ExCEL Reflection Report 1

Mind Map

Activity Images:

Figure 1: The poster of the UTM Catapult Challenge

Figure 2: The flow of the Catapult Challenge

Figure 3: Discussing how our Catapult should design and figure out the way to create the catapult with the given material given by the organizer.

Figure 4: The catapult design was given 45 minutes to all the group to discuss among their respective group members.

Figure 5: The catapult designed, and my group member testing the shooting angle and then try do the adjustment for the catapult before entering the competition.

Figure 6: The final product of the catapult our group build

Reporting:

            In the beginning, I was entered into the Dewan Astana KTC along with 50 other strangers for the event. Before the event start the emcee have separated into 10 groups with each group of 5 members randomly through an ice breaking game. After the group formed, we have introduced ourselves 1 by 1 with the group member. It is because we all do not know each other so we try introducing ourselves and telling our strength to each other.

            After all group members introduce, the emcee has given the instruction about what we should do for this even. Then, the stuff of the even given each group rubber band and ice-cream stick to build the catapult purpose. Then, they give us 45 minutes to design our catapult.

            Then, my group member and I started our brainstorming to design the catapult. Next, I give my opinion to my group member to design the catapult same as the design in Figure 6, after that we start to build our catapult. Within 30 minutes, we have done our Catapult, and the left 15 minute we have tested the catapult performance in other to win the competition. Then, we had done the adjustment also.

            Finally, we in the competition we have given 5 chance to shoot the Ping-Pong ball to the destination to gain the point, and very lucky we gain 3 point in the competition. Then, because of the 3 points gain, our group have won the 3^rd place in the competition. My group member and I felt very happy and grateful because our teamwork led to the success. We are proud because it is the first time that we build a catapult by ourselves without any example given during the design period in 45 minutes.

Responding:

            At the beginning of the event there are very noisy and feel like is not organize due to no one give instruction for all participant where should we stay to wait the start of the event. Then, the way to choose the group member is quite awkward we did not know each other, and the ice breaking section is not long enough to make all group member can communicate easily. At first no one want to start the conversation so I try my best to cheer up my group member so we can discuss. However, still got few of the member are more shy refuse to communicate with each other.

            During the discussion of catapult design, no one give any idea about how should the shape of the catapult we should design. This makes me feel like a bit upset cause I expect is not my one man show in the designing process. However, I still propose my general idea about how to design the catapult. Luckily after I propose my idea my group member start to give their opinion in the discussion. In the discussion, most of them start show their agreement on the design propose my me.

            During the building part, we face the problem of the catapult build cannot shoot the Ping-Pong ball to the long distance but only shoot vertically high, then my group member gives some idea how to improve our design. Then, we use almost 15 minutes to do the adjustment on the catapult we build.

            In the competition, I have done some mistaken that cause our group lost one chance for the Ping-Pong shooting. I had accidentally loose my hand until the Ping-Pong ball fall from the catapult. However, my teammates did not blame me and cheer me up and continue the competition. I fell glad that all my group members finally can gave 100% cooperation in the complete the competition and won 3^rd place.

Relating

This event reminds me of one activity we have done during the UHAK 1012 Graduate Success Attribute where the lecturer asked us to use the fallen leave, rock, and tree branches to create any animal. We had also been randomly divided into the group and with 4 persons to create the shape of the animal. My lecturer had given the instruction to us that we can go out the classroom and find fallen leave and other thing on the floor to arrange until it show the shape of any animal. Our group had arranged a turtle and spider. The spider build can easily to been understood by all people, but the turtle we build a bit for other people to recognize until we need to show the direction and pointing the rock and fallen leave. In this activity, I notice that teamwork and creativity are very important to design something, think out of the box are very hard but we can spend little bit of time to brainstorming.

Figure 7: The “animal” had been designed.

Reasoning

            This UTM Catapult Challenge was a memorable activity that I had join in my University life because I have truly involved in the whole event from starting until the ending of the event. Through this event, I notice that the stuff and the committee members are doing their great job when the event is in the progress. The material given to us are not suitable to us to shoot the Ping-Pong ball and we have some complaint to them. Then, they manage to find the new solution which is change the cover of the bottle to a plastic spoon to place the Ping-Pong ball before shooting. As a participant, I felt that the event is running smooth and success.

            Before the event started, the event organizers had given some briefing about the history of the catapult. Though the contain of the briefing, I know that catapult is a device used to fling objects across a distance over walls with only physical force which is projectile. Then, I also learn that catapult is came from the ancient Greece. The earliest catapult was the crossbows. Then, the ancient engineer was invented the catapult in launching the large objects such as stone. And this catapult knowledge was started widely use in military during medieval times. This briefing really improves a lot of knowledge on the catapult that I will never go to figure out if I never join this event.

            Initially, I plan to join this UTM Catapult Challenge event is just to gain the Merit KTC that can make sure I can be easier to get the “Kouta Pengetua” to get the hostel for my future semester. However, after this event I know that the event is trying to promote the spirit of engineering for the participant. Throughout this event, I had improved my thinking skills, team player and creativity.

Reconstructing

            After the event, I did not think too much about what has just happened throughout the event as I won 3^rd place with putting a lot of effort and the only happiness is come into my mind. After I calm my mind down, I start to do some reflection about the incident and problem face in the event.

            In my reflection to myself in this event, I notice that I less use my knowledge in the real life, such as I am less using the knowledge to solve the problem face in my daily time. Beside that, I also notice that I am the type of person that always keep given my opinion and less consider other opinion. This is because throughout this event I had disagree with few opinions given by my group member. I always dictate in the discussion, then I knew that I should try to change my attitude to make sure in the future I can have a better discussion with other people.

            I also realized that I am less of knowledge regarding to this catapult. I feel grateful that the organizer can search a lot of the story and history of the catapult to share to us. Then, they also help me to improve my physic knowledge that involved in this catapult such as projectile.

            In future, I hope I can join more of this kind of activity to improve my knowledge and more application of my knowledge to solve the problem face. I hope that the Covid pandemic can finish in a short time and we can be able to join or held this kind of meaningful event. I really appreciate I can join this very memorable activity.