The multimodal project seemed very easy to me at first but as I continued to work on it I realized it had several underlying layers I had to consider and it become much more challenging. I enjoyed looking online for varying pictures to display my viewpoints and I got to practice using a new program so that I could edit some of the pictures. However, it was difficult to figure out how to transition from my introduction to my main points while also incorporating the opposing view points. If I had more time I would have added additional pictures that added to my claim and continued to edit my powerpoint. I chose to work on normal excel powerpoint so I did not use any new sources/modes, but I think it was the best mode to use for my multimodal. I have never done a project even similar to this, so it was a very different process than I am used to. I created a reverse outline and tried to find pictures that I thought represented my main points and ideas but these were not always possible to find, so I had to edit my original draft a good amount. After much editing, I have a lot of clever and thought-provoking slides in my multimodal that really express my thesis and side clearly. I really discovered my ability to think about the same topic in a different way, and presenting the same thesis visually really helped develop new layers to my original argument. It gave me the chance to express my thesis and reflect on how best to display it.
Monthly Archives: April 2016
Weekly Reflection 11
This week I read the New York Times article, “Race and the Standardized Testing Wars.” The article highlights some of the internal conflicts ongoing with minority groups who believed the parents allowing their children to opt out of standardized testing was a form of white privilege. Recently however, minority groups and more parents in general have started opposing all the standardized testing for various reasons including resulting cut backs to enriching programs like art/music, and the damaging effects students’ test scores can have on self-esteem.
I took a personal interest in this article because I have always hated standardized testing. I normally take longer than other students to complete any prompts/questions because I like to take more time to develop all my thoughts and go back and check my answers. Therefore, I have never scored well on timed standardized tests. More than once I have felt like a total failure for not receiving marks in the “proficient” or “advanced” category because I did not even get to finish my test. I think this article brings up a lot of important points because it is amazing still to me how much my Mississippi public school system emphasized state testing. It created such a terrible environment because I felt like my teachers were trying to program me to get a certain number of questions correct on a test as opposed to trying to teach me any real knowledge or make sure that I understood key concepts. I understand that the standardized tests can have benefits, but I think school districts and the people calling for more and more tests should listen to the students’ thoughts as well. I enjoyed reading this article because it is nice to know this topic is starting to get more attention.
4/20/16- Daily Reflection
The multimodal project has been challenging because it is not easy finding pictures for my topic. I have had to create a lot of them myself which is time consuming and I’m still not sure they clearly depict what I’m trying to say. From the feedback I received today, I think my argument is overall clear but I know I need to work on limiting text and adding more substance/slides to show the opposing view point as well. This project has reminded me I struggle with displaying things visually without text and it is difficult to capture what my argument is without a voiceover.
Weekly Reflection 10
This week I read The New York Times article, “Ecuador Earthquake Kills Hundreds in Huge Wave of Collapses.” The article described the magnitude of the earthquake Ecuador and its surrounding countries were hit with as well as the powerful aftershocks. It detailed the terrible destruction, heartbreak, and overall anguish people in many parts of the country are facing. Hundreds of people and animals were killed, thousands were injured, and hundreds of homes and buildings destroyed along with power outages and shortages of food, water, and medical supplies.
Articles about devastating natural disasters always hit very close to home for me. I can’t help but think of over 10 years ago when I was still little when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast area. The destruction was massive, overwhelming, and debris was everywhere. Many people died from the flooding, and many lost their homes and were left with nothing. The response time was slow, and it took years for the businesses and homes to come back and for people on the Gulf Coast to regain their lives. Reading over this article was just another reminder and chance for me to reflect on how fortunate I am that our house was not destroyed and all of my family members stayed safe. It’s easy to read an article about a disaster in a foreign country and not think too much about it, but going through a similar event really brings the scene to life and helps me relate to what others are going through. A small part of me is fortunate for Hurricane Katrina because it helps me to be an empathetic person and never take what I have for granted.
Daily Reflection 4/11/16
I am very excited to continue to work on my multimodal project further. My topic is a little tricky so I think it will be best to display all aspects of it through the use of pictures using either prezi or a typical excel powerpoint. During class today, I went through my paper and highlighted some of the most important words and ideas to include in my project. The most challenging part will be to find images or create images that will reflect my argument.
Weekly Reflection 9
This week I chose to write about The New York Times article, “The New Catholic Truce.” The article details some of the ongoing internal conflicts that are occurring inside of the Roman Catholic Church. The author also discusses the pope’s new letter on marriage and family, “The Joy of Love,” which encourages readmission of the remarried and divorced to come and receive communion and discusses family structure. He interprets this as a more liberal step for the Catholic church. I chose to read this article because I was interested in reading about how the author would interpret this papal letter. Having been Catholic all my life, I am used to getting a very negative reaction half the time from people when they find out my religion. People typically have some sort of pre-notion that I am bigoted and believe I am self-righteous (which is not true in the slightest.) So, I was interested in what the author had to say about this letter and how the Church would be portrayed in a national news article. The author was not as bias as I thought and did an okay job of summarizing Pope Francis’ letter- which was relieving to me. It’s really hurtful to see some of the things published about the Roman Catholic Church in the news and hear about what others believe. On a spiritual level it is very important to me that the Church is taking steps to modernize and be as welcoming as possible. I think this letter from Pope Francis shows that the Roman Catholic church is evolving and truly is showing people that all are welcome. While I may not be directly affected by this letter, it still affects me indirectly because it’s helping to shape people’s idea of my religion and what it says about me.
Unit Reflection- Argument
The argument section has by far been the most challenging for me. I initially thought that I would have no trouble with this paper and it would be easy to write, but the further we moved into the paper the more I realized how challenging it would be to master this section. There are a lot of layers that underlie this section that I did not realize I needed to consider. The topic that I chose was also more challenging than I realized. It was also challenging to understand how to qualify. If I had more time for my paper I would have liked to find more sources to use so that I could add more detail and support to my thesis. I made a lot of commitment to this paper trying to make sure it was something that I liked and making sure that it flowed well and all my sources were credible. It was difficult at first for me to figure out how to integrate them into my paper without the flow of my paragraphs being interrupted. However, practicing with the citations in class helped with this.
Weekly reflection 8
This week for my reflection I read The New York Times article, “My Banished Brother.” This was an article in the health section, detailing the author’s personal story about how she dealt with having a brother who was “banished” because he was born severely disabled and had Down Syndrome. The author’s parents believed that having a “vegetable” son was a sign of punishment or wrong doing from God and sent him away to be a ward of the state. They did not let their other three children ask about their brother, Jimmy. The only time the author visited her brother was right before he died, but she was able to learn about who he was and how he impacted others’ lives. The author is now living with the regret of not meeting her brother before and not being a part of his life.
While I do not have a sibling who was sent away, I feel I can relate to this article very much still. Learning to value and always cherish your family members no matter what was an important lesson from this article. In my personal life, I worry about losing touch and growing apart from my mom who is six hours away. I have so much schoolwork it is a rare occasion for me to go home, so I constantly feel guilty about not spending more time with her. It is hard sometimes to put aside time for family time, but it is never something I regret doing. This article was a nice reminder for me that not only is it important to accept and embrace differences, but also to cherish your family while you can.
Daily reflection
Today’s peer review experience helped me to take a step back and use the review questions to look more deeply into my own essay. In addition, it is helpful to read other’s essays to look at how other arguments are addressed. When I recognize sources of error in other essays, it helps me to go back in my own essay and look for those same errors or mistakes I glanced over. Argument papers can be difficult to master so I think it is beneficial to be exposed to different examples and approaches.