Identity Values

Explain a situation where you have made an ethical decision. Discuss how you weighed up the values involved in that decision, the decision you made, and how you reflect on the decision now.

In mid-2022, during a drive from Auckland to Palmerston North for work, I was faced with an unforeseen ethical dilemma. I noticed a plane, unusually low, towing a glider. The situation escalated as the plane, having released the glider, descended towards the road I was on. I continued driving straight, even as the plane's left wing hit a tree, causing a crash. This incident was documented in the New Zealand Herald.

The ethical decision I faced was whether to maintain my course or swerve off the road. The latter option could have endangered myself without clear benefit. In retrospect, swerving might have given the pilot more space for a potential emergency landing, reducing one variable - my vehicle - in their already complex situation.

In the following weeks, I frequently thought about this incident, considering if a different action might have changed the outcome. Concluding that I acted as best I could given the limited information and time, I recognised that I had no definitive evidence to support a different decision, nor any footage for further analysis.

Reflecting on this event, I believe my decision was the most ethical one under those circumstances. My actions were informed by my immediate understanding of the situation, using the knowledge and resources at my disposal. This incident highlights the complexity of making ethical decisions in real-time and the importance of reflecting on our choices for future learning.

Describe how your culture and the people around you have influenced your values and identity.

Growing up in New Zealand, my sense of identity was been shaped more by my social environment than by specific cultural traditions. Living in a lower-decile urban area and being part of a split family, the friendships I’ve formed have become akin to a family, teaching me the value of community and mutual support.

In my education and professional life, being surrounded by inspiring individuals has instilled in me a drive for self-improvement and excellence. This influence has been pivotal in teaching me the importance of persistence and dedication, both in my career and personal growth.

As I navigated through my twenties, I experienced a significant transformation. I evolved from a state of uncertainty to becoming someone I’m proud of, a change that has profoundly influenced my goals and aspirations for my future, especially in terms of career development.

At the heart of my values are persistence, the spirit of community, and the importance of strong, supportive relationships. I strongly believe in the power of collective support during challenging times. The concept of facing life's difficulties together, rather than alone, is fundamental to my worldview.

Overall, my upbringing, the inspiring people I’ve met, and my journey of self-discovery have collectively shaped my belief in community resilience and personal striving for excellence.

Identify your strengths and how they will support you during your learning journey.

Strong Technical Skills: My existing technical skills will provide a solid foundation for the new concepts and languages we'll encounter in the coding bootcamp. This will make it easier for me to grasp complex topics and apply them in practical scenarios. 

Inherent Passion for Learning: This is perhaps my greatest asset. A coding bootcamp can be intense and challenging, with a lot of information to absorb in a short period. My love for learning will keep me motivated and engaged, even when the going gets tough. This passion will drive me to explore beyond the curriculum, fostering a deeper understanding and potentially leading to innovative solutions and projects.

Outgoing Nature: My outgoing nature will greatly enhance my experience in the coding bootcamp. It will lead to active participation in discussions, effective collaboration in group projects, and building valuable connections with peers and instructors. This trait is key for both learning and networking, opening doors to future opportunities and enriching my overall learning journey.

Evaluate your limitations in terms of your learning and career development. How might these affect your learning journey?

While I excel in learning and applying new technical tasks, my primary challenge is combating procrastination, which I've recognized as my most significant hurdle in both learning and career development.

To address this, I'm proactively implementing various strategies to mitigate its impact. These include maintaining a journal for reflection and progress tracking, employing time and task management systems to stay organized, focusing on health improvement to enhance my overall well-being and productivity, minimizing distractions to create a more conducive learning environment, and establishing routines to foster discipline and consistency. These measures are instrumental in helping me maintain focus and momentum, thereby ensuring a more effective and rewarding learning journey.

This week, I have also noticed that I have a tendency to aim lower than I should. Thoughts like "this is good enough, it ticks the box" have been coming up. To remedy this, I need to teach myself the value of doing stuff better, of making cooler stuff. I will be actively monitoring this behaviour in myself as I work through next week's tasks.

Share an example of when you were trying to work productively with others, but there was resistance or tension. Discuss strategies that you tried at the time, how effective they were, and your reflections on what other strategies you would try now and why.

During a group project at uni, I encountered a challenging situation involving three students, including myself. Student C consistently failed to participate in the project work, leaving Student B and me to shoulder the entire workload. This significantly impacted our ability to perform optimally, as the additional support could have greatly enhanced our results. When the time came to present our work, Student C appeared to claim credit, despite their lack of contribution.

At the time, my approach was to overlook the issue and focus on completing the task at hand. However, upon reflection, I realise that this strategy was not effective. A more proactive approach would have been to directly address the situation by encouraging Student C to attend our scheduled meetings or contribute in other ways outside of these sessions. If these efforts failed, it would have been appropriate to inform the course coordinator of the situation. This would not only have been fair to the rest of the group but also would have discouraged such behavior in the future. Learning from this experience, I now understand the importance of open communication and timely intervention in resolving team conflicts, ensuring fair contribution from all members, and maintaining group morale.