Journal/Reflection Main Page

Journal/Reflection Work

2002

Mid-term Reflection Paper IT 8090

April 8, 2002

IT 8090

1. Have your expectations for what you hoped to learn in the course changed since you wrote your last

Reflection Paper?

Yes, I was so excited to learn we would be working with digital cameras and Photo Shop. I have used my brother’s digital camera before, but it is a cheep one. The one we got to use for class was so neat. I even got to do a short video recording that I sent to my family and friends, and the people who opened it, enjoyed it. I thought it was so cool! I also liked working with Photo Shop to alter pictures. I have a paper due in two of my other classes this semester, and I plan to scan some questionnaire results and add text to them through Photo Shop when I am at school this week. I am so excited about the camera; I am looking into purchasing one.

2. How much do you feel you have learned/grown in this course to date?

The software programs we have covered thus far are very useful in educational settings, and because of that, I already knew how to use them before I came to class. So I have not learned a lot, but I have grown. I liked using Microsoft Power Point to talk about Video Conferencing because it was a topic I didn’t know much about video conferencing, but was very curious about. I didn’t know there were so many possibilities out there for communicating. We use WebEx at work where you can teach a class over the phone and computer, which I think is neat.  I also loved making the little video with the camera, and manipulating graphics. I want to expand by web site skills, and the little jump start I got from that class will get me revved up to experiment more with the program.

3. Do you feel you have gained a better understanding of how to tackle challenges?

I think I have been given an opportunity to consider challenges and how to meet them. Because we are aloud to be creative in our project choices, I can look at a possible challenge that I could face one day, and come up with and implement solutions to those challenges. Sometimes in the real world you do not find the time to be creative, but with this class, it is a requirement to think, solve, and create; so, I can use my projects to tackle challenges.

4. What are you doing differently with web-based technologies than before you took the course?

I am checking WebCT about every other day for updates and postings for two of my four classes this semester. My first semester here, none of my teachers were utilizing WebCT or class websites for that matter; so, this whole medium of technology is new (and very helpful) for me. I also visit the website often to keep on top of the criteria for my projects by clicking link-to-link and reading. It makes doing my homework much easier. I used to have to drag my notebook everywhere, but now I can have the class web site open and work from there. Also, I’ve never seen such an extensive site with project instructions. I like that because I can know exactly what to do. Since I do not teach yet, I have not been able to use technology differently in my classroom.

5. Web Page Experience

I am also looking forward to working on my web page more. I am no expert in that area so I am excited about learning how to do more things with my web page. I’d like to add a chat to my page and a teacher suggested I look at ePals. So, hopefully I’ll be able to work on that. My website from UGA expired before I could move the pages; so, I am starting over. I remember how much I loved making my page and how much time it took, but it is definitely worth it.

6. Reaction to WebCT

This is only the second semester I have used WebCT; so, this is still a fairly new medium of keeping in contact for me. I posted my first chats/e-mails ever last semester, and it is a neat way to interact with the rest of the class each day/week when we are not all together. It is also a great way to hold instructor facilitated discussions though the messages boards set up. A teacher of mine this semester has added a web cam to her chat. I just did a dye Chemistry chat with her and my class and we could see her the whole time…the screen refreshed every 15 seconds or so. Pretty neat!