Learning Journal Reflection- CST462

Completing my service learning project was a meaningful way to connect what I studied in CST462 to real responsibilities and real people. Overall, what went well was how much I grew in working professionally while staying aware that technology choices can either reduce barriers or reinforce inequities. I became more intentional about building technology that is understandable, maintainable, and respectful of the community it serves, instead of focusing only on “getting it to work.” 

What went well: I improved my ability to collaborate, communicate progress, and deliver work with professional expectations. I gained practical experience with standards like code review, code reuse, and writing code in a way that others can maintain. Following consistent best practices (conventions, organization, and testing when appropriate) helped me stay on track and reduced mistakes. Most importantly, I learned that small technical decisions like clarity, accessibility, ease of use, and reliability can directly affect whether people from different backgrounds can benefit from a tool. 

What I would improve: I would plan more time early on for understanding the partner’s needs and constraints, and I would define clearer milestones before building. I could have asked more questions upfront, documented decisions earlier, and created a tighter feedback loop to confirm the work matched what the community partner actually needed. I also would improve my consistency with testing and documentation so the work is easier to extend after I am done. 

Most impactful part: The most impactful part was seeing how service learning makes the course themes real. It pushed me to think beyond the technical side and consider access, privilege, and long-term sustainability. This experience strengthened my ability to connect short-term service to long-term community well-being, and it helped me practice being reflective about my role in building technology.

Challenges I faced: The biggest challenges were balancing time, managing uncertainty, and working through the complexity of real-world requirements. The project had evolving needs and practical limits (time, tools, and coordination). It also took effort to communicate clearly and stay aligned with expectations while still producing quality work.

Advice to Future Service Learning Students

Start by listening and asking questions so you understand what the partner needs.

Break the work into small goals and check in regularly.

Communicate often, even if it’s just a short update.

Keep the people you’re serving in mind when you make decisions.

Write things down as you go so others can continue the work later.