PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT

       PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT

Personality Spectrum and Multi Intelligence

According to the results, I am an organizer with a score of 27 out of 32. I also portray the thinker personality, with a score of 19 out of 32, then the giver personality, with a score of 17 out of 32. I least fall in the adventurer category with a score of 13 out of 32. According to multiple intelligence, the result shows that I am highly logical/Mathematical. I am also musical, kinesthetic, and intrapersonal to some a significant extent.

Learning and teaching styles

I prefer the cognitive learning style. My opinions, ideas, and way of thinking are analytical and logical rather than just imaginative. I approach learning sequentially; that is, I learn in stages. I visualize tasks before committing to accomplish them. I also work deliberately to attain any goal. I often acquire knowledge through experience, thought, and sensory input. Therefore, detailed representation with hands-on tasks will be the most efficient teaching style. I also love the logical presentation of content, as this improves my chances of mastery. 

Study Techniques

My study techniques include the use of pre-tests and self-quizzing. I recognize reviewing notes as well as highlighting and underlining essential concepts as a good start to understand a topic. I also carry out necessary hands-on activities to help in mastery of an idea. My study schedule comprises spaced hour-studies, which is vital for maintaining focus. I also make paraphrased short notes for reflection and reference.

Steps in career development

I am interested in building a career as a software developer and Artificial Intelligence specialist. The world today is indeed in need of saving through technology. Computers have proven more efficient than humans. I intend to pursue a master’s in the Computer Science field after my college degree. To achieve this, I have compiled a list of basic courses that I need to take. The choice of sessions is dependent on thorough research I did recently determine the soft skills required for the career I intend to take on. Currently, I am taking a Machine learning course. I also plan to take a python course after that. I have also applied to several prestigious universities that offer a computer science master’s program.

Discoveries

In pursuit of self-discovery, I realized that I am a good listener. I pay attention to people’s opinions and use this to improve my skills. I also help friends solve issues that may seem challenging and sometimes demotivating. I also recently discovered that I understand best while interacting with others rather than studying on my own. People tend to have different methods of reaching an answer. People’s brains are like small books with biased information, and every idea counts.

Semester Accomplishments

During this Semester,  I have been able to work with others. I am capable of sharing my ideas confidently. I also react positively to critics. I have built a positive attitude towards life and accepted that no man is an island. Despite my little interest in reading, I learned to read daily articles to improve my knowledge of the world and other people’s opinions. Besides my course coverage, I have taken on other activities such as home workouts regularly, which had always been a challenge for me.

Being an active member of the writing club, I participated in an inter-school essay writing competition. I wrote about ‘The Evolving World of Technology.’ My essay explains the digital creations from the early 1900s to date, in addition to what the future might hold. I came in 2^nd place in my school and 8^th  position overall.

I have always been a music fanatic. This Semester, I participated in our church musical about the death and resurrection of Christ. I acted as Peter, one of the most trusted disciples of Christ. As the story goes, Peter denied Christ thrice. I am grateful to have been part of the Christian community to remind Christians that Christ is our savior.

S.M.A.R.T Goals

To achieve financial access, I have set goals to accomplish several tasks. I intend to successfully finish my Machine learning course by the end of May and begin a Python Course by the beginning of June for the next four months. I also intend to attend a minimum of 8 hackathons by the end of the year. This way, I will increase my network and my chances of attaining my dream job.

I also intend to write more educative essays by the end of next Semester. I have always held on to the saying that knowledge is power. I hope to share my experience with others. I also intend to improve on grammar through practice.  Building a reading culture has been one of my ambitions.  Good reading habits will contribute highly to how I express myself. I have developed an interest in reading newspapers to keep me updated. I intend to read articles at least thrice in a week for the next five months.

In a pursuit to become a better musician, I took up guitar lessons. I have grown fond of my guitar. I intend to have live performances in the future just to add on to my career options. Consequently, I have made it a priority to learn something new every day. I have learned to keep guitar rhythm while singing. It has helped me build a network with other potential musicians in my school. My first performance will be during the end of year talent show held annually.

Wellness Strategy

By practicing healthy eating habits and daily home workouts, I intend to lose 10 pounds by the end of the year. My daily meals all include a balanced diet. I rarely consume junk foods as they carry a lot of fats that are harmful to the body. I have managed to reduce the use of artificial spices as they are harmful after long-term use. Owing to my emotional nature, I  occasionally seek help from close friends and mentors about the challenges I am facing. Concerning the course, I purpose to always sleep for 7 to 8 hours to improve brain activity during the day.

Reflective Report

It has never been clear to me how my brain works. I always thought to talk with myself was an abnormal trait. However, research shows it is instead a sign of intelligence. Talking to ourselves helps us control our actions.

I have always loved working on my own. I usually receive positive results since I control my focus. It also saves on a lot of time, unlike group discussions, where the session goes beyond its allocated time. Despite my strong beliefs in working by myself, I recently discovered that group work has more pros than cons. Groupwork enhances mastery of content, ensures useful discussion of controversial ideas rather than basing it on my opinion only,  we find solutions to challenging problems within a short time, and it also breaks the monotony of classwork.

Despite my intellectual capabilities, I am not a risk-taker. This statement is valid only because I take calculated steps towards solving a problem. I have always ruled out options that are uncertain though possible, to some extent. I prefer to be realistic rather than imaginative. I base my arguments on proofs rather than just possibilities. I am, however, dissatisfied with this result since risk-takers tend to be visionary. They foresee and work towards making it a reality. Not everything is sure, and that makes life interesting.

I enjoy work that requires detailed planning and follow-through. I have often found myself asking questions with obvious answers. Now, I understand that I need reassurance when getting a job done. It is difficult to continue with a piece of work whose approach is unclear. Besides, understanding the problem is the first step to solving it.

My fear of criticism as often made me shy away from openly speaking my mind. I never thought I would ever gain the courage to speak up. However, close friends have contributed to my optimistic attitude. I have received support and judgment, which has challenged me to see further than just criticism. Positive criticism never throws one off-balance; it keeps one on track. Imagine never having anyone to question your every move. You can never be too sure whether your actions are practical. Criticism has made me use my intellectual capabilities to discover better solutions.

Since childhood, I have always cared less about people’s opinions. Constant bullying by my peers made me question the need for friends. I thought I could get by on my own. However, this is not the case. Being an organizer, I value relationships. I keep my friends close enough to care about their well being. I have developed a sense of belonging. I love helping others achieve their goals. Adulthood has its challenges but quite different from my childhood ones. Distinguishing the two will help me clear the room for improvement.

I work best in a stable environment, free from abrupt changes. I had always loved listening to music while doing calculations. I divided my focus to accomplish my assignments while singing along to my best songs on the radio. This strategy has proven futile on some days when calculations are a bit complex. Research shows that focusing on a single task to completion is better than multitasking. Switching between tasks requires time. The brain needs time to pick up to speed with the current job. Hence multitasking is an inefficient study technique.

Finally, I have discovered that a to-do list would help me accomplish tasks faster. I have always felt the need to plan jobs to do daily before beginning the task. I find it difficult to get any job done without knowing which one is to follow. Consequently, I find it challenging to replace tasks when the allocated time doesn’t favor the task. Moreover, I love doing tasks thoroughly. A job half done is simply undone.