This document contains a student's summative reflection on a group project about addiction among military veterans. The student discusses their research process and challenges, including difficulties finding sources specific to veterans and slow internet. They reflect on skills learned, such as improved research techniques, time management, and compromise. The student analyzes how working on this project helped enhance their understanding of addiction and its impact on veterans.

1. Cristina Gonzalez
Mrs. Lester and Ms. Hamilton
Honors World Literature and Composition
4 May 2012
Summative Reflection
1. Through this project, I have learned much about addiction. I have learned that it is due to
dopamine in the brain as a “reward system.” There are many different genes involved in
the production and reasoning of addiction. Many opioid painkillers are prescribed
recklessly for veterans who are in both physical and mental pain. This can lead to
addiction. Veterans are surrounded by stress from their environments and civilian life.
Addiction should legally be described as a disease because of the disease model. Despite
all these things relating to mental illnesses, addiction is not very well treated by the
military.
2. We encountered problems in finding information relating to veterans. Many articles were
simply about addiction in civilian life, not within the army. We also encountered trouble
with the internet while collaborating in our group. The internet was slow sometimes,
making collaborating on the same page difficult. We dealt by researching in different
places with different phrases and keywords. We also dealt by using different computers
and powering through the slowness.
3. We found the time in which we had to do the project difficult to work with. Many things
were due at once and multi-tasking was difficult. Getting the project done in the allotted
time proved menacing and difficult. The most rewarding part of this project, for me, had
been the moment that we finally finished researching and began to create our actual Zen

2. PowerPoint. All of the hard work we had done was finally coming together in a final
product.
4. For me, my personal book about veterans helped me decided on a topic. This book had
multiple stories, allowing for different views. It helped me realize how many people
suffer with addiction in the military. The fishbowl cohort groups also helped me realize
that other people had this issue in their book as well; this gave me the idea that it wasn’t
just my books issue. These factors attributed to my decision of choosing addiction in
veterans and military personnel for this project.
5. The stories of military veterans becoming addicted really struck me. The fact that many
doctors overprescribe opioid painkillers will definitely have a lasting impression on me.
Reading non-fiction articles attributed to this. The researching of this project will have a
lasting impact on me.
6. I think that I turned in papers on time well. Usually I have a problem with keeping up
with many projects and sub-projects at once. This time however, I had no problem getting
work done in class. I am most proud of my improved researching skills. These improved
skills will help me later in life, from college to a career.
7. Putting together the actual PowerPoint was challenging for me. There were many steps
and decisions that had to be done right to create the image that I had in my mind. In
addition, having another mind, my partner’s, was challenging. Sometimes, we did not
have the same ideas, so we compromised. However, we did enough compromising
together so that both of us were happy with the final product.

3. 8. I think that I improved in these skill areas:
a. 1.1.2 Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning. I used my
background knowledge of addiction and the brain to amplify the research that we
had.
b. 1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions. In the
process of researching, many sources not applicable to the topic appeared. I had to
use this specific skill to find appropriate information applicable to this situation
instead of inappropriate information.
c. 1.3.3 Follow ethical and legal guidelines in gathering and using information.
Throughout this process, ethical boundaries had to come to question; whether or
not sources and pictures could be used came in to question. I had to use this skill
to determine if it was appropriate to gather and use specific information.
d. 1.4.4 Seek appropriate help when it is needed. While researching, my partner and
I had to ask for help when we became stuck. However, we both tried to figure it
out ourselves first instead of first going to someone else.
e. 2.4.4 Develop directions for future investigations. Throughout this process, I had
to stop and direct myself in the right direction; I had to make a plan for the future
or the next step. I had to make directions for myself to keep on track.
9. For this project, creating a Zen PowerPoint was helpful. It challenged us to rely less on
the words on the screen and focus on the spoken portion. This gave us the opportunity to
enhance our knowledge of the subject instead of just copy and pasting.
10. We chose Symbaloo for our information dashboard. In the beginning, we added
important tiles, but toward the middle and ending of the project, we barely used it at all.

4. In the future, I might try to rely more on it instead of using it less and less. I would
choose, however, not to use it next year. I find it much simpler to bookmark things or just
remember the website. This shows that I am a visual and tactile learner, as I found the
simple tiles more appealing than Netvibes.
11. Next year, I believe that my digital literacy will help me. Using technology and digital
learning tools is more capable of being good for me in the future. My writing skills have
become smoother than they once were, which will give me an advantage point for next
year.