Reflection Post #1: Media Literacy
My feelings:
In all honesty, I felt a little stressed and overwhelmed after the first week of class, mainly due to my tumultuous relationship with technology. A few hours before writing the first blog post, I encountered issues signing in via Google. For some odd reason, it kept denying my password, so I had to reset it. However, after doing so, I kept running into errors and had to keep resetting my password. At that time, I was attending an appointment for my sister, so I was trying to access my account while also resetting my password, all while navigating to reset my email password. I was trying not to get frustrated, but after having to reset my password four times, I was nearly ready to give up and go home. Thankfully, I was able to access my account and email once my sister and I left her appointment. I would like to say that I am a fairly patient individual. Still, when it comes to technology, I tend to get exasperated, especially when trying to access documents, accounts, and other miscellaneous items connected to it. I tend to be a bit more hesitant when it comes to courses that incorporate creating websites and utilizing other technological tools, mainly because they weren't available to me when I was growing up. I remember having to write all my schoolwork on paper and accessing materials from textbooks. There were only a handful of times when I had access to computers and technology when I was younger, which is baffling to look back on, considering technology is now considered a pillar in most individuals' lives, whether they like it or not. My learning goal for the course is to avoid overthinking the material and assignments, and to carefully read the instructions before stressing myself out. I hope to overcome my technology struggles and make the most of the course tools.
My initial thoughts about the Slack tool are that it is surprisingly helpful. Slack reminds me a lot of Discord, which I initially disliked but eventually grew to like. I haven't had the chance to explore all the different tools available on Slack, but the ability to post material in channels, along with the messaging feature, seems incredibly useful. I can definitely utilize Slack in my classroom as long as it is approved by the school's Admin. It is an excellent platform for communicating with students and revitalizing student engagement. One of my professors used a similar approach in a course, which allowed them to lecture while also providing students with the opportunity to ask questions or delve deeper into discussions with the class or in groups. I spent some time long-term subbing at the high school level, and most of the students didn't care to speak up or discuss in class. Utilizing a tool like Slack for class discussions or to support more introverted students provides them with the opportunity to participate in class. I prefer Slack over Google Classroom; while I understand how helpful Google Classroom is, I still encounter issues while navigating the site. I would utilize Slack as an alternative means of communication, as my Google Classroom email and teacher email are bombarded with emails daily. There are times when I turn off notifications for email, as I tend to get overstimulated with announcements and emails. By utilizing Slack, students would be able to contact me, and I would be able to respond quickly than via email. It also allows me to see whether I received a message or not. I would use it only for communication, as well as for discussion boards similar to Canvas discussion boards. I feel like Slack is a bit more user-friendly, and I don't have to worry about adding students to multiple groups or forgetting to add students. It also gives students the ability to post memes or react to their peers' posts, which I also enjoy as much as the next person. I'm excited to see how Slack can enhance our learning experience.
One concern I have about this class is using Animaker as well as creating a website with Wix. I had a frustrating experience with creating a website in a previous course a few years ago. However, there are some concerns about using Wix. I had to make a website in my pre-req course, CPLA, which turned out poorly, but I passed with an A-. I may or may not have accidentally cracked the screen on my computer while trying to figure out the logistics of the assignment. The idea of creating an animated video without any templates seems daunting. I've never made videos, and I tend to overanalyze and overthink directions, especially when it comes to technology. These tools, while powerful, also present a significant learning curve for me, and I'm sure I'm not alone in this feeling.
Still struggling to attach links :( so if it looks terrible sorrrrrry :( https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmusic.getyarn.io%2Fyarn-clip%2F6eeab5aa-e838-472f-a28c-60662cbf21c9%2Fgif&psig=AOvVaw2qTx6VMpTyskC03eAJbsx2&ust=1751102496010000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBMQjRxqFwoTCIi0zqajkY4DFQAAAAAdAAAAABA3
Hi Veronica,
ReplyDeleteI really like the template/design choices you made for your blog. You are not alone when it comes to feeling a bit overwhelmed about the learning curve for all of these programs. I feel intimidated by the animation project as well, but I think if take it step by step and spend a little bit of time each day on the project it will be okay.
Jon, thank you! I was inspired by some of the members in team red. I was surprised I was able to adjust the template. I completely agree with you, as long as we take it one day at a time the animation project shouldn’t be too difficult to complete.
DeleteHey Veronica,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing this. Now that we’ve made it through the first week, I’m realizing I share some of the same feelings: I’m definitely feeling the weight of the tasks ahead - especially without many clear examples of what’s expected. Like you, I can get overwhelmed with tech, especially when things don’t work right the first time. I really admire your patience and persistence (resetting your password four times—whew!). I’m also trying to remind myself to take it one step at a time and trust that we’ll all get more comfortable with the tools as we go.
Jess, I am someone that definitely utilizes examples of assignments and projects since I tend to overthink them a lot. Usually when I have an example, I break it down in steps so that I don’t overwhelm myself and prevent myself from completing my assignment. I feel like it’s always scary learning how to navigate a new tool especially in technology.
DeleteHi Veronica,
ReplyDeleteI like the way your blog looks- very aesthetically pleasing! I am also nervous about working with technology for this course because of past experiences. I hope that as we get further along in the course we both get more comfortable with using the new technology. I also overthink/overanalyze directions- is there anything you've found that helps you get started on assignment without overthinking? Asking for a friend... (Me) lol.
Hannah, I have this crippling anxiety when starting new assignments that only gets worse when I overthink every little component. It’s taken me a long time and I still struggle to this day, but I like to print out hard copies of assignments then start checking off all the things I might need or how I might approach it without feeling overwhelmed. The hardest step that I still struggle with but I am making some progress on is just starting. I love how supportive our team is so I’m sure if one of us runs into an issue, we can always reach out to each other for help and support.
DeleteVeronica,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your honest frustrations and concerns, it seems like we are all in the same boat about a lot of these things— which is comforting because we can lean on each other for advice and also just know we have someone to relate to our struggles.
On another note, I don’t think we have ever met in person, so I’d just like to say welcome to the cohort! Where are you from and what brought you to the EWU MIT program?
Isabelle, I was pretty surprised to see that many of us share similar feelings about the animated project and other feelings about technology. I definitely agree that it works out for our team since we can reach out to each other for support. I am from a small town called Wapato. I usually say I’m from the Yakima Valley since most people don’t know where Wapato is at :) I’m excited to be finishing up in the MIT program to finish my degree in Secondary Education with a focus on ELA.
DeleteI saw your comment on my discussion post in EDUC 507 -- I definitely know where Wapato is! And I too most of the time say I am from Yakima when people ask, because not very many people have heard of Selah:) When I went to the Spokane job fair recently Wapato School District was there and it seemed like there were quite a few job opportunities there (especially compared to Spokane). Is that where you are wanting to end up? Also, secondary ELA will be awesome! I assume you like to read?
DeleteHello Veronica!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate that you shared your honest feelings, frustrations, and concerns with everything so far with this class. Technology isn't easy at all, and it does help me in a way knowing that I'm not the only who has their own concerns. Going through all of this together means we can help each other out and rely on each other when we run into issues! Wix seems really daunting for me as well, I'm not the most creative person around so this project has me a little on edge as well. Hopefully we all can come out with this having learned how to work with different platforms a little better than we do now!
BJ, it’s crazy to see how much our team has in common when it comes to concerns with technology. Like you said it goes to show that we share similar concerns but also allows us to reach out to each other for support on navigating through different platforms and other assignments.
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