ConnerTippetts

4/25/16
CHEM1010

ePortfolioReflection

Aftertakingthissemesterofintroductorychemistry,Ihavenotonlyrefreshedmy
mindofchemistryconceptsIhavelearnedinhighschool,buthavelearnednew
processesandproceduresthatwillbenefitmeinmyfuturework.
Asaworkingsurgicaltechnologist,Iusechemistryconceptseveryday.Whether
itisinmixingsterilemedicationsorevenusingvariousbiomedicaldevices,learning
moreaboutchemistryinthiscoursehashelpedmeconnectmorewithmywork.
Realistically,Imaynotusetheperiodictableorotherchemistrytoolsinmyeveryday
life,butthesystemoflearninghowtoprocessdataandconvertthatdatatosolvea
problemcanbehelpfultomenow,ifnotthefuturealso.
Inthisclass,oneofthemostfrequenttoolswelearnedhowtousewasapplying
datafromexistingtablestosolvespecificproblems.Forexample,wewouldusethe
periodictabletogetvalenceelectroninformationaboutacertainelementandinsertit
intoanequationwelearnedinclasstosolveagivenproblem.Thisisausefultooland
skilltopossessinlifeaftercollege.Tobeabletoextractinformationfromdifferent
sourcesandcombinethemtosolveaspecificproblemisaninvaluableassettoa
business,alaboratory,andeventoaneducator.
ProbablythemostlaborintensiveportionofthisclasswastheonlineOWL
chemistryhomework.Itforcesthestudenttotrulyunderstandthematerialthroughtrial
anderror.ThetraditionalhomeworkassignmentsIhavereceivedinpastchemistry
classeswasscoredonlyonceandusuallynotreinforceduntilthetest.Theonline
homeworkinthisclassallowsthestudent,namelyme,tomakeamistake,andlearn
fromitbypracticingasimilarproblem.Eventhoughthistendstobeamoretime
consumingprocessthanthetraditionalsinglepracticehomework,Itrulybelievemy
comprehensionofthecoursecurriculumhasincreased.
AsIcontinueonmypaththroughcollegeandthenintotheworkforceandreal
life,howcanIkeepthehabitsandskillsIhavelearnedfromthisclassstrong?The
truthisthattheseskillsoflearningandapplicationareusedeverydayintheworkforce.
Becausetheavailabilityofpracticesituationsisplentifulinmyfuture,thetruetestis
whetherornotIwilltakeadvantageofsituationsthatmakemeuncomfortableinmy
seat.Oneofthemainreasonstotakechallengingcoursesincollegeortakingona
challengingassignmentintheworkplaceistobeuncomfortable.Beinguncomfortable
affordsonetheopportunitytolearn.IthinkthisisthegreatestlessonIhavelearned
fromthiscourseandmorespecificallyasIhavegonethroughcollege.Ihopeto

continuetoplacemyselfinuncomfortablesituationsinthefutureforthesingulargoalof
growth.