The End: My Synthesis

Throughout my previous courses I have been able to ascertain without a doubt what I was going to walk away with to add to my educational tool bag. At the start, and even through part of the middle of CEP 882 I was still trying to figure out what the class would give me to take into a classroom. I started out with hesitation, which quickly turned into procrastination, finally leading to poor initial performance. I did not know what I was supposed to be doing, or what I was supposed to be gaining from the course. I only wanted to make it out alive. Looking back I can say that I only had one other course similar to this, and by the end of it I still felt a little lost. Luckily CEP 882 grew on me; the ideas of art and the concepts of the Nature and Design of Compelling Experiences (NDCE) began to develop a use for my tool bag.

The photography module at the beginning of the course made me feel as if the entire course would be similar and it felt pointless and simple. As we moved into the Architecture and interior design module my opinion slowly began to change. Although I didn’t see it during that module I can now look back and realize that module was the turning point in my learning. I began to participate fully, and to dig into the readings and the thoughts further. I wanted to find ways to relate the compelling experiences of the modules to the classroom. How can the architecture or interior design of a space help or hinder students learning. I began to think about these things even though my project focused on bridal boutiques as I was still in transition and chose a topic I thought would be easy. Along with the desire to take each piece into a classroom environment I learned a lot in the way of technology and social networking.

I have not had a Facebook page in just over a year. I did not enjoy being a part of something in which anyone could look me up, try to befriend me, put my pictures on their site, and talk about me. I had to come to terms with recreating a Facebook account for CEP 882. I learned that discussing things on this social media is a great way to interact with a group of people with the same interests. Although I don’t think I will continue to do anything else with my current Facebook page, it was a good media for discussing things with our classmates during the past few months.

As for technology I have learned a great deal in the way of digital media usage. I had never made a video before or uploaded document, videos, or other media to Facebook before and now I can comfortably say that I know how. I may not be an expert, but I can now create a video with audio recording and be happy with the end result. It was through the creating of these videos that I started to see an integral connection between compelling experiences in music, fashion, and architecture and teaching. I felt as if the experiences I had in this course could be taken into a classroom to make it better. For example I could create a video adventuring through a museum to take students on a virtual field trip.

During the fashion module everything started to come together. I began to see the connections of all of the compelling experiences in each module in a way that could be related to the classroom. This was certainly aided by reading Wong and Henrickson as that article was directed at compelling experiences of fashion tied to teaching. I realized that students are going to follow trends, and their attitudes toward learning will also follow the trends. If we as educators can make learning fashionable then we can succeed at grabbing student attention without changing the subject matter. The outer appearance may need a makeover, but at the end of the day the material should be the same.

I am at the end of CEP 882, and at the end of the MAED program and I am finally glad to say I have something to take with me. I started worried that the course would be a waste, but ended with realization that NDCE is key to making the classroom engaging for students of all ages. I know now that CEP 882 was a compelling experience of its own.

Sabrina