When you're curious, you find lots of interesting things to do. -Walt Disney
A Reflection of My Growth
This past summer after taking intro to writing arts and having the technology section I really thought I had learned everything about different ways to use technology. We had to post blogs, use twitter, utilize google docs, etc. Prior entering this class the first day I was really confused on what we were going to do and what I was going to learn. Already having a bachelors degree in Public Relations, I love to write and I enjoy learning to write in as many different ways that are available to me.
During the first class, Professor Mangini told us that we will be designing our own website on weebly. This was something I have never done before. I would always have someone else help me with greating websites in the past. I love spending the first day creating this page and really making it my own. I put a little bit of everything in there that I believe makes me…me. I put quotes from Walt Disney in there, I place pictures from when I went to Miss New Jersey, I added about being an ice girl for the Philadelphia Flyers. I pretty much summed up my life.
Then the real work began. Yes it was easy making a website and making it all the things I enjoy, but now it was time for me to take a deep breath and step outside of my comfort zone. All projects that I accomplished (I use accomplish because I view them as that not assignments) I have never attempted before.
My website I believe presents my work in a different way. I sometimes look at my page and still can’t believe that it is my work. I am very proud of myself for all that I have accomplished.
During this semester we had to blog, a lot. I don't really do the whole bloggin thing, especially blogging about what I read. I love to write but when I read something I think I do better discussing the readings with a group and feeing ideas off of eachother. But I did them and I put a lot of effort into them.
TWITTERIVE
When I was instructed that I would be using a Twitter lets just say I was a little less than thrilled. I have dealt with a lot of issues in the past because of twitter. But that is for another time and place to discuss. I never fully understand the popularity of this application. Why do I care what other people are doing at exact moments in time? Professor really did try to encourage me to open my mind and really utilize this project and put my 100% into it. He told us to just start tweeting things we see at any given period. After about a week of dragging my feet and trying to find a location to tweet about, I picked something quick and fun, my puppies. I started by just stating cute little things they would do, then I started posting pictures of them. After a few days of that I found myself tweeting some very insightful things that really surprised me.
When it came time to the assignment, I found myself in a jam. I loved the theme of my puppies and all the funny things they did, but I also like the fact that I focused on my house a lot that has been in my family for over 40 years. So when I orginally did my project, I did something for each. When I presented I think a few people said I was all over the place. This did not upset me because I know it was all constructive critisim and I knew going up there that I was going to be told things needed to be fixed. I never had to take something and put a multi-genre aspect to it. It was very new to me and I didn’t know how to approach it. After watching everyone else go up there and see some other ideas, I began to think of my own paper. Instead of going back on to it and correcting it a little at a time, I kept a notebook with ideas on what to do. I decided to focus on my house and make a time capsule. This idea was so much fun for me because I took something near and dear to my heart and put it in different forms of writing. I even put up a video montage. Don’t get me wrong my family will never see it because I don’t think it was that good but I am still proud of myself.
My strenths during this project was my ability to capture a moment in a few words. This came in handy when I only had a short space to say all I wanted to say.
ORAL HISTORY
When I first read the assignment for the oral history report, I knew exactly who I wanted to interview. I wanted to focus on my grandmother and her career in politics. She has set a legacy in Gloucester County by being the first woman to hold so many different political offices.
Growing up I would always talk to my grandmother about all that she had accomplished. This time I got to sit down with a camera and actually learned so much more about her. I enjoyed focusing on the issues she faced because she is a woman. The final product I believe really reflects her and the amazing woman she is.
My strength in this project was the fact I had a prior knowledge going into this project about my subject. I think knowing that really allowed me to explore things I didn’t fully know before and emphasize on all the qualities I did know. My weakness was definitly my experience posting videos. Thank goodness I have a great friend who makes videos for a living. He was able to walk me through step by step on how to convert the material from the camera to the computer to youtube then to my website. I would have been so lost were it not for him. That or I would have written a paper. J
Collaborative Research Project
This project in my eyes need a lot more time and dedication to have it reach its full potential. Chandni and I took on the task of exposing our audience to the ways fast food advertising misleads you. Many people understand the standard way of seeing the picture on tv or bilboards but it was never the same when you got it. There is a lot more to it than that. We showed you how they make the burgers for commercials by using “make-up artists.” We discussed how the nutrition facts were misleading. This project taught me things I did even know. We orginally decided to make a video which we thought came out very well. Once it came time to place it online everything went to well shit. So last minute we decided to turn the entire project into a paper. After typing it, I think it was the best decision we were able to get more information across.
My strength for this project was my ability to write. After having the technical difficulty which led to us having to turn it into a paper I was able to produce it quickly and well. My weakness once again I believe was my ability to use video updating software because well aparently I suck at it.
One thing I want to continue working on after this class is creating videos to post online because I think it is a good skill to have. Yet I am still having issues with that.
During the first class, Professor Mangini told us that we will be designing our own website on weebly. This was something I have never done before. I would always have someone else help me with greating websites in the past. I love spending the first day creating this page and really making it my own. I put a little bit of everything in there that I believe makes me…me. I put quotes from Walt Disney in there, I place pictures from when I went to Miss New Jersey, I added about being an ice girl for the Philadelphia Flyers. I pretty much summed up my life.
Then the real work began. Yes it was easy making a website and making it all the things I enjoy, but now it was time for me to take a deep breath and step outside of my comfort zone. All projects that I accomplished (I use accomplish because I view them as that not assignments) I have never attempted before.
My website I believe presents my work in a different way. I sometimes look at my page and still can’t believe that it is my work. I am very proud of myself for all that I have accomplished.
During this semester we had to blog, a lot. I don't really do the whole bloggin thing, especially blogging about what I read. I love to write but when I read something I think I do better discussing the readings with a group and feeing ideas off of eachother. But I did them and I put a lot of effort into them.
TWITTERIVE
When I was instructed that I would be using a Twitter lets just say I was a little less than thrilled. I have dealt with a lot of issues in the past because of twitter. But that is for another time and place to discuss. I never fully understand the popularity of this application. Why do I care what other people are doing at exact moments in time? Professor really did try to encourage me to open my mind and really utilize this project and put my 100% into it. He told us to just start tweeting things we see at any given period. After about a week of dragging my feet and trying to find a location to tweet about, I picked something quick and fun, my puppies. I started by just stating cute little things they would do, then I started posting pictures of them. After a few days of that I found myself tweeting some very insightful things that really surprised me.
When it came time to the assignment, I found myself in a jam. I loved the theme of my puppies and all the funny things they did, but I also like the fact that I focused on my house a lot that has been in my family for over 40 years. So when I orginally did my project, I did something for each. When I presented I think a few people said I was all over the place. This did not upset me because I know it was all constructive critisim and I knew going up there that I was going to be told things needed to be fixed. I never had to take something and put a multi-genre aspect to it. It was very new to me and I didn’t know how to approach it. After watching everyone else go up there and see some other ideas, I began to think of my own paper. Instead of going back on to it and correcting it a little at a time, I kept a notebook with ideas on what to do. I decided to focus on my house and make a time capsule. This idea was so much fun for me because I took something near and dear to my heart and put it in different forms of writing. I even put up a video montage. Don’t get me wrong my family will never see it because I don’t think it was that good but I am still proud of myself.
My strenths during this project was my ability to capture a moment in a few words. This came in handy when I only had a short space to say all I wanted to say.
ORAL HISTORY
When I first read the assignment for the oral history report, I knew exactly who I wanted to interview. I wanted to focus on my grandmother and her career in politics. She has set a legacy in Gloucester County by being the first woman to hold so many different political offices.
Growing up I would always talk to my grandmother about all that she had accomplished. This time I got to sit down with a camera and actually learned so much more about her. I enjoyed focusing on the issues she faced because she is a woman. The final product I believe really reflects her and the amazing woman she is.
My strength in this project was the fact I had a prior knowledge going into this project about my subject. I think knowing that really allowed me to explore things I didn’t fully know before and emphasize on all the qualities I did know. My weakness was definitly my experience posting videos. Thank goodness I have a great friend who makes videos for a living. He was able to walk me through step by step on how to convert the material from the camera to the computer to youtube then to my website. I would have been so lost were it not for him. That or I would have written a paper. J
Collaborative Research Project
This project in my eyes need a lot more time and dedication to have it reach its full potential. Chandni and I took on the task of exposing our audience to the ways fast food advertising misleads you. Many people understand the standard way of seeing the picture on tv or bilboards but it was never the same when you got it. There is a lot more to it than that. We showed you how they make the burgers for commercials by using “make-up artists.” We discussed how the nutrition facts were misleading. This project taught me things I did even know. We orginally decided to make a video which we thought came out very well. Once it came time to place it online everything went to well shit. So last minute we decided to turn the entire project into a paper. After typing it, I think it was the best decision we were able to get more information across.
My strength for this project was my ability to write. After having the technical difficulty which led to us having to turn it into a paper I was able to produce it quickly and well. My weakness once again I believe was my ability to use video updating software because well aparently I suck at it.
One thing I want to continue working on after this class is creating videos to post online because I think it is a good skill to have. Yet I am still having issues with that.
