From Leadership – Program Manager Dr. Radana Dvorak

Welcome to week three of Spring term. Students, I hope you have settled in your classes and are starting to explore some of the opportunities available for you at the School of Technology and Computing. In the April 8th STC Thursday Byte, Dean Chung wrote about the importance of being proactive, and I want to expand on his challenge. Next week STC is holding a degree program Quarterly Community Building Event (see days and times below); I want to highlight how valuable attending these events can be to your experience at CityU. 

The constructivist theory states that we learn by constructing knowledge rather than passively absorbing information like a sponge. Value is placed on learning through experience and interaction, and this is what STC is trying to achieve not only in the classroom but in the various events we hold regularly. The Community Building Event is for you to meet with your instructors, program managers, and other students and learn from each other. The event is held each term during the fourth week, and we encourage you to attend. In one of my program’s Community Building Events, students came with excellent questions and shared experiences. Several students connected, gave advice, and shared how they overcame some obstacles. What can you gain by coming? Here is just a shortlist: 

• Meet other students in your school – vital if you are starting your degree program. 
• Ask your program manager questions, provide feedback and hear about future planning events. 
• Not sure about what to research for your capstone (you have been hearing ‘start early’), come and get some ideas. 
• Have a passion and want to see if other students share the same passion? Start a club – a great place to network. 
• Are you interested in an internship and want to know how that works with your degree program? Ask your Program Manager. 
• Want to hear what clubs or research is going on? Etc. etc. list goes on. 

Lev Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory goes further and states that all knowledge is co-constructed, and individuals learn from each other by interaction and language – meaning we learn by sharing with others rather than by individual experiences. Taking online classes and working/studying remotely due to the pandemic has isolated us more than ever. We hope that providing opportunities such as the Community Building Event will add to your learning experience at CityU. So, I challenge you, come to your program meeting next week, share, listen, ask questions, and get to know students from your program and your program manager.