FINAL REFLECTION

What were the most impactful learning experiences for me in this course?

About myself: Lera Boroditsky’s talk on how language shapes the way we think made me realize that the Arabic and English languages are not just tools that I switch between, but lenses that change how I see reality. For example, her examples about how some languages describe direction using north/south instead of left/right, or how different languages describe time, helped me see that my own thinking about space and time is linked to the languages I grew up with. This made me feel that instead of feeling like I am “mixing languages,” I began to understand that I actually carry multiple mental tools. In addition to this, the professor’s habit of starting class with a chart, quick game, or check-in about “how we feel today” helped me notice that my emotional state is part of the learning process, not separate from it. On days when I felt stressed, seeing that others marked similar feelings made me feel less isolated and more willing to participate. Towards the end of the semester, I developed the habit of quickly scanning my own mood before discussions, which increased my self-awareness and helped me decide when to speak, when to listen, and what I needed.

 Academic life: “The Urgency of Intersectionality” opened my mind analytically on multiple issues. Instead of seeing people as just women, black, poor, or refugee, I learned to see how these identities overlap and create specific experiences. When Crenshaw discussed how some women of color fall through the cracks because systems are designed only around race or only around gender, I connected that to how buildings or public spaces can unintentionally ignore people at the intersections. This made me realize that for my upcoming architecture projects, I should ask more layered and complex questions: “How would this space feel to a poor migrant woman? To a disabled person? Another thing is the video “What kind of Asian are you? It taught me different ways of presenting arguments. It made me understand that powerful academic communication does not have to be limited to texts; it can involve storytelling and humor. This will help me in my academic life as an architecture student, where diagrams, stories can make my arguments more persuasive.

Social life: The Soliya program was a major social learning experience. Speaking with international people about global issues required me to slow down, listen more carefully and explain my own perspective in ways others could understand, without getting defensive or oversimplifying. Through the 5 sessions, I practiced skills like asking follow‑up questions, and expressing disagreement respectfully, which made me more comfortable in multicultural conversations. This now influences my everyday life: when I talk to someone from a different background (even inside Egypt), I am now more aware of the assumptions we both bring. The short video “What kind of Asian are you?” showed how a casual question “Where are you really from?”  can carry a hidden message. Watching this made me rethink questions I might have asked others before. Now, in social situations, I pay more attention to how I ask about someone’s background and try to open space for them to define themselves instead of putting them into categories based on some assumptions I made.  The regular emotional check‑ins at the start of class also had a social effect to me. It was okay to talk about feelings in a group setting. Over time, this made it easier for me to express when I was overwhelmed or confused, and to recognize similar signs in others.

 Career: The Soliya program trained me in cross‑cultural communication, which is something extremely valuable in professional settings. I practiced speaking in English to non‑native speakers, adjusting my speed, and checking for understanding without making others feel judged. I also learned to hold my ground respectfully when discussing sensitive topics, a skill that will help me in my future careers.

If I were to show someone my learning in this course

1. Alt‑CV: This assignment helped me see that my identity is not just “architecture student,” but also someone with interests, stories and skills that shape how I think and create. Sharing the Alt‑CV with someone would demonstrate that I learned how to see myself more humanly and authentically, not only through formal achievements but through my passions and experiences.
2. Soliya reflection: I would choose my Soliya reflection, because it captures how my attitudes and skills changed through real conversations with international peers. In the reflection, I describe moments where I practiced deep listening, clarified misunderstandings, and talked about global issues, which shows growth in communication and empathy.
3. Final game + reflection:  I would choose phase 5 final game and its reflection, because it shows how I learned to transform a topic into an interactive experience that teaches others. The reflection attached to the game shows how I iterated, the feedback I responded to, and what I wanted players to feel or learn. This is strong evidence that I can use reflection to improve my designs and connect them back to course concepts.

If I could change 2-3 things about the course to improve it, I would change these things… 

Minute Papers: I would change the minute papers by scheduling them 10 minutes before class ends and making them fully accessible later via a shared digital platform like Google Docs or the course site. This adjustment would allow students to write valuable reflections without rushing as class time expires, capturing what we truly learned. Having them accessible later would also help in writing final reflections (use them as a refresher for the course content).

GCC Activity: I would integrate the GCC activities directly into class time. This change would make students participate more, and reduce scheduling conflicts, and increase attendance. I would also make the activities or assignments back-to-back, preventing fading memory of topics.

Fewer Assignments with Greater Weight: I would reduce assignments to one major submission every two weeks. This would eliminate the weekly overload that felt very overwhelming to me.

In one sentence: What kind of person should take this course?

creators from diverse fields who enjoy multimedia explorations of identity and bias, seeking stronger global communication skills through play and dialogue, and LOVE reflecting on everything.

Reflect on the tools we learned about in this course

Gemini Canvas: I loved Gemini Canvas for effortlessly generating my final game. It turned my abstract concepts into playable drafts quickly. Academically, I will use it in architecture studios to brainstorm spatial ideas or user scenarios.

Google Docs: became a favorite after discovering its hidden potential for simple game creation through tables, hyperlinks, and branching scenarios, making complex interactions accessible without coding. Personally, I’ll build games to use them for gathering or birthday activities.

Classroom Whiteboards: The abundance of physical whiteboards in the classroom stood out for enabling small-group annotations during discussions, fostering ideas flow and visual interactions.

Hypothesis: for me, it was excellent for real-time collaborative annotations, letting me see peers’ insights alongside my own, sharpening my critical analysis of articles. Academically, I will revisit the website to observe people’s annotations on other articles in my field.

Autodraw: It amazed me as an AI tool that instantly refines rough sketches into polished illustrations, perfect for quick visuals without drawing skills. I will use it in the future in e architecture presentations for diagrams, and professional mood boards; it will save me time on visuals.

Reflect on the GCC experience

The biggest issue was holding GCC Zoom sessions outside regular class hours, which created scheduling conflicts and made it hard for me to stay fully engaged. With the activities not being back-to-back, I forgot the discussion details by the end of the semester. Integrating GCC activities directly into class time would increase attendance and reduce memory fade.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST

The AI workshop was my absolute favorite part of the course, marking my first time in such an immersive environment where professors and students, from diverse backgrounds, gathered in one dynamic space to dive deeply into a single topic, AI. This hands-on, multidisciplinary encounter opened my mind profoundly; It left me with excitement, eager to know what AI holds for us in the future and to what extent our interactions between AI and humans will be.