Weekly Report #31 (5/11)

This week in ISM I have finished my final product report, completed my board, and finalized my PowerPoint, door sign and program. For my final product, I wrote a report on my product and explained the process I went through in order to create the product. As well, I explained in detail the real world application of the pair of glasses I made and how it might benefit the optometry community. Also this week, I finished my board for FPN. I added my mentor biography and final product to the board. For my PowerPoint, I merged several of the previous PowerPoints I made from my other speeches into one. As well, I made sure that the theme matched with my board and program. For my door sign, I made a simple sign that I will post on my FPN room so people will know they are at the right place. The last thing I did this week was my program. My program briefly outlines the points that I will make during my speech. Next week, I will continue to prepare for FPN, which is on Friday. I will check with my teacher to see if my PowerPoint works in her room and will also attend a FPN rehearsal during which I will practice my mentor statement.

Weekly Report #31 (5/4)

This week in ISM I have finalized my final product, updated my portfolio, and continued to prepare for my FPN presentation. For my final product, I had to make some small tweaks to the design as the previous version wasn’t very durable and the hinge mechanism broke easily.  After updating the design, I got the glasses reprinted and they were much stronger than the previous version. Also this week, I updated my portfolio. I had a peer look over my portfolio and made some changes in order to make the portfolio look more professional. Also this week, I finished handing out the last of my FPN invitations and found a volunteer to help me with my presentation. Lastly, this week I continued to prepare for my FPN speech and worked on reducing my use of filler words. Overall, I would consider this week a success as I was able to finalize my portfolio and also update my final product. Next week, I will finish my FPN speech PowerPoint and also get my board ready. For my board, I will add some information about my mentor, shadowing experiences, and final product. As well, I will also prepare my short mentor statement so it will be ready for FPN night.

Weekly Report #30 (4/27)

This week in ISM I have printed out my invitations, re-modeled my final product, gone on a mentor visit, and started on my final product report. For my invitations, I used purple trails invitation maker in order to make my invitations and printed my invitations on cardstock. I then handed them out to my classmates this past week. As well, this week I also remodeled my final product. After having my final product printed last week, I was able to test the design and make changes to it. With my new design, I added supports to the frame and improved the locking mechanism for the glasses. During my mentor visit, I was able to learn about cosmetic contacts that can be used to change the color of your eyes. I was also able to try on a pair of these contacts and experience having green eyes. Also during the visit, I started on my final product report. In the report, I reflected on the real world application of my final product and the experiences I had making the product. Next week, I will try to finish my final product. As well, I will continue practicing for my FPN presentation. Overall, I would consider this week a success in that I was able to hand out my FPN invitations and also learn about cosmetic contacts. As well, I was able to finish most of my final product.

Weekly Report #29 (4/20)

This week in ISM I have uploaded the last fifteen minutes of my FPN speech, continued to work on my final product, and watched/critiqued two other speeches. For the last part of FPN speech, I talked about my original work, final product, and ended with my quote. Overall, I was pretty happy with my speech but felt I could have used less filler words. For my actual FPN speech, I will make sure to practice limiting my filler words and will try to incorporate visuals. This week, I also watched several of my peers FPN speech videos. I was very impressed by their FPN speeches and will be sure to work hard on mine so it can be just as good. This week, I was also able to get the parts for my final product printed. However, the parts were not as smooth as they could have been. I will spend some time next week smoothing out the parts so they will fit together better. Overall, I felt I was successful this week in that I was able to finish the second part of my FPN speech and also get the parts for my glasses printed. Next week, I will update my portfolio with the things I have done this six weeks. As well, I will get my FPN invitations printed. Lastly, I will try to have my final product assembled by the end of next week. 

Weekly Report #28 (4/13)

This week in ISM I have met with my mentor, completed an FPN speech outline, and recorded the first part of my FPN speech. As well, this week, I created a draft of my FPN invitations. During my mentor visit, I worked on my final product and also learned about the insurance side of optometry. I learned about the different types of insurance policies and how optometrists must work with insurance companies to make sure that their patients are covered. For my FPN speech outline, I created a brief outline which highlighted the different things I felt were important to me in my ISM journey. Having an outline for my speech completed made it easier for me to later film the first part of my speech. The last thing I did this week was create a draft of my FPN invitations. For my FPN invitation, I used an online invitation maker and will print the design on cardstock to make the invitation more professional. I would consider this week a success in that I was able to upload the first part of my FPN speech and also learn about the insurance side of optometry. Next week, I will continue to work on my final product and plan on having a physical prototype of the product by the end of next week. As well, I will make an FPN guest list to ensure that I have at least 10 people at my FPN presentation.

Weekly Report #27 (4/6)

This week in ISM I have updated my mentor log and found a room to use for my final presentation. As well, I have converted my initial designs for my final product into a 3D model and gone to the Frisco Public Library to get them printed. Also this week, I have worked on getting a draft done for my final presentation speech and also worked on making my FPN invitation. The last thing I did this week was update my portfolio and give it to Dr. Lao so that she could look over it. I would consider this week a success in that I was able to get a lot of work done on my final product and was also able to start working on my final presentation speech. As well, even though nothing was due this week, I was still able to push myself to get a lot of work done. I feel by starting early and planning ahead, I will put less stress on myself when it comes closer to the FPN night. Next week, I will work on implementing any suggestions that Dr. Lao has for my portfolio. As well, I will work on an FPN guest list so that I will have at least ten people show up to my final presentation. Lastly, I will upload the first half of my final presentation speech to Learning Hub by Friday.

Weekly Report #26 (3/30)

This week in ISM I have completed a product progress assessment and also worked on my final product during my visit with Dr. Lao. For my product progress assessment, I reflected on the progress I have made on my final product and updated my product calendar as well. So far, I am staying relatively on track and should be able to finish my final product by May 1^st. During my visit with Dr. Lao, we went over my initial designs for the glasses I plan on creating. We decided to tweak my design as my initial design for the glasses was too complicated and would have been difficult to manufacture. Also during the visit, Dr. Lao was able to show me the different instruments that she uses during an eye exam, and I was able to practice using them a little. Lastly, in class this week, we turned in our portfolios. I was able to take the suggestions that my peers made last week and make some small changes to my portfolio.  I would say I was successful this week in that I was able to finish my product progress assessment and also learn more about the different instruments that optometrists use. Next week, I will be submitting my final product designs to the Library for 3D printing and will also complete another evidence of learning assessment.

Weekly Report #25 (3/23)

This week in ISM I have completed a research assessment and a mentor visit assessment. As well, I have updated my portfolio and reviewed my previous assessments. For my research assessment, I looked into the different types of eyeglass technologies being made. In particular, I was interested in the newer transition lenses that are being made that are capable of working in the car. Also, I was interested in the new types of lens coatings that prevent glasses from fogging up. For my mentor visit assessment, I reflected on my experience of choosing the different materials and design for my final product. In class, we reviewed and critiqued each other's assessments. I found this to be beneficial as we were able to catch small errors in each other's assessments and fix those errors. Also this week, I updated my portfolio and in class we reviewed our portfolios. During our peer reviews, we were trying to see whether or not our portfolios looked uniform and professional. I would say I was successful this week in that I was able to learn about some of the newer technologies being developed in optometry and also update my portfolio. Next week, I will try to find a final presentation room and will also complete a product progress assessment.

Weekly Report #24 (3/9)

This week in ISM, I have updated my blog, written a mentor visit assessment, and researched for my final product. For my blog, I added my research and interview assessments, and I also created a tab for my speeches. As well, I made sure to make everything on the blog look professional and made all the fonts uniform. So far for my final product, I have decided on the material and design of the glasses. However, I still need to design a way for the glasses to be able to break apart. To do this, I will need to do further research into how Clic glasses work. As well, I will need to research into how to make the glasses cost effective to fit under our budget. This week, I have also finished another mentor visit assessment. For my mentor visit assessment, I reflected on my experience shadowing Dr. Lao last week. From the experience, I was especially excited to use the auto refractor for the first time. Overall, I would say I was successful this week in that I was able to get a lot of research for my final product done. Next week will I will meet with Dr. Lao on Thursday and continue to work on the final product. As well, I will complete another evidence of learning assessment.

Weekly Report #23 (3/2)

This week in ISM I have continued to research for my final product, and I also shadowed Dr. Lao for two hours on Wednesday. For my final product, I looked into the types of materials that glasses are made of and found that titanium may be the best material for sports glasses. Titanium is an extremely durable material that is lightweight and relatively inexpensive, making it a good material for my final product. This week, I also researched into the different designs of glasses and found that glasses that are sleeker are better for people who play sports. Lastly, I researched into Clic glasses and how they work. Clic glasses are special in that they can break apart since the glasses are held together by magnets and can easily be pulled apart. During my time shadowing Dr. Lao, I was able to continue practicing using the lensometer and also was able to use the auto refractor once. The auto refractor was a new experience for me, and I was impressed by how quick the machine can give a general idea of a patient’s vision. Overall, I would say I was successful this week in that I was able to get a lot of research done for my final product and learn more about the auto refractor. Next week, I will complete another evidence of learning assessment.

Weekly Report #22 (2/23)

This week in ISM I have completed a mentor visit assessment, reflected on my speech, and continued researching for my final product. For my mentor visit assessment, I reflected on what I learned from my fourth and fifth mentor visits. During those visits, I took a close look into how computer software allows Dr. Lao to keep track of her patient data. As well, I helped Dr. Lao enter some of her patient data into the computer system when I was shadowing her. Lastly, during those visits, Dr. Lao and I came up with an idea for a final product. This week, I also reflected on my speech and watched videos of several of my classmates’ speeches. I was very impressed by my classmates’ speeches and learned a lot from watching their videos. Specifically, I was impressed by how well they paced themselves during their speeches and how their gestures helped them get their points across. The last thing I did this week was research a little into my final product. I looked into the general types of materials that glasses are made of. Overall, I would consider this week a success since I was able complete all assignments on time. Next week, will be the end of the six weeks so I will update my portfolio and continue to work on my final product.

Weekly Report #21 (2/16)

This week in ISM I have given my original work presentation, met with my mentor, and completed a final product proposal. For my original work presentation that I gave on Thursday, I shared with my class my experiences so far in ISM, my original work, and my S.M.A.R.T. goals for the year. I felt my presentation went alright and was definitely and improvement from last time. However, I felt I spoke a little too fast during the speech and could work a little more on my movement. This week, I also finished my final product proposal. For my final product, I plan on creating a pair of glasses that are specifically designed for children who play sports. The glasses must be durable, but also must look appealing so that children would want to wear them. As well, I plan on making the glasses be able to come apart easily so that the lenses can be switched. Overall, I think by creating this final product, I will learn a lot about how glasses are designed and made. I would consider this week a success since I was able to give my speech and also come up with a plan for my final product. Next week, I will work on another evidence of learning assessment and will also complete my speech reflection. 

Weekly Report #20 (2/9)

This week in ISM I have completed an evidence of learning assessment, shadowed my mentor, and begun working on my speech. For my evidence of learning assessment, I reflected on my experiences so far with Dr. Lao. So far, I have learned how to use two instruments which are the lensometer and phoropter. These are two important instruments for optometrists as they allow optometrists to check the prescription on glasses and to check a patient’s prescription. Through my experience shadowing Dr. Lao, I learned about how a typical eye exam is conducted. I was surprised by the amount of people involved in conducting an eye exam and how an eye exam is much more complicated than it may seem. This week, I also began preparing for my speech. For my speech, which I will give on Thursday, I want to share with my class my experiences so far in ISM, my original work, and the smart goals I have set for myself. So far, I have completed an outline for my speech and begun working on a power point for it. Next week, I will be working on a product proposal with Dr. Lao and will complete another evidence of learning assessment. As well, I will be giving my speech.

Weekly Report #19 (2/2)

This week in ISM I have mainly focused on finishing my original work. For my original work, I conducted a survey in order to see the effects of lifestyle on vision. Interestingly, through my survey, I learned that diet is the number one lifestyle factor that affects vision. Students in my survey who ate healthy diets tended to have better vision than those who didn’t have healthy diets. As well, through the survey, I also learned that the amount of sun exposure students receive plays a big part in determining their vision. Students in my survey who spent less time outdoors tended to have better vision. This week I also met with Dr. Lao. During my visit, we discussed the findings of my original work. As well, Dr. Lao showed me how to adjust glasses and also how to set up a phoropter. I would consider this week a success as I finally finished my original work and learned a lot about how your lifestyle affects your vision through it. As well, I was able to learn more about two instruments that optometrists use. Next week, I will be preparing for my original work speech and complete another evidence of learning assessment. Lastly, I will shadow Dr. Lao on Wednesday. 

Weekly Report #18 (1/16)

This week in ISM, I have completed a mentor visit assessment, written a mentor bio, shadowed my mentor, and begun analyzing my original work survey data. On my mentor visit assessment, I wrote about my first visit with Dr. Lao. During the visit, we had a discussion on color blindness, and I also learned how to use a lens spectrometer. In class, we had a group discussion on our original work and also brainstormed for our final products. For my final product, I want it to be something that makes vision care more accessible to everyday people. Through my original work, I will hopefully be able to pinpoint an area in people's lifestyles that they can change to help improve their vision. This week on Wednesday, I also shadowed Dr. Lao and got to see how she conducts eye exams. I was surprised by the amount of things Dr. Lao checked for during her eye exams and how she was able to multi task very well. She often had to keep track of two patients at once as she waited for one of her patient's eyes to become dilated. Next week, I will finish my original work and visit again with my mentor.

Weekly Report #17 (1/19)

This week in ISM, I met with my mentor for the first time, started my original work, and had a student teacher conference. I was very excited to meet with Dr. Lao and learned a lot through my visit. During the visit, we made a tentative schedule, discussed about color blindness, and also checked the power on glasses. I really enjoyed the hands on experience from the visit as I learned how to use two instruments to check for the power on a lens. This week, I also made a survey for my original work. The survey asked questions about your exposure to the sun, your diet, and the amount of time you spend on electronic devices. My goal for my original work is to see if there is any correlation between lifestyle and vision. So far, I have received 30 responses for the survey. Lastly, I conferenced with my teacher, and set goals for myself to work on throughout the rest of the year. My ultimate goal is to deliver a solid presentation at final presentation night and have a good final product. Next week, I will be meeting again with my mentor and will write up a report for my original work.

Weekly Report #16 (1/12)

This week in ISM I have completed a research assessment and made S.M.A.R.T. goals for myself. Through my research assessment, I researched the causes, effects, and types of color blindness. Learning about color blindness helped broaden my perspective of optometry as it made me aware of problems people face beyond just blurry vision. By creating S.M.A.R.T. goals for myself, I was able to think deeply on what I want to do with my life and the steps I must take in order to reach my goals. For my short term goals, I want to finish the year strong and learn as much as I can about optometry. For my mid-term goals, I want to attain a biochemistry degree within four years and eventually go to a top medical school. And lastly, for my long term goals, I want to become a doctor and have started a family by the time I am 32. As well, I hope to contribute to the medical community and publish a few research papers by the time I am 40.  I would consider this week a success in that I was able to complete all assignments on time and set goals for myself. Next week, I will be meeting with my mentor for the first time.  As well, I will begin working on my original work and hopefully have completed my survey by the end of next week.