Feedback, or Half of My Midterm

And now to reflect on Electronic Media Writing (aka MCM216) as we reach the mid-semester mark. Excuse my lolcat, I'm blogging at an obscene hour and felt the need to jazz this post up a bit.

1. After studying media for eight weeks in this class, what have you learned?

I have learned to use everything available to me to question and analyze the media I come across daily. Rather than just take things at face value, I wonder how many persuasive techniques an ad on the subway uses or what my triune brain thinks of "Law and Order: SVU". I would always question the way media worked and then just move on with my life, but now I think about things like my tool sets and specific scripting methods. Scripting has also helped me in audio production.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned about yourself as a 1. critical reader, 2. a writer, and 3. a critical thinker in this class so far?

1- I've started trying to go deeper with the readings than in the past or other classes. I really love learning about media and it's cool to see what makes it function and move smoothly and impact the way we live. I take more time to draw things out of the Hilliard readings.

2- I like writing, and I think I'm putting more of my voice into it now rather than making things sound like straight narration or using my default quirky internet voice.

3- Media is a complex wild animal (like a panther; it sneaks up on you and devours your entire life), and I was terrible at analyzing it, but I'm definitely getting better. It's hard to think about these things with deep, meaningful purpose, but Hilliard and hands-on work with blogging and scripting and such have made it easier.

3.What's one thing YOU would do differently this first half of the semester if you were to take this class again?

I would become better friends with the tool sets packet and do my readings/responses way in advanced to get in the habit of doing them.

4. What's one thing you would like ME to do differently this first half of the semester if you were to take this class again?

I wanted to do more with my personal blog earlier in the semester when it was still new and relatively exciting. It was like one introduction post and then a giant pause between entries. I'd say assign more for that to get people acquainted with it.

5. Please comment on the usefulness of the course blog, your personal blog, our films, and our book(s) as learning tools.

-Hilliard is the man. It's one of like, two textbooks I have ever found completely useful. If I need to look something up, I'm confident that it is in that book.

-I love having the course blog. I wish other teachers would use something like it. So much work and so many assignments get lost in the shuffle and it is such a great way to connect everyone in the class.

-Personal blogs: wasn't a fan at first, still not totally sold, but I like how I now see how difficult blogging really is. You have to be on your A-game 100% of the time to keep people interested. It's tougher than it looks.

-I HATED twitter, but all of a sudden I'm addicted. Funny how that works...