Pathway reflection
This section details how I chose this project, how it meets the learning goals I outlined in my LIPD and how it has affected my learning pathway.
Originally OP4 in my LIPD was Community engagement. During a Guild meeting with Charles (at the time I was wrapping up my OP3) I discussed my plans for my OP4, he said it sounded a lot like what I had just done for my OP3.
I realized it was true and thought about simplifying the subject to hone my OP and Mahara skills, as it is a priority skillflex in my LIPD.
I looked through various OPs (see annotated resources) and felt a simple build project would fulfill my needs. I quickly came up with the idea of a PSP, living in a cold cabin, and PS being a priority skillflex in my original LIPD.
My original Skillflex chart is still working great for the purpose of tracking my progress. The flex that was added during this cycle was Social Enterprise. This is my long-term goal of creating a business which combines a Permaculture installation service and hands-on school.
Summary of primary un/learnings details in 3.2 Un/learning journals:
- Prototyping/outlining projects is the building of a foundation
- Voicing your feelings is an important intervention leading to clarity
- Knowing your tools/materials before designing saves time and improves the outcome
- By informing people and getting them involved you increase and strengthen your project and team
- Clear communication about a project helps a client feel involved
- All design must be well informed by the site, no rubber stamping
- Guild meetings are very important as they can clarify your learning pathway
- Overestimating time for a project is essential when you know there is a learning curve
- Design with maintenance/deconstruction in mind
- Intervention and emergence have an important roles to play in a project’s process
Creative Commons license
2.1 Commentary - Pathway Reflections by Will Bode is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from Will Bode.
Skillflexing for OP4
Below is a summary of the skills I flexed during this cycle. My full updated and color-coded Skillflex chart is attached below. Click the image to enlarge.
Reflections on OP process
Creating a thorough outline changed the entire OP experience, revealing patterns of my process and informing how and where to intervene in those patterns. Choosing to do a focused OP with a single project was the right choice for flexing my OP skills. Intervening in my pro-reviews yielded multitudes of information that has had a positive impact on the outcome of this OP.
My next step is to create a template for my Year in review OP5 which I have already started. I am feeling much more confident in OP creation because of this cycle.