I was active in class and offered suggestions to the others when asked. I used dialogue to get public participation on my project and hopefully my project will inspire the public that reads it to participate.

- I just need to be better at facilitating new avenues in the workplace and public participation. I’m not sure how at the moment, but with my new found free time, I can think about it.



J. To feed into my future learning and other work, I have taken stock of what has been working well and what needs changing.

- What worked really well is that I made myself understand the history and true complexity of the issue so that I could come up with my solutions. I did appropriate research for this project, but I understand that there is so much more to be done before I can ever say I’m close to being done with the subject.

- What I needed to work on for this project and from now on is to find more of the negative aspects of my suggestions so that I really am confident that they are the correct choice. I think I did a good job at this for my project, but I could have done way better in my opinion.

II. DEVELOPING AS A REFLECTIVE PRACTITIONER, INCLUDING TAKING INITIATIVE IN AND THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS

1. I have integrated knowledge and perspectives from CCT and other courses into my own inquiry and engagement in social and/or educational change.

- I mostly used the techniques learned in critical thinking and creative thinking to not only find the solutions, but to make sure they were sound. I was able to understand the problem and see what I felt didn’t and did work.

- I could have better used more techniques from dialogue in an attempt to gather more information from all types of regular citizens concerning the matter and not just peers.


2. I have also integrated into my own inquiry and engagement the processes, experiences, and struggles of previous courses.

- I felt I did a good job at trying to answer my own questions raised and used the methods from Practicum to help me write the paper itself.

- I could have better used more of the methods learned throughout my education at UMass instead of the main ones I learned. It could have made my paper a lot better I think.



3. I have developed efficient ways to organize my time, research materials, computer access, bibliographies, etc.

- I was very efficient on the way I organized my materials, backing up of my paper (although I did have one mishap), and I was good at keeping my bibliography up to date as I did research instead of trying to go back to do it later.

- I could have better managed my time. I had trouble working on the paper at times as my mind was on my other class, my personal life, and on my career. This led to my missing a few deadlines which was upsetting to me. I definitely need to continue working on time management.


4. I have experimented with new tools and experiences, even if not every one became part of my toolkit as a learner, teacher/facilitator of others, and reflective practitioner.

The tool I best used was that of facilitating a dialogue in order to find out about what my peers thought about public transportation. I have realized that dialogues are a great way to get information without having to interview individuals or give them questionnaires.

- Although I used a lot of the techniques that I learned in Practicum, I didn’t fully utilize them. I think that if I had, I would have turned in a paper that was better than the one I turned in.



5. I have paid attention to the emotional dimensions of undertaking my own project but have found ways to clear away distractions from other sources (present & past) and not get blocked, turning apparent obstacles into opportunities to move into unfamiliar or uncomfortable territory.

- I was very emotionally vested in this project and although I had many distractions, I always found myself coming back with a vengeance because I was very interested in the subject and I wanted it to be the best and to be completed in time. I was highly motivated the whole semester to finish on time and that always brought me back in line when I got distracted.

- I did allow my personal and career get in the way of my synthesis project at times and I missed deadlines. It made me very uncomfortable to now work for company that wasn’t to happy with my being in school and thus were not flexible; that proved a major challenge to me. I suffered a bit at school and work in that my mind was always at two places at once, but I succeeded. I just need to become better at staying focused on one thing at a time and not be distracted.



6. I have developed peer and other horizontal relationships. I have sought support and advice from peers, and have given support and advice to them when asked for.

-I did a great job of forming a support group with Marnie and Julie as we always talked about our progress and asked each other for advice on the subject and direction of our projects. My fiancé was also a great source of knowledge.

- I could have done a better job at seeking out more advice from more of my peers in the synthesis class. I felt comfortable with Julie and thus did not open up to suggestions from others really, though if they offered them I did take them into account.



7. I have taken the lead, not dragged my feet, in dialogue with my advisor and other readers. I didn't wait for the them to tell me how to solve an expository problem, what must be read and covered in a literature review, or what was meant by some comment I didn't understand. I didn't put off giving my writing to my advisor and other readers or avoid talking to them because I thought that they didn't see things the same way as I do.

- I think I did a great job at taking initiative to research all aspects of my topic and tried to find out the pros and cons that exist. Towards the end of the project, I kept great communication with my professor and advisor regarding my project and meeting of deadlines.

- I could have definitely done a better job at the beginning of keeping my professor and advisor up to date with where I was in my project. I should have better communicated the direction I was taking and what I was finding out. I tend to have an attitude I think that I can do it myself and tend to leave others out; something I need to keep working on.



8. I have revised seriously, which involved responding to the comments of others. I came to see this not as bowing down to the views of others, but taking them in and working them into my own reflective inquiry until I could convey more powerfully to others what I'm about (which may have changed as a result of the reflective inquiry).

- I responded very well to others comments and took them into account if I felt they did help my synthesis project and helped convey my idea better. I did reject the ones that I felt did not agree with my ‘vision’ such as when Peter suggested that I should instead try to find way to get the regular Joe to find ways to stop using the automobile. I didn’t feel that this really addressed my idea of making public transportation a success so I rejected it.

- I think I could have listened to Peter’s idea a bit more in that I should have included more ideas on what the average Joe could do to ensure that public transportation was a success.



9. I have inquired and negotiated about formal standards, but gone on to develop and internalize my own criteria for doing work—criteria other than jumping through hoops set by the professor so I get a good grade.

I think I did a good job of always making sure that I was meeting standards for the project and I feel that they met a lot of my criteria for writing a good paper and presenting a good presentation. I don’t feel I had to jump through hoops to simply get a good grade.

- I really had no issues with the formatting and things of the paper and presentations as I feel they added to their strength.



10. I have approached the CCT synthesis course and the CCT program as works-in-progress, which means that, instead of harboring criticisms to submit after the fact, I have found opportunities to affirm what is working well and to suggest directions for further development.

- I honestly feel that I did approach the CCT synthesis and CCT as works-in-progress. I will continue researching about my subject and continue to follow the happenings in Phoenix, even after I finally relocate. As I have stated in my synthesis, I will continue to utilize all the techniques I learned throughout CCT as a way to improve myself personally and help me in my future career endeavors. My personality has always been of self improvement and always learning new things; CCT has only strengthened that belief and has helped me better achieve the goals of self improvement.

- The only thing I need to work on honestly is to try to use more of the techniques and methods that I learned than just the main ones. Now that I will have free time, I will go back and review my materials of the past two years to make sure I use all that I learned throughout the past two years.