Reflection #1
The first week of class was pretty confusing, didn’t really know how to start. I would have to say that this has been one of the most challenging online classes. The Publisher’s work is pretty much self-explanatory, read the information and submit the assignments for a grade. After Mrs. Salsedo updated the Process tabs by grouping the items that were due for every week, everything became a bit smoother. The power point presentations also helped out a lot, it really lets you see the important information for the chapter that you are studying on and everything was well organized. So far I have accomplished to complete all of the assigned course work for week 1. I did pretty well on the test, missed a couple of questions; however I did take notes and retake the test for a better grade. I like the feedback that is provided immediately after taking the test. It lets me know what I did wrong and what I need to do for a better grade next time. I would have to say that once you get to do the work everything else sort of falls into place. I am still having a bit of a hard time submitting my assignments. I don’t really know how upload the files so that all of the files for one chapter get to Mrs. Salsedo on time. This is the part that I am definitely struggling with. I do like weebly though, it’s interesting to me, how we are able to take a class and put our projects online for others to see. I thought this was pretty neat. Looking forward to actually sticking with the class to see what the final outcome is.
Reflection # 2
This week was difficult; it consisted of finishing up the Publisher’s Homework assignments. This part wasn’t too bad; it was actually exploring the data, cartoons and pictures for the issues that were a little more difficult. This week I have had a refresher in reading which consisted of Language and Its effects on Readers. I was able to review the Figurative Language: Metaphors, Similes, and Personification, this by far isn’t my easiest subject. Chapter 7 it was mostly about the Tone, Point of View and Allusions of stories. I was able to the difference between Irony, sarcasm, etc. The test wasn’t very difficult, I did miss a couple of answers; however I did make notes and retook the test which wasn’t too bad. This week I also had a chance to find some sites for my Issue which is Domestic Violence and the shelters where victims go to seek new opportunities. The Data portion of this week’s assignment, really made me realize that we need visuals in our projects to demonstrate the areas that need help. Data can come in several different ways, written in text, visualized in a bar graph, pie chart or in just a module with information. There was also a part for Cartoons, this section allowed me to really look beyond the cartoon and see the message that it was displaying. Finally the Photograph section; this was by far my favorite section of this week’s homework assignment. I got a chance to see a picture and really think about the statement that it was making. To me a picture means that it is a moment that has been captured and can never be re-created exactly how it was at that point in time. All of these different elements which were explored this week showed me what will be required of my Final Project and how to tie them all together. The issue that I have Domestic Violence and the shelters where families go for a better opportunity really affect everyone. One never knows who is a victim of Domestic Violence until the signs are there. I think that it is important for everyone to know what to look for when it comes to this issue because it can mean saving a life. Not just another woman or a man, it could be a parent, one that a family relies on. As far as additional work being required, I think that everything that has been laid out in the assignments will really tie this whole project together.
Reflection # 3
In the third week of class, I learned about Advertisements, Editorials, Language and Its effects on readers, and Speeches. In the advertisement portion I was able to see different ads and learn to interpret what they symbolized. Once that stands out was the ad on Page 395 of the text. It was about a Cranberry drink that is contained in a common shape of the woman. The ad stated that POM juice has been around for 5,000 years and if you drink it you may be around for a while too. Well most of the ads made sense this one was a basic advertisement getting consumers to purchase a product to remain healthy, however not all Ads are easy to interpret. Some of the ads are very difficult and have misconstruing messages behind them. I also had to read about Language and Its effects on readers, this is a very difficult subject for me. Words mean several different things and can be used in many ways, learning when and how to properly use them can be tricky. Chapter 6 and 7 of the text mainly speak about the effects of language and how they should be used, this section I had to review several times in order to properly understand the material. My favorite sections of this week’s work were the speeches. Listening to great speeches from the past and how it affects our lives today, really made me think about my issue and how it is affecting the lives of so many people today. As far as working for the organization for my Issue, I have been volunteering at a Clinic which is called the Heart of Medicine. I volunteer about 4-5 hours of my time during this time I am able to assist the physicians in gathering patient vital signs, verifying medications and perform testing if needed. I have also been able to help answer patient’s concerns with applying with health insurance through the states AHCCCS program, and assisting them with the correct forms to get coverage in their medications. I absolutely love volunteering for this organization; I have been helping them now for about a year. I have learned that most of the patient’s that are seen at this organization are being seen for a pre-existing condition in which they need to continue care. Some patients are being referred through word of mouth, and some are being sent by hospitals for follow up care. The organization does a lot for people without health insurance; they try and educate the patient on how to care for themselves and how to live a healthy lifestyle.
Some of the important tools that are needed to analyze material are reading or interpreting ads and editorials. Also watching any time of documentation that supports an issue really helps understand any media that is being spoken about. For example in the text it explains how to make assumptions, this is very important when analyzing media. Most times people only do something when they are interested in it. This same example is stated on page 306 of the text.
This section of class has been very helpful, it has taught me how to explore media, how to interpret it and of course how to use it in my topic.
Final Reflection
The last four weeks of class have been extremely challenging. I have learned different methods of critical reading and how to interpret language, cartoons, photographs, public advertisements, editorials and speeches. All of these different concepts have taught me the many different ways that there are to inform one of a concept that is being spoken about and how to analyze material behind it to support the topic. I think that I am much more aware of a valid argument rather than a trickery one. For example now I am able to watch debates and public advertisements and really understand the logic behind it. I am able to identify if the subject is worth giving my time to learn more or disregard it. The tools that seemed most important for me to validate an argument were the way that language is used and how to make valid assumptions.
As far as giving service to others I believe that this is a great opportunity to learn about different issues that different organizations stand for. We all know that there are several organizations out there that stand for great causes, however each individual has a different values and some things mean more to them than others. For example my first topic I chose to speak about Domestic Violence, unfortunately the volunteering part didn’t go so well. Most Domestic Violence shelters are very limited in the amount of information that they are able to speak about with people requesting information. The reason for this is that they are not only protecting their organization but they are also trying to keep the people in which they serve safe. Now I really understand and honor the way that the shelter is. They go above and beyond to really care for the people that they service and keep them safe. Therefore this meant changing my subject, which wasn’t a big deal.
I feel that by giving time to organizations we are contributing to our community and helping others that are in need at that moment. Everyone has a point in their life that where they need help. Thankfully there are noble organizations out there that are there to service the community. However organizations need help to continue to service those in need, this is where volunteers are greatly appreciated. Most organizations are non-profit and are ran by donations and support of communities. I feel that if we all give some of our time to an organization that we care about we can really make a difference, whether it is just contributing a couple of hours of our time or donating to make a difference. From what I have learned in this class organizations value more the people that can contribute their time and help as much as they can. I would like to thank all of the organizations that are out there for their great work, and I would like to say that they are valued and thank them for their hard work and support for the community.
These four short weeks have taught me a lot. By far I think I have learned more from this class than any other online class that I have taken. For being a reading class Ms. Salsedo wasn’t lying when she said that this class wasn’t about filling in the blanks. It really requires you to think and learn! However my favorite part of this class was being able to speak about my Issue and how I can contribute to my community and make a difference.
The first week of class was pretty confusing, didn’t really know how to start. I would have to say that this has been one of the most challenging online classes. The Publisher’s work is pretty much self-explanatory, read the information and submit the assignments for a grade. After Mrs. Salsedo updated the Process tabs by grouping the items that were due for every week, everything became a bit smoother. The power point presentations also helped out a lot, it really lets you see the important information for the chapter that you are studying on and everything was well organized. So far I have accomplished to complete all of the assigned course work for week 1. I did pretty well on the test, missed a couple of questions; however I did take notes and retake the test for a better grade. I like the feedback that is provided immediately after taking the test. It lets me know what I did wrong and what I need to do for a better grade next time. I would have to say that once you get to do the work everything else sort of falls into place. I am still having a bit of a hard time submitting my assignments. I don’t really know how upload the files so that all of the files for one chapter get to Mrs. Salsedo on time. This is the part that I am definitely struggling with. I do like weebly though, it’s interesting to me, how we are able to take a class and put our projects online for others to see. I thought this was pretty neat. Looking forward to actually sticking with the class to see what the final outcome is.
Reflection # 2
This week was difficult; it consisted of finishing up the Publisher’s Homework assignments. This part wasn’t too bad; it was actually exploring the data, cartoons and pictures for the issues that were a little more difficult. This week I have had a refresher in reading which consisted of Language and Its effects on Readers. I was able to review the Figurative Language: Metaphors, Similes, and Personification, this by far isn’t my easiest subject. Chapter 7 it was mostly about the Tone, Point of View and Allusions of stories. I was able to the difference between Irony, sarcasm, etc. The test wasn’t very difficult, I did miss a couple of answers; however I did make notes and retook the test which wasn’t too bad. This week I also had a chance to find some sites for my Issue which is Domestic Violence and the shelters where victims go to seek new opportunities. The Data portion of this week’s assignment, really made me realize that we need visuals in our projects to demonstrate the areas that need help. Data can come in several different ways, written in text, visualized in a bar graph, pie chart or in just a module with information. There was also a part for Cartoons, this section allowed me to really look beyond the cartoon and see the message that it was displaying. Finally the Photograph section; this was by far my favorite section of this week’s homework assignment. I got a chance to see a picture and really think about the statement that it was making. To me a picture means that it is a moment that has been captured and can never be re-created exactly how it was at that point in time. All of these different elements which were explored this week showed me what will be required of my Final Project and how to tie them all together. The issue that I have Domestic Violence and the shelters where families go for a better opportunity really affect everyone. One never knows who is a victim of Domestic Violence until the signs are there. I think that it is important for everyone to know what to look for when it comes to this issue because it can mean saving a life. Not just another woman or a man, it could be a parent, one that a family relies on. As far as additional work being required, I think that everything that has been laid out in the assignments will really tie this whole project together.
Reflection # 3
In the third week of class, I learned about Advertisements, Editorials, Language and Its effects on readers, and Speeches. In the advertisement portion I was able to see different ads and learn to interpret what they symbolized. Once that stands out was the ad on Page 395 of the text. It was about a Cranberry drink that is contained in a common shape of the woman. The ad stated that POM juice has been around for 5,000 years and if you drink it you may be around for a while too. Well most of the ads made sense this one was a basic advertisement getting consumers to purchase a product to remain healthy, however not all Ads are easy to interpret. Some of the ads are very difficult and have misconstruing messages behind them. I also had to read about Language and Its effects on readers, this is a very difficult subject for me. Words mean several different things and can be used in many ways, learning when and how to properly use them can be tricky. Chapter 6 and 7 of the text mainly speak about the effects of language and how they should be used, this section I had to review several times in order to properly understand the material. My favorite sections of this week’s work were the speeches. Listening to great speeches from the past and how it affects our lives today, really made me think about my issue and how it is affecting the lives of so many people today. As far as working for the organization for my Issue, I have been volunteering at a Clinic which is called the Heart of Medicine. I volunteer about 4-5 hours of my time during this time I am able to assist the physicians in gathering patient vital signs, verifying medications and perform testing if needed. I have also been able to help answer patient’s concerns with applying with health insurance through the states AHCCCS program, and assisting them with the correct forms to get coverage in their medications. I absolutely love volunteering for this organization; I have been helping them now for about a year. I have learned that most of the patient’s that are seen at this organization are being seen for a pre-existing condition in which they need to continue care. Some patients are being referred through word of mouth, and some are being sent by hospitals for follow up care. The organization does a lot for people without health insurance; they try and educate the patient on how to care for themselves and how to live a healthy lifestyle.
Some of the important tools that are needed to analyze material are reading or interpreting ads and editorials. Also watching any time of documentation that supports an issue really helps understand any media that is being spoken about. For example in the text it explains how to make assumptions, this is very important when analyzing media. Most times people only do something when they are interested in it. This same example is stated on page 306 of the text.
This section of class has been very helpful, it has taught me how to explore media, how to interpret it and of course how to use it in my topic.
Final Reflection
The last four weeks of class have been extremely challenging. I have learned different methods of critical reading and how to interpret language, cartoons, photographs, public advertisements, editorials and speeches. All of these different concepts have taught me the many different ways that there are to inform one of a concept that is being spoken about and how to analyze material behind it to support the topic. I think that I am much more aware of a valid argument rather than a trickery one. For example now I am able to watch debates and public advertisements and really understand the logic behind it. I am able to identify if the subject is worth giving my time to learn more or disregard it. The tools that seemed most important for me to validate an argument were the way that language is used and how to make valid assumptions.
As far as giving service to others I believe that this is a great opportunity to learn about different issues that different organizations stand for. We all know that there are several organizations out there that stand for great causes, however each individual has a different values and some things mean more to them than others. For example my first topic I chose to speak about Domestic Violence, unfortunately the volunteering part didn’t go so well. Most Domestic Violence shelters are very limited in the amount of information that they are able to speak about with people requesting information. The reason for this is that they are not only protecting their organization but they are also trying to keep the people in which they serve safe. Now I really understand and honor the way that the shelter is. They go above and beyond to really care for the people that they service and keep them safe. Therefore this meant changing my subject, which wasn’t a big deal.
I feel that by giving time to organizations we are contributing to our community and helping others that are in need at that moment. Everyone has a point in their life that where they need help. Thankfully there are noble organizations out there that are there to service the community. However organizations need help to continue to service those in need, this is where volunteers are greatly appreciated. Most organizations are non-profit and are ran by donations and support of communities. I feel that if we all give some of our time to an organization that we care about we can really make a difference, whether it is just contributing a couple of hours of our time or donating to make a difference. From what I have learned in this class organizations value more the people that can contribute their time and help as much as they can. I would like to thank all of the organizations that are out there for their great work, and I would like to say that they are valued and thank them for their hard work and support for the community.
These four short weeks have taught me a lot. By far I think I have learned more from this class than any other online class that I have taken. For being a reading class Ms. Salsedo wasn’t lying when she said that this class wasn’t about filling in the blanks. It really requires you to think and learn! However my favorite part of this class was being able to speak about my Issue and how I can contribute to my community and make a difference.
