Reflection document, period 1 2023/2024 Depth vs breadth in Master's education

Preparations for the reflection

• If you started the DD2300 prosamm course this year, read the course memo (kurs-PM), in particular, the section "The reflection seminars".
• If you are not used to reflective writing, look at this video.
• Find which group you belong to by looking up your results of the course under grades/omdömen in Canvas. Look for "Group number, fall", a number between 1 and 24. In order to make the groups of the same size, some students from the second year have got a new group number, so everyone needs to check. You can also find your group under "Groups" in the grey menu to the left. If you have not been assigned a group you need to contact viggo@kth.se
• The second cycle in the Bologna system (see Further reading below) is called avancerad nivå ("advanced level") in Swedish. Master's programs belong to the second cycle. 
• Read the qualitative targets (examensmålen) for the degree of master according to the Swedish Higher Education Ordinance (Högskoleförordningen).
• Read the objectives of the master's program.
• Review the structure of the Computer Science master's program presented in the introductory lecture of prosamm.
• Look at the flow charts that visualize the courses of the tracks of the program (for students enrolled your year).
• Check the formal list of courses and tracks in the official program syllabus for students enrolled your year (prosamm22 or prosamm23).
• Read below about study visits in prosamm and D-dagen.
• Read the EECS Code of Honour and do the mandatory Code of Honor quiz. You need to get full (31) points on the quiz.

The written reflection

Write a reflection document based on the preparations and inspired by the following questions. The document should be 500-1000 words, not counting quotations of learning objectives. You should cite at least one intended learning outcome of a course or a program objective in your document.

Reflect on the fact that the majority of courses within the master's program are second cycle courses. This could mean that the courses cover more advanced topics, but perhaps also that the course contents may be left open for the students to define and explore.

• Only first-year students (prosamm23):
  • What do you expect to differ from your earlier studies?
  • What is your experience from the first weeks of the semester?
• Only second-year students (prosamm22):
  • In your experience, what is different? Examples?
  • Which track and courses have you taken and chosen for 2023? Why did you choose this track and these courses?
• Both first and second-year students:
  
  • What are the values and risks of specialisation?
  • What does the title “Master” imply, in terms of specialisation?
  • What kinds of specialisation runs the risk of becoming obsolete?
  • Is it OK to be broad, without going deep into anything special?

The document should be written as, or be converted to, a Google document. Set the permissions, so that everyone with the link will be allowed to comment the document. The following video shows how to do this:

If you do not want to use Google Docs for your text, there is an alternative described in the course memo.

Hand in the reflection

The link to your written reflection must be added to your group's Canvas page for this seminar before 19:00 on September 14.

First, check that you are logged in to Canvas (in the grey Canvas menu to the left). You will find your group page by clicking Groups/Grupper in the grey Canvas menu to the left, choose your group (named prosamm group X HT23), click on Pages/Sidor and the page named "period 1 2023/2024: Depth vs breadth in Master's education". Then edit this page, adding a line consisting of your name and course offering (prosamm23 or prosamm22) at the end of the document, and make this line link to your Google document by using the chain icon and entering the URL of the Google document. Then save the page. Be careful not to change or remove anything on the page that anyone else has written.

(If you cannot find your group in Canvas, please email Viggo Kann <viggo@kth.se> to get a group.)

You will also need to read the other group members' reflections and comment on them.

The seminar will be either September 19 or September 21.

Study visits in October and November

The first intended learning outcome of DD2300 is "compare different workplaces and professions relevant to computer scientists". In order to make you fulfill this learning outcome, you will visit an IT company each year in the course and reflect on the visit at the next seminar.

The list of available study visits will be published in the course room October 19 (prel.).
The study visit will be after 15:00 during a Thursday between October 26 and November 16.

Every student should participate in one study visit.

D-dagen October 12

D-dagen is organized by the D student chapter. It is not a formal part of DD2300. More information.

Further reading

The European Bologna agreement of higher education was made in 1999. The so-called Bologna process has recently been extended beyond 2020. Read more about it on the European Higher Education Area web site. Currently, 48 countries have signed this agreement. It might also be interesting to read the section second cycle qualification in the text known as the Dublin descriptorsLinks to an external site., since the agreement was signed in Dublin.

There is also a European quality assurance agreement, called ESG - Standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the European higher education area.