Matt Tower

May 1, 2009

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

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

My synthesis is mainly aimed at the educated faction of the general public. I think that much of the vocabulary and concepts may be lost on younger children or very uneducated people. At the same time, highly educated individuals are most likely already aware of the principles and concepts I reflect on in this work. That large middle group, however, may find some of my experiences and reflections at least a little novel or interesting. My hope is to give that middle group something to contemplate and consider. I think I did a relatively good job of creating a work that is understandable and appealing to that middle group, but if I were to do it again (or continue refining it) I think I could do a better job of further narrowing the target audience.




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.

The most enlightening and guiding synthesis from the past that I got to look at was John Quirk’s synthesis on metaphors. It was a useful and guiding source for my ‘garden metaphor’ in my final chapter. I’ve also been collaborating with, and working alongside, Tara, Jeremy and Scott over this past year.


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.

This was quite possibly my greatest struggle. As soon as I injected an investigation into morality, the breadth and depth of sources, opinions and perspectives became almost paralyzing. I think my synthesis did a reasonably good job of displaying creative, critical and moral thinking in the light of my own perspective and experience. My synthesis also incorporates a constant educational flavor. If I were to continue this discipline into writing another paper or book, I think I would like to explore the religious implications much further.




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.

My synthesis is based on the premise that creative, critical and moral thinking are mutually supportive thinking styles that enhance cognitive wellbeing. The foundational assumptions and premises that such a general hypothesis rest on are almost too numerous to list. I think I did a rather good job of identifying and addressing the largest and most important factors but with such an open and deep topic, I could easily imagine objections or counter-propositions being raised that I have not addressed (or possibly even considered).

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.

While the goal of the paper is a general or illusive goal, the layout and process of the work itself is (I think) quite clear and logically displayed. I ended up adopting a timeline that was a mixture of the one and two semester layouts. The deadlines were apparently realistic and reasonable because I managed to meet them (so far). One thing that I think I should work on is putting a little more pressure on my support systems for timely feedback. I ended up meeting with my reader the week before the due date, which turned out to be a serious strain in the polishing process.


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

This is an increasingly difficult point to address. We now live in the information age and I have no reason to think that anything (in terms of material) that the CCT program provided could not be found any other way or by any other means. However, I could say that about any subject in any university. Luckily, the value of the CCT program, as I see it, is not derived merely from the material, but largely from the practices expected of the students and guidance of the instructors. Those practices and guiding moments are the unique source of value the CCT program has to offer, based on my experience.


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

I believe so. I’ve done my best to honestly consider and address the counterpoints raised by the professors, my peers or myself. I can’t recall a single time when my inner Damon spoke up against any of my final drafts.


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.

That is something only a reader could truly answer. Of course, my own writings and points are clearly presented, attention grabbing and adequately describe my position to me. I can only hope that I’ve done a particularly good job with this on the synthesis, but not all of my papers have had the same intentions.


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

The CCT program is heavily infused with projects that require the students to give presentations or lead a discussion. To that extent, we all have done this.


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

Absolutely. Holding meetings in a variety of different styles, developing idea maps, developing organized lists both for and against propositions, free writing, looking past someone’s bitching and moaning and complaining to find valid and reasonable concerns, and taking the time to step back and reflect are all practices that I’ve found particularly useful, and will hopefully continue to find useful into the future. Some other practices, like the KAQ, did not work out so well for me. Perhaps that is because of a changeable condition, that I can work on in order to gain greater value from those practices that did not work so well for me in the past. I’ve also found that I can be unnecessarily harsh, or acutely critical, with myself. This is something that can hinder my own progress and certainly seems worth practicing against (to a point).

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.

Absolutely. One of my biggest current concerns is the detrimental effect of religion on education and scientific progress. While I have not yet developed a polished or comprehensive strategy for stepping into that particular change-agent role, I know that the CCT methodology will help me in every stage of the process.

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

I think the synthesis itself is a really good example of this. The synthesis presented me with a myriad of problems, both familiar and unfamiliar. The familiar problems, like integrating research and opinion into a coherent piece, benefited from other research projects done earlier in the program. Less familiar problems, like maintaining composure in such a lengthy piece, were entirely new, but my path in dealing with them was heavily guided by practices like free writing and reflection, exemplified by the program.


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

Most of my past research was done on a small enough scale to just throw everything into a pile or folder. Then, when I was looking for something, I could just rummage through the pile to find what I was looking for without too much trouble. The synthesis forced me to become far more organized with both my hard copies and electronic copies.

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.

Yes, those tools and experiences are outlined in J (above). Idea mapping worked well and will continue to be a major part of my functional tool kit. Whereas the KAQ did not work so well for me, and although I probably won’t keep it in the frequent rotation, I do intend on keeping it on the back-burner, so to speak, just in case a particularly good opportunity to use it arises.




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.

The final section of my paper ‘an aside on religion’ probably exemplifies this struggle. I was constantly blocked by envisioning the reactions of both my parents and the general public. I eventually forced myself to come to terms with my own beliefs on a comfort level high enough to express my views openly and honestly. I’d rather be directly challenged on my views than to never properly articulate them in the first place.


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.

Hands down, unequivocal yes. I feel like Tara, Jeremy and I formed a particularly mutually beneficial support system in the early stages of the synthesis. I would be doing an injustice attempting to put into words, the incredible perspectives, advice, support and skepticism they provided. We formed a peer-support system on a level that I’ve never experienced before, and hope to continue long into the future.




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.

Although I met my deadlines and stayed on course in a timely manor, I think the biggest fault I’ve had during this process was not leaning more heavily on my reader. The input and advice I got was fantastic and useful, but it would have been magnitudes better had I received it at least a week sooner. While I’m a little disappointed in how my reader reacted to this point, the fault was mainly my own because it was my paper, my responsibility. The lesson I learned was that part of my responsibility was not just doing my own work, but keeping contact and pressure on those who I was relying on for feedback.


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).

Yes. In fact, the process of rewriting and reweaving much of my paper and points being made involved a lot of reflection and reconsideration on the basis of input from others. Even the arguments against my position helped me better articulate what my own stance is.




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.

A large part of my critical thinking section stresses the importance of being able to inquire and research apart from the grades and structures of formal education. While I still think it’s important to do a good job and to get a good grade, my principle concern is to understand and incorporate the research, perspectives, practices and experiences of the CCT program. I do intend on continuing to research and investigate my curiosities after graduation. I like getting good grades, but my drive is to be a life long learner.


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.

If this point hasn’t been made clear by now, then I’d be hard pressed to find new ways to exemplify the point. The synthesis has taught me not only the value in affirming and practicing what works, but also in the value of those criticisms, even if they come after the fact.