Chapter 1: The Commitment to Learning

Making a commitment to learning publicly can be transformative. A quote from Austin Kleon’s Show Your Work inspired me significantly. Given my profile, it’s clear that I have a passion for learning. His insights resonate with my intentions here on Medium. I recognize my need for growth, but I understand that attempting and sometimes failing is essential for learning.

Throughout the first half of this year, one of my key objectives was to illustrate the effectiveness of an experimental mindset and encourage my teammates to adopt this approach. We made notable progress in our experimentation, leading to gratifying results.

At the same time, I realized that I needed to enhance my writing skills to articulate my thoughts and showcase my work effectively. In my Ph.D. program, strong writing abilities are crucial; otherwise, my findings remain solely my own. I began to write and seek feedback, but the pace of improvement was slow, hindering my overall productivity.

Chapter 2: The Role of Experimentation in Learning

I began to ponder how an experimental mindset could facilitate a new learning experience. It’s clear that this approach aids in discovering new methodologies to enhance creativity. My inclination as a researcher led me to consider treating my writing journey as an experiment to make it more tangible and measurable.

As per scientific principles, experimentation is defined as:

Experimental research employs a scientific methodology involving two sets of variables. The first set remains constant, allowing for the measurement of differences in the second set.

I understand that my sample size is limited to just one individual—myself—and is not randomly chosen. Moreover, I cannot control all external factors, which is often a point of contention in educational research. Considering the complexity of learning, it’s more appropriate to view it as an ecosystem rather than isolating it into a few variables.

Let’s view this as a personal experiment. I need to identify the following components:

First, I require a question to test with my experiment:

• Does daily writing enhance writing performance?
• Does writing post-reading make the writing process smoother?

These questions can be reframed into hypotheses:

• Daily writing significantly improves writing performance.
• Writing after a reading session enhances writing performance.

It's important to note that while I’m not seeking statistically significant improvements, it would certainly be advantageous to achieve that.

The variables for these hypotheses are:

• Writing performance: My level of satisfaction with the outcomes.
• Method: Engaging in daily writing and writing after a reading session.
• Control group: My past experiences with writing and the improvements I’ve made will serve as a control group. (This is not a scientific study; we are simply applying an experimental mindset.)

Following the experiment, I will analyze the data and draw conclusions. Thus far, my observations include:

• Writing after reading is easier and aids in better retention of the material.
• Daily writing and receiving feedback motivates me to write more frequently.
• I’ve discovered that showcasing my work is also a form of experimentation, as I often feel hesitant to share my voice.
• Establishing a daily writing habit fosters deeper focus; without it, organizing my thoughts and writing becomes challenging.
• Most importantly, writing encourages me to critically analyze the content I consume, such as articles on Medium, LinkedIn posts, YouTube videos, and podcasts.

Additionally, I find myself spending less time on social media as I prefer to dedicate that time to writing.

In summary, articulating my thoughts and explaining concepts to others aids my learning process, making it more meaningful and easier to assess, particularly given my engineering background. This post serves as a reflection on my learning journey aimed at enhancing my writing skills, effectively illustrating the growth I've experienced along the way.

Chapter 3: Enhancing Learning Through Reflection

In this video, "Summer of Powerful Learning: Designing Learning for Metacognitive Reflection," the emphasis is on creating a learning environment that fosters metacognitive awareness. This aligns well with the journey of reflecting on one's learning process.

Chapter 4: The Impact of Self-Reflection in Online Learning

The video "Using Self Reflection in Online Learning Experiences" discusses the importance of self-reflection in enhancing online learning. This approach complements the experimentation mindset I am exploring.