Weatherhead values learning that is active and collaborative
Prompt: At Weatherhead, we seek students with strong values. What values are most important to you? How do your values match the values of Weatherhead?
Here is what I found on the website "Weatherhead values learning that is active and collaborative. Students, faculty, and staff together engage important management problems with an innovative, knowledge-creating attitude." So I responded this prompt by refering to cooperative, and my essay is below.
I am appreciated for your kind suggestions!
In my opinion, cooperative and communicative are definitely the most important values to me.
I won the first prize of the Fourth National College Students Concrete Design Competition with two partners, but the the preparation process was not always favorable. We tested the properties of gravels, which were the critical indexes of this research. However, I found the testing results of tap density index, tested according to current national standards, could not represent the gravels' real properties very well because the formulation of this index is abstract. So I advocated my teammates to change another testing method, or we might be misled by the distorted results. However, at first the other teammates believed we should keep following the operations of national standards and ignore the discrepancy between calculation results and real statuses. In the beginning, we could not convince each other because we championed different methodologies about this problems.
I believed that it was impossible for us to obtain satisfied results if we upheld divergent opinions respectively, even if we are all skilled at this subject. In order to realize the goals, we had to make a compromise of methodologies. Therefore, I rent a conference room for brainstorming. Firstly, we listened to each other's opinions and re-examined the division process of the research to develop a comprehensive overview of the project. After ensuring the validity of every sub-experiment, we rechecked the time and materials arrangement of the plans. Then we run through the problems we have faced and several supposed dilemmas. I delivered an efficiency and economy analysis for the aforementioned problem to convince my partners, and then we finally agreed on implementing variable-controlling experiments to prove the effectiveness of several different testing methods. Besides, we also discussed in-depth about the data procession methods, and reached a consensus that applying Excel and Origin to conduct correlation analyses and regression analyses after data acquisition.
Since then, regular meetings and occasional discussions have became a rule of our team. Surprisingly, with the deepening of our communication, our team made stunning progress. By implementing precisely tailored experiments, we obtained the most data while reducing two weeks compared with normal progress. We invented an innovative testing method of tap density index after analyzing the effectiveness of the methods we used, which made the index more explicit and applicable. In addition, statistical analyses we conducted made it easier to reveal the relation of parameters of mix ratio and concrete workability, and to optimize the mix ratio of self-compacting concrete. On the other hand, effective communication fortified our mutual trust and steeled our wills for accomplishing the goals. For instance, We sieved aggregates with clear divisions of labor in the open air but without any compliment, despite of the scorching sun and muggy weather. Similarly, we practicing the mutual concrete blending procedure in laboratory repeatedly to enhance the operation proficiency while totally soaked through.
Obviously, when all staff work together through collaborative teamwork and effective communication, the ability of each member maximums, and innovative brainchild comes closely. I would definitely bring the virtues to Weatherhead in the program.
