Reflections

09-07-2013.md

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+Sung Hoon Choi
+
+Reflections
+
+Week 1
+
+For this week, I encountered the problems that understanding the pull requests through ‘github’. I could not understand the concept of that, and how to do it, and why we need to do. However, I could get method by classmate. Also, it was challenge for me to coding such as 'sudo installing' and 'ipython notebook', when we work with the virtualbox in class. It was not working when we tried to get the ip address from virtualbox and put into explorer. I was not familiar with github, and could not understand the reason to use. However, I could understand the function for the fork, pull request stuff. In addition, I had some problem to set up the pidgin and join the chat room. At that point, I even didn't know the 'IRC' and wasted lots of times, but I could get the ideas and solutions by web searching. By using IRC through Pidgin, I can also ask some questions and get helpful answers. It is great tools to work and share the ideas with classmates.

09-14-2013.md

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+Sung Hoon Choi
+
+Reflections
+
+Week 2
+
+Last week, we could not connect the server through VirtualBox. Thus, in this week, we downloaded and installed “Vagrant,” open-source software for managing virtual development environments. I could not understand the reason why we use it, but I could do by attending the office hour and doing some searching for myself; it was a really great tool, and I thought that it would let me approach the matter in a way more effective way. When there is an ongoing program developing, the usual programming set takes more time. Mainly related is that as the number of engaged developers goes up, the managing task takes more time. To solve those problems, we use Vagrant. It helps you to control VirtualBox more easily.
+
+We also installed the ‘vagrant ubutu cloud image’ through powershell and made the project1 file. The job was not tough, but it was difficult to understand why we were doing that. Also, I should have gone through harder times had I dealt with the matter alone.
+
+I was still unfamiliar with Github, and couldn’t understand why it is a good tool for this class. However, as knowing what is ‘pull requests’ and why we use it, I changed my mind and got interested in it. Moreover, the office hour helped me a lot in that professor showed me how things work in a visual manner. Even though I was totally new to concepts of programming and the material that the class is dealing with, the professor treated me very friendly.
+
+On Thursday, we discussed about “plus” and “delta.” I have never heard those terms, but I quickly got that the two terms mean “strength” and “weakness” respectively. Within each group, the group members talked about “plus” and “delta.” Among s several “deltas” what interested me most that IRC cannot communicate when no one is online. I always checked whenever I use my laptop, but there are only a few people online. That was the reason we could not communicate not much outside the class. During this feedback, ‘plus’ and ‘delta’, I felt it is great tools to share the ideas to make progress and share our opinion for the class.
+
+As a part of the watching assignment, I watched TED by Eric Berlow, an ecologist, on how to simplify the complex problems. It was a great lecture about how to look and get an insight into the seemingly complex problems. People tend to be overwhelmed by the overall complexities of the problems. However, if you take a step backward and look the entire matter, you could break the problems into several smaller components, which helps you to solve the whole problem. Again, it was an amazing clip.

09-21-2013.md

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+Sung Hoon Choi
+
+Reflection
+
+Week 3
+
+On this week, the classes were great. I was really fascinated by the lectures about “Meadow” and “Earthquake”. I could realize that a statistical analysis have an effect on different fields of study. From the lecture by Eric Berlow, I could get an insight into the new field, the ecology with the statistical analysis. Specifically, we focused on the prediction about the meadow with lots of variables through several types of methods, such as GLM, GAM, etc. Even though I’ve never had interest in and learned about those studies, it led me to research more references and articles.
+
+In addition, the lecture by Prof. Stark was also perfect to refresh my memories (i.e. t-tests, permutation test, ANOVA test, and etc.). With the “Earthquake” problem, we learned how the tests are constructed, and how to analyze with the real data. Since I took Stat 135 class a long time ago, I felt the need to prepare the basic materials before we go on.
+
+On Friday morning, I went to the GSIs and tried to install and fix up the Linux. Due to problems with Windows 8 and disk volume, however, we couldn’t install it. I think I need to solve this situation, as soon as possible on this weekend.

09-28-2013.md

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+Sung Hoon Choi
+
+Week 4
+
+On this week, we discussed about "Reproducible and Collaborative Data Science". Quite honestly, I had no ideas and knowledge until recently.  Also, I couldn't understand what it is exactly and what we were going to do in the class. However, Aaron and Chris's speech helped me a lot in that he showed us how the Reproducible work in a visual manner. I could get more understanding of why and what we need to do. From the measurements, we put the data and get models by analysis. Then, we do reproduce the model with the other data. I think it is mightily important. In any line of research (e.g. geology, bio, ecology, medicine, etc.), the reproducible would be a significant part for the researchers. I feel very excited to learn this awesome work. 
+
+During the discussion on Friday, there were some complaints about a rate of progress for the class. However, I don't feel it was late as an unfamiliar person with Python and other programming. I just installed iPython and ready to go with it. For me, although I've changed to Mac, installing was a little bit tough. In addition, I needed more time to understand the concept of iPython and Virtualbox. In my opinion, even though I understand with slow tempo for some students, I agree with Aaron's argument that we should wait for students who were not prepared. 

10-05-2013.md

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+Sung Hoon Choi
+
+Week 5
+
+On this week, we are formed a group by learning style; curator, analyzer, visualizer, and presenter. We discussed about the qualification for each rolls. And we were given the task which is questionnaire data wrangling. In addition, on Thursday, Professor Stark spoke about earthquake prediction. There were kind of difficult contents to understand that covered on Stat 135, but it was interesting task. In addition, I honestly didn't write a note on the lecture to share with other classmates.
+I felt so confused after I got a group project. As a visualizer, I have no idea how to code and get some visual stuff with python notebook due to no experience with programming except R. And also, I'm wondering about how to display the presentation on the professor's system through IPython notebook or HTML5. However, even it would take so long time to figure out everything, I am so willing to learn about collaborative data science from this class, instructor, and classmates.

10-12-2013.md

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+Week 6
+
+Sung Hoon Choi
+Reflection for the project and this week
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+I was the visualizer for Group 8. When I got the project, I had no idea what to do, and how to well cooperate within our vertical group. I could imagine that the concept and the big picture for the project, however, coding was so hard to make, and understand through Ipython notebook. We could get the cleaned up data easily, by Tristan, CS major. For my part, however, visualizing was not that difficult to plotting on R. I tried to plot through python, but it seemed to hard and takes too much time. Thus, we decided to use R for the visualization. Within the horizontal group, we communicated with a Facebook, and it was good way to communicate. Since most of people are used to Facebook, I think that IRC does not convenient so far. We could discuss general plots that made for the vertical groups, but not specific plots due to the different approaches on visualizing. On our vertical group, we did communicated very well and we understood the role of each member very well. We did visit the Aaron’s office hour, it helped us much easier for the project. In addition, we had not that much technical problem, because we had two computer science majoring members. For the delta issues, we had to start earlier. As a visualizer, seriously, I had not much time to figure it out. I had just got the analyzed data on Sunday night, I had only one day to find the solution. At that time, this project gave me lots of stress since I also had midterms and essay for other classes on this week.
+
+In the class, on this week, we had presentations for the projects and most of groups were awesome. In addition, on Thursday, we learned the idea of reproducible data. We tried to reproducing the data from other group’s project trough Github. It was very amazing stuff. Most of students has no experience with how reproducing data are great in the science field. Also I realized that operating with python and Github is treated for professionals in real world. For my case, it still seems really difficult to familiar, but I am willing to learn it more as day goes by.  

10-26-2013.md

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+Week 8
+
+Sung Hoon Choi
+
+
+Reflection
+------------------------------------------------
+On this week, we talked about what we are going to do for the remaining class.
+In addition, we discussed about some ideas for final goal and some troubles among each horizontal groups.  However, we need to figure out the final task since most of students are confusing for that final project. Thus, the class should deal our object specifically. For the rest of semester, we are going to do several steps; public understand of science, reproducible programming from the data, and write papers includes abstract summary, intro, methods and citation. 
+
+In addition, we talked about important concept that SMART, which is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This is great method to do well on this class. I feel like it is going to be little bit difficult to get the great idea and concept from the scientific issues. However, I am really willing to learn this tough project.

11-02-2013.md

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+Week 9
+
+Sung Hoon Choi
+
+----------------------------------------------------------------------
+This week, we talked about what we will be doing for the rest of semester.
+Within the group, we discussed difficulties that we encounter, our accomplishment, and questions.
+
+Generally, the biggest issues are following:
+
+-       Data curator: Geographic, time period, formats, data sources
+-       Analyzer: ETAS Model, imports to models
+-       Visualizer: What kind of graphs or tools we are going to use (python, D3, etc.)
+-       Presenter: story, big picture, output format, presentation
+
+However, the most important problem is that many of us have no sense of what we should do. This project seems like creating something out of nothing and it literally killed us. Honestly, the concept and thesis were so difficult to understand that even Chris helped us in class. 
+
+On Thursday, all groups had lots of time to discuss about everything for the project and the class. It helped us to organize and cooperate for the goal.  As a visualizer, I had lots of troubles. We had a bunch of roadblocks and questions.
+-       learning the needed tools (D3)
+-       understanding the thesis of the project
+-       coordinating schedules
+-       assigning tasks to group members
+
+Most of our members had troubles with programming and no one has experience with D3. Thus, I think we need to find a way to learn the tools for visualization as soon as possible. I know that we need to go to Aaron’s office hours, but I feel a lot of pressures with every single step of projects, honestly.
+

11-09-2013.md

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+Week 10
+
+Sung Hoon Choi
+
+--------------------------------------------------------------
+Finally, I understood that what this class would make up for on this week. Seriously, I could have not catch the SMART goal for this class. From this week, however, the class figured out our abstract object. On the other hand, my own SMART goal for this class was become familiar with programming R and Python. I want to say that thanks to Aaron for the awesome and helpful extra lecture of Python today. 

11-23-2013.md

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+Week 12
+
+Sung Hoon Choi
+
+--------------------
+
+First of all, our Heart group went to the Aaron's OH today, but he didn't come... we sent him an email with a fun picture of us. We had to discuss the next steps, since ohter visuallizer group, Quakers, did most of coding and graphing. 
+
+On this week, our group worked on Smart goals for next steps during the class. Fortunately, we collaborated with analyzer group members, and it was very helpful.
+
+In addition, Jinsoo and I read and summarized chapter 2 of Luen's paper, and posted on the github repository.
+

11-30-2013.md

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+Happy Thanks Giving Weekend! & I hope Aaron get better^^