VBA Reflection

NOTE: All of these are in my Z-drive

1. What macros did you create in VB?

With the time I had, I created a Months macro that enters the months of the year in a column (and edited it), a Message macro that makes a message box appear with the words “Hello World!”, a NameWorksheets macro that renames the first three worksheets in a workbook “2011”, “2012”, and “2013”, another naming macro that renames worksheets with the data in the A1 cell of every sheet (which I edited to include an If...Then condition to check if the value in cell A1 is empty, two comments that detail what’s going on, and a declaration for the variable I use to represent the worksheets), and a ChartExample macro that makes a chart appear with the data in a worksheet, and I also edited its style and type.

2. What challenges did you encounter?

This was refreshingly easy after a few increasingly challenging VB units, and the lessons were very simple to follow and well-paced. So instead of comprehension issues, most of my challenges came from technical problems, like when my first macro (Months) did not save correctly and kept calling up a workbook titled “Book1” instead of the correct “Sales.”    

3. How did you solve them?  Be specific

When it comes to solving technical problems, if the issue itself is not super clear (i.e. something is obviously misnamed or code was typed in incorrectly), it becomes a case of guess and check and trying different things. Going back to the Months issue I mentioned, I redid the entire macro, paying attention to saving everything correctly, and the second time around it worked fine.

Unit 8 Reflection

Creating one and two dimensional arrays

I only really got a chance to do one-dimensional arrays, and I think I got a good grasp of them.

Using array parameters

Simple, I definitely got this.

Passing array arguments

I think I understood this, but I’m not sure of the name of this concept so I may be thinking of something else.

Applying search arguments

Also understood this and could apply it to a program, if I had gotten that far.

Understanding dynamic arrays

Looking over this in the packet, I have a grasp of this concept.

Using structures and structure arrays

Understand this.

Declaring enumerated type

Don’t think we got to this?

Using control objects as array elements

Don’t think we got to this?

Unit 7 Reflection

Math Class(abs, sign, sqrt)  - This is super easy and the concept I feel most comfortable with from this unit.

IsNumeric - At first I was unsure about this, but now I’ve got it.

PMt - I understand this.

PV - I’m not sure what this is.

FV business functions  - I understand this.

formatting numeric output - This is quite simple, I get this.

sin(angle), cos(angle), tan(angle) - I did not get a chance to get to this, so I would have liked to learn more about it.

Unit 6 Reflection

1. Writing Sub procedures for specific tasks

I feel somewhat comfortable with this: I understand what this is used for and how to use sub procedures, the only thing that sometimes trips me up is the syntax and when you write ByVal versus ByRef.

2. Adding Images(Pet store)

Very comfortable with this- it’s not totally intuitive or user-friendly, but very simple once you get the hang of it.

3. Passing data to a procedure(Guessing Game)

Somewhat comfortable: I think this links back to my uncertainty with when data is passed by value and when it is passed by reference.

4. Using reference parameters(NumberBreakdown)

Very comfortable: Only at the end of the unit did this really click.

5. Creating event handlers to handle multiple events(Shell Game)

Not very comfortable: I am still uncertain about this.

6. Writing function procedures(Letter Grade)

Somewhat comfortable: I am confused by the difference between sub and function procedures, and why use one over the other, but I do understand how to use function procedures.

Day of Dialogue Reflection

What did you know about the issues discussed  prior to the assembly? What did you learn at the assembly(assemblies)Make sure you focus on the topic of our block but feel free to add to it with anything learned at other assemblies.  What surprised you?  Other thoughts? What can you do to help?  What can Mrs S do to help?

Having been to at least one Day of Dialogue assembly every year for the past three years, I generally already know a lot about the issues that are discussed, but in the case of the assembly we went to see, I went in a bit blind. I knew transgender and gay people face a lot of discrimination around the world, but it was extremely powerful to be able to hear about specific cases. The most surprising speaker was the man from Uganda, because I had never heard someone describe such horrifying experiences. In most cases, coming out stories end with acceptance, or an ongoing tension between someone and their family, not potential arrest. It really hit me that the speaker has not seen his daughter for years, simply because he is persecuted for his sexuality. I am very happy that the GSA club decided to include international perspectives, because I think we can often become close-minded within the Brookline/US bubble, not only in terms of LGBTQ issues, but issues of gender and race as well. Because this is such a touchy and personal issue, I don’t think teachers need to get particularly involved apart from making students feel accepted no matter what their sexuality or gender expression (for example: using proper pronouns).

Unit 5 Reflection

Strings

• Chars(index) - Understand this very well
• Length - Understand this very well
• Strconv() function - Am not sure what this is
• ToUpper - Somewhat understand this
• ToLower - Somewhat understand this
• Trim - Understand this
• TrimEnd - Understand this
• TrimStart - Understand this
• PadLeft(len,char) - Understand this well
• PadRight(len,char) - Understand this well
• Substring(startPos,numOfChars) - I understand this
• Remove(startPos,numOfChars) - I think I understand this
• Replace(oldString,newString) - I think I understand this
• Insert(startPos, substring) - I understand this
• IndexOf(substring) - I somewhat understand this
• Comparing Strings - Do not know what this is

Loops

• For next loops - I am not as solid with these as I am with Do While loops
• Do loops
• Do While Loops
• Infinite Loops and how to recognize and not use them - I think I understand this

This was a very difficult unit and though I did not manage to complete every exercise required I really tried to gain a comprehensive understanding of loops and strings.

Race Day Reflection

How did today feel?

It felt like an important assembly/day for me to just sit and listen to what people of color had to say about their experiences and the change they want to see. I appreciated that they explained the Black Lives Matter movement more thoroughly, and also reiterated why the All Lives Matter movement is redundant, pointless, and hateful.

When did you feel comfortable and what was happening that made you feel comfortable?

I felt most comfortable when the girls from BLS were speaking, because I felt like they were enjoying the opportunity to spread the word about their cause and though they did not hold back when it came to making sure white people felt accountable, everything they said was warranted and educational.

When did you feel uncomfortable and what was happening that made you feel uncomfortable?

I honestly felt a little uncomfortable when Hal, the white student, answered certain questions. He gave a very good answer for why All Lives Matter doesn’t work, and I understand the need for a diverse group of voices at the panel, but I felt that for a day that is meant to be about hearing people of color, I didn’t expect to be lectured to be a white male.

What was the most important thing you heard or learned today?

The most important thing was probably the difference between equality and equity, which I did not even realize before. Now it seems obvious: if everyone has the same opportunities, there may still be people who begin in a more privileged position, but can still take advantage of those opportunities. It’s important to make sure that not only does everyone have the same opportunities, but we all begin from the same starting point as well.

What are you going to do about something you heard today?

I am going to take more time to consider my own privilege, and where I get benefits due to my skin color while other people are met with obstacles.

What do you want people to know about your experience?

I want people to know that while I was never against the Black Lives Matter movement, I am far more supportive of it now that I got to hear members of it speak outside of the context of a protest, march, or rally.

What do you hope will happen from here? What are things BHS could work on/do to make

everyone comfortable here?

I really would like the people of color in the school to become more integrated into the rest of the classes, especially on the more advanced levels. I still can’t believe that for every 20 white kids in AP, there is one black kid. This is evident even through my classes: I do not have a single African-American in any of my classes. One would expect that for a school that prides itself on being diverse, I would get to interact with more people who look different than I do.

What is the first step toward a change you want to make here?

I wonder if the process of “clustering” students of color together so they feel more comfortable (I believe that’s something that takes place) is really beneficial in the long run. Also, I want teachers to consider if they have biases that make them push white or asian students more than black or Hispanic ones, causing the former group to excel while the latter falls behind.

What do you need from me(Ms S) to make sure you feel comfortable?

I would push you to do what I mentioned above.