11 Skills and Attributes: Self-Awareness
Leadership Objective: Learn by teaching others
Activity: Eta Kappa Nu ECE 440 Review Sessions Coordinator (2009-2010)
Evidence: Student Feedback Summary
My early introduction to the research applications and theory on solid-state electronic devices made me wonder how the knowledge I gained thus far could be employed best. The answer came ringing from a number of my friends, many of them older, who sought my help in ECE 440: Solid-State Electronic Devices.
When I became a member of Eta Kappa Nu (ΗΚΝ), the ECE honor society, I was alerted about a shortage of review session coordinators for upper level courses. That Spring 2009, I took up the opportunity to conduct the ECE 440 Exam Review Sessions alongside a graduate student who held the sessions in previous semesters and wanted to transition the future responsibility to me.
Physical electronics theory may have made sense to me on paper, but explaining the matter to a broad audience was formidable. To alleviate these concerns I re-read my class notes and discussed with the graduate student how to most effectively review the vast amount of material. Over the three semesters I conducted the review sessions, I improved my ability to explain abstract device theory and relevant past exam problems. I began to understand what to emphasize most from my knowledge in engineering. Student feedback forms were provided and collected at one of my sessions. This anonymous feedback made me aware of the strengths and weaknesses in my elocution.