CST 300 - Major ProSeminar - Week 4

Week 4 - Learning Journal Post

Set Your Educational Goals

My educational goal in this computer science program is to graduate in two years and secure a job in the artificial intelligence industry immediately after college. To achieve this, I need to conduct a self-assessment and identify the steps necessary for reaching my goal. Improving public speaking is crucial since I've been a shy person since childhood, impacting my communication skills and connections. To address this, I plan to work on public speaking and actively participate in networking events like hackathons and school events to make new connections. Additionally, I recognize the importance of staying updated on evolving technology and being prepared to enhance my skills accordingly. Taking short trips to other countries for decompression and preventing burnout is something I consider valuable. Finally, to enhance my chances of securing a job post-college, I aim to participate in internships while still enrolled in college, as I know companies value students with internship experiences.

Set Your Career Goals

My career goal after graduation is to secure a job immediately after college, particularly in the artificial intelligence industry. To achieve this, I recognize the need for a self-assessment to determine the steps required for success. Networking will play a crucial role, leading me to attend conferences, networking events, and hackathons. While realizing this goal may take a few years, I plan to work on personal projects involving machine learning during this time and publish them on GitHub. I understand that the competition for jobs in the artificial intelligence field can be intense, and companies might not always have dedicated AI teams. In such cases, I am open to working as a software engineer in the aerospace and defense industry, considering its potential transition to artificial intelligence in the future. Most importantly, to achieve this goal, I know the importance of taking time to decompress if I don't secure a job immediately after college. Allowing myself this recovery time is essential to prevent burnout.

Take A While Guess of Your Percentile of The ETS Computer Science Test

After reviewing the ETS page, test description, and sample test, I don't feel prepared to take the test. I might end up below the 50th percentile compared to others taking this test. While some questions on the sample test were easy, I struggled with others, this means that I need more preparation. Perhaps, in 18 months, I'll be ready to take the ETS.

Keep Up With Your Learning Journal

This week's module covered a range of topics, starting with goal setting and a review of the ETS computer science test. The importance of stakeholders, types of claims (fact, value, policy, definition, cause), and bias in argumentation were discussed in detail. The various videos, lectures, and materials emphasized the significance of these concepts in ethical essays and argumentation. The writing lab sessions delved into stakeholders, types of claims, and offered a sample ethics argument essay outline. The emphasis on counterclaims, along with resources like "What are Stakeholders" and "5 Types of Claims," added depth to our understanding. The exploration of bias in argumentation, particularly motivated reasoning, shed light on the challenges of rational argumentation. The session on the implications of AI on our future provided a valuable perspective on how different companies approach privacy concerns and the varying impact of AI on job roles. Personally, I believe that embracing AI responsibly can enhance productivity and generate positive outcomes. Also, we had a group activity in OLI modules 4 and 5, which consisted of getting to know our team members better.

Module 4 - Collaboration (by OLI)

This week in OLI, we got to know our team members better. We did a group activity where we shared three strengths about ourselves, but one of them was untrue. It was interesting to see our teammates guess which one was the lie. This activity helped us understand each other's strengths. We also learned about team conflicts and ways to prevent them. The insights gained will be useful in building a stronger team and achieving success in the future.