So today in biology, I realize that Netflix is maybe not a bad thing. We are currently talking about the different systems in the body and how they correlate with each other. Usually when I’m in biology, I’m completely lost. She might as well be teaching in Spanish because it wouldn’t make a difference. But today…I knew exactly what she was talking about. I happen to be a huge fan of Greys Anatomy. I have watched every single episode of all the seasons and let me tell ya, I learned a lot without realizing it. The entire class today I was writing the different characters/events from Greys Anatomy that correlated with the notes that I was taking from the lecture. The connection I drew between the tv show and the lecture is important, but I think that the bigger connection was how I understand the information better because I connected it back to something in my life. Not only is it the first time I learned something and actually understood it, but it is the first time I learned that it will be easier to recall the information on the test. Overall, today in Biology I was able to not only draw connections between a tv show and class, but how to write better/more beneficial notes in class.
Monthly Archives: April 2016
Multimodal Reflection
Posted onTo my surprise, I actually really enjoyed this assignment. Ever since I was a little girl, I have always loved a good challenge. So this project was exactly that!
For starters, I am computer challenged. I don’t know why, but sometimes I just have the hardest time with doing more than the bare minimum on the computer. When I saw this assignment was a website and immediately panicked. Once I understood the assignment, I went and made a “trial website” with a different email and web address. I did this so I had another place to work on becoming familiar with the website and if I messed up or accidently deleted something, it didn’t really matter. I think this was very beneficial for myself. I was able to remain more calm and motivated through out the project unlike in projects in the past (aka Powtoon).
The next obstacle that was at hand was reducing the amount of words and turning them into visuals. I think this was one of my stronger areas, because I had made an outline before writing the paper, so I was able just to use the wording on my outline. I also did a little extra reading and researching in order to obtain more visual elements to get my point across. Overall, I feel that this was the part of the project where I felt most confident.
This process really reminded me of the synthesis essay. I didn’t necessarily have to include visuals in that particular paper, but I had to juggle many different elements into one project. For example, in the synthesis essay, I had multiple texts, an audience and a different type of structure to consider. Likewise, the multimodal assignment had the same set of issues plus a few more. With careful planning and self pacing, I was able to grasp the project and complete it with only one meltdown. I think that just like how I learned from the Powtoon how to address this project, I learned from this project how to tackle a future assignment. A part from actually composing the paper/multimodal, I think I finally understand how to arrange evidence and stay organized in my papers. In addition, I believe that I have a better handle on how to address the different audiences I may have to conform my paper to entertaining.
I say all of this to come to the final point that it is important to have an element of creative writing through out academic papers. Time and time again, I read over my friends’ essays (I’ve been titled editor of the friend group) and think man this is just so traditional. I really have strived to add a since of my personality to my papers, without it being to evident and non academic. I think about what I would want to read if I wasn’t writing the paper and in what way would I like to read it. All of this, I feel, is what has helped me grow as a writer and become a pro at the computer.
Weekly Artifact: New Geography Perspective
Posted onThis week I realized that I had no idea where anything is relationally located in the world. My friend Phoebe is a very unique individual and has chosen to start her college career at an university in Germany. After completing her first year there, as as of this morning, she has now decided to travel, by herself, over to India and pursue her goals of missionary work. When I received the phone call early this morning, I was so excited for her. I knew this is something she has wanted to do to for a long time. With this being said, this afternoon, in geography class, my feelings had been altered. I am someone who hates maps and instructions so it was not surprise to me when I had no idea what anything was on the world map. But today, something caught my attention. As I was following the lecture and the corresponding map, I realized where Phoebe was actually heading. She was bordering on many other countries and areas that are rich in conflict today. Now when I walked into Geography today, I was not imaging that I would be drawing a connection between the lecture and where my dearest friend was headed, but I did. Not only is this single connection going to help me understand the information I need to know to make a good grade in geography, but it will allow me to have a better understanding as to where my friend will be residing for the next month.
Derby Days vs Social Media
Posted onThis past weekend, I participated in Derby Days for Sigma Chi’s philanthropy event. Before I go into my personal opinions or statements about this particular event, I wanted to clearly state that anything I say in regards to this matter does not reflect the views of any organizations I am a part of. Digital Rhetoric is something that is so commonly used today and on many occasions it is used for good and connective matters. In this event and scenario, I believe that this one, emotionally driven post has exploded in the wrong manner because of the abilities Facebook provides. This idea of something on social media going viral is nothing new. Time and time again you will see the same video of adorable dogs pop up on your Facebook feed due to the fact that people like, share or comment on the posts. In this derby days event at Ole Miss, social media was used as a mechanism to bring about conflict and bad reputations. The biggest connect or parallel I can think of between this incident and the United States is through politics. Since we are in the months leading up to the presidential elections, you see all over the internet good and bad things going viral about the candidates. In conclusion, I think that social media is used as a means of communication, but sometimes it can be enlarged into something that is not that big of a deal.
Basic Web Design of Sephora
Posted onMy weakness is online shopping. It has always been an issue ever since I got my debit card. With that being said, there is one website that I look at once a day; Sephora. While the merchandise is a main reason why I like the website, I think it is because of how it is organized. When you first open the website, there are a list of sales located at the very top. Who doesn’t love a good sale on makeup? A part from there being sales on things that I “must have”, they present them in a very flashy way. For example, if they are have a sale on lipstick they show a picture of the item and then in big font they have the percentage of the discount on top of it. With these two simple piece of information, I know whether or not I want to spend time looking at it (even though most of the time I do). Another thing I love about Sephora’s website is the organization of finding the items that I know I want. Right underneath the sales at the top they have tabs that link you to each kind of product they sale. But they don’t stop there! Once you click on the tab a drop list of each specific brand pops up. So within two clicks, you are directly at the product you want. How easy is that? I think that I want to include a lot of this simple organization and visuals to my project. I really think that by doing this my website will be more appealing.
Weekly Artifact: Independence
Posted onI had a moment this week were I realized how independent of a person I really am. Ever since I have been in college, I’ve been told “you are such a little adult” and “you’re so mature for your age”. Even my biology teacher called me the “problem solving adult of the class”. While I never understood what these statements meant and if they were in a positive or negative tone, I knew that I wasn’t like most kids my age. This past weekend my parents were in town. I was at dinner with them one night and they told me these things that I have been hearing my freshman year. I finally gave in and asked why I was told that for so long. My parents gave me the typical parental response, so likewise, I gave the typical child response; ignored them. In the past few days, this question had been eating at me. As far as I knew, I was just like any normal kid in college who makes stupid mistakes, procrastinates studying and eats junk food just because I can. How is that “mature” or being a “little adult”? The deeper I thought, I began to realize that I am not just a normal college student. I have never skipped a class, I don’t go out and party, I don’t drink (literally gag at the taste), I attend church every Sunday, I have no problem eating by myself, and I am not here to get my “MRS Degree”. I don’t mean to write this weekly artifact about how good of a person I am (I’m not perfect in any way), but I finally drew the connections between these statements and my actions. I also realized during this time that I have a ton to work on as an individual. Looking at the big picture of this realization, I have learned many things during my first time away from my parents, but there are many situations and skills that I am still in need of improvement. I think the reason this artifact was so profound for me was because I had a moment of self evaluation for not only my academic life, but for my personal life.
Madelyn and Kajah’s Reflective Conversation
Posted on
Weekly Artifact: Procrastination at it’s Finest
Posted onSince it is the last week to work on this project, I guess it would be a good time for me to draw the connection between what I have done in the past and what I should do in the future. A few weeks ago in history, we had a 6 paged essay to write over a book we had read outside of class. Well I must have thought I was super woman or something because I waited until two days before it was due to write a draft, take it to my professor to edit, and revise it accordingly. Well, unlike I had hoped for, my professor basically told me to re-write my paper. Now I had heard the constant lectures about not to pull an all nighter and that your brain goes to sleep after a certain amount of time, but I was left with no option. My point in including this story into my commonplace book is not to fault my first (and last) all nighter, but to remind myself that this wasn’t a good idea. When I was looking at my rough draft today, I thought to myself, “DONT DO IT….DONT YOU DARE PUT IT OFF!” So, I am going to publish this post and go work on my paper, because it is a miracle my friends are still my friends and I am still functioning normally after my days of running on no sleep.
Language of cause and effect paragraph
Posted onInitial Effect
When lawmakers sat down and decided that there was a need for legislation in the education world, they had one issue on their mind: money. In efforts to keep funding more equal across the United States educational systems, they revised the wording of the IDEA laws. As a result of this, regular education students benefited at the cost of those who are in need of protection, students with disabilities. According to the Education Journalist Christina Samuels, “The provision, called “maintenance of effort,” is meant to keep funding stable…school systems are locked into spending a certain amount regardless of any system wide changes they may make.” While this law seemed to be reasonable and productive for all, it has left the special education programs with less money than they had to begin with. Once they are locked in with a particular set of digits, there are no revisions. Where this becomes a problem is with the school systems that are located in poverty regions, for they don’t receive much funding initially. In conclusion, the change of funding is the starting point of the continuing decline of special education students’ protection by the law across the nation.
I feel that this paragraph is a good start, but not something that I plan to turn in. At this point in my drafting stage, I am all kinds of unorganized. I find myself starting to write about one topic then I introduce the next topic in that paragraph. By the time I get to the following paragraph, I repeat what is said in the prior paragraph. So long story short, this draft is a mess. I plan to finish my very, extremely, terrible rough draft tonight. Then on Tuesday, I will go through and move my thoughts around, re-word, and add subtitles to the paper. I hope that from this point, I can get a better understanding of how my actual writing and content after the conference. Overall, I will be working on this paper all week.