Genre #5 Critical Reflection

Contemporary Media Literacies

 How would you define contemporary media literacies to others?

o To define contemporary media literacies to others I would first define literacy as

the ability to read and write. I would then explain that contemporary media

literacies are different ways of using media such as video, audio, and

visualizations in order to help someone be literate.

 Describe what you have learned about your own interactions with contemporary

media literacies.

o I have learned a lot about my own interactions with contemporary media

literacies. The way I communicate with friends, family and colleagues all

revolves around contemporary media literacy. I found that it is important to give

meaning in my own words when posting photos to social media, so that others do

not have to draw their own conclusions. I saw how using emojis while texting is a

form of taking words and feelings and turning them in to a picture. I also learned

how traditional literacy is a stepping stone into contemporary media literacies,

how in order to apply new learning techniques you must first have an

understanding of the basics.

 Which literacies do you feel most comfortable with and why?

o I feel most comfortable with visual image use as a form of contemporary media

literacies. This was the easiest concept for me to grasp. Turning words or
 information into a photo can be very helpful since some may say “a picture is

worth a thousand words.”

 What literacies would you like to see yourself improve and why?

o I would like to improve my use of video literacies. I get very nervous being in

front of the camera and I believe this a personal flaw. It not only affects my

schoolwork but also affects my work when having to join in on Zoom video

meetings.

 What do you think about the social and political context in which these literacies

occur?

o I believe this course focused more on the social context in which we used these

literacies. Social media and communication are important for some individuals

who use social media for their business.

 Why do you think contemporary media literacies are important to examine?

o I believe contemporary media literacies are important to examine and be able to

understand the information presented in front of you.

 How do you see contemporary media literacies as part of your academic, personal, or

professional life?

o I use contemporary media literacies academically very often, posting video,

audio, and visualizations in discussions with the peers. Personally, I share videos,

and use emojis when communicating with friends. Professionally I use video

literacy very often with learning modules for work but also while attending Zoom

meetings.
  Describe at least one connection between concepts in this course and concepts you've

encountered in another IPS course you've taken. If you haven't taken any other IPS

courses yet, describe a connection between this course and any another course you

have taken. 

o I found this class very similar to my Design Thinking IPS course. In both classes

we were asked to identify a problem and find a way to solve it using different

methods. I solved the problems using different tools but after taking this course I

see where I used many literacies covered in this course to solve my problem in the

Design Thinking course.

Writing and Speaking

 Describe your approach to speaking assignments and tasks. What is your approach to

tackling such assignments?

o When working on speaking assignments I try to write out a list of bullet points of

what I need to speak on. I then practice a few times in order to gain confidence in

how I am presenting my information.

 Describe your writing process. What do you like about it and why? What would you

like to change and why?

o Writing is a tough subject for me. As much I want to do well in school this has

been very hard from the start. I usually start with a bubble chart to jot down my

ideas and see how they connect. I then write a draft and type it up then while

reading through I made needed adjustments. I wish that I had more confidence in

my writing itself. This process is the only once I have been able to use.
  What are your strengths and weaknesses as a speaker? What strategies will you

employ to address your weaknesses?

o My strengths as a speaker are being knowledgeable on the speaking subject. My

weakness is getting nervous when speaking in front of others. I have tried using

repetition in order to familiarize myself with the order to present information in

order to not be as nervous.

 What is the relationship between writing and speaking for school and writing and

speaking for your personal or professional life?

o I do a lot of writing and speaking for school but that is all. At work if I am asking

to work on a document it would be an Excel spreadsheet and I don’t usually have

to speak about the findings. I just email them back to my coworker.

 In what ways did writing and preparing presentations about your subject help you

think through complex ideas raised during your exploration of contemporary media

literacies?

o Writing and preparing presentations helped me to grasp the concepts of

contemporary media literacies better. It forced me to research further in depth

many topics and helped me to gain a better understanding.

Your Final Website Project and Presentation 

 Describe two or three moments when you made intentional decisions when curating

your work. What contributed to those decisions?

o When choosing resources related to my topic of Health Literacy, I made sure to

use sources that pertained to issues I had seen in my work. I also used my
 pharmacist and pharmacy manager as resources for more information. I chose to

do this in order to have my research revolve around real world problems that I and

my coworkers had seen in the past.

o When choosing different types of media to use for my final presentation, I tried to

chose media that would be easily accessible to patients and providers so that they

would be able to implement changes on their own or we could help them easily in

the pharmacy.

 What was the best part of doing the website? Of the presentation?

o The best part of creating the website is making it my own way to help others.

o The best part of the presentation is being able to display my knowledge and ideas

to change the problems I see with Health Literacy.

 What was the most challenging part of the website? Of the presentation?

o The most challenging part of the website is the designing factor. I find it hard to

know exactly where to place photos and graphics to keep it interesting but also

not too overcrowded.

o The most challenging part of the presentation was getting comfortable in the

video. This is something that is hard for me.

 If you had more time to work on these projects, what would you do differently and

why?

o If I had more time, I would have tried to work ahead on smaller assignments to

give myself more time to complete larger assignments. This would have helped

me be more prepared when completing these projects.

  In what ways has your project furthered your personal, academic, or professional

goals?

o This project has helped me academically by pushing me to write more than I am

usually comfortable with. Personally, it has helped me to see how important time-

management can be when completing tasks. Professionally it has helped me to

connect with my coworkers in ways we can help patients manage their health.

The Class

 What are your goals for your education and why?

o My goal is to complete my degree, not to obtain a better job or anything. This is

just a personal goal of mine. I told myself 10 years ago I wanted my bachelor’s

degree. So now I am finishing what I started.

 What were your goals for yourself for this class?

o My goal for this class was to finish with an A, while I still think this could be

done. I am now aware that a B may be in my future. I have worked hard in the last

year at UNCG to increase my GPA so anything below an A hasn’t been

acceptable.

 During the term, in what ways did you contribute to meeting your overall education

goals and your goals for the course?

o During the term I contributed hard work and perseverance in order to meet my

overall education goals.

 If you could change something about your student life (past or present) so far, what

would you do differently?

 o If I could change something it would have been my freshman year. College was

initially overwhelming for me, and I failed most of my courses. If I could go back,

I wouldn’t have started at UNCG I would have gone to a community college and

then transferred in.

 How did your conversations with your classmates impact your experience in class?

o The conversations I had with my classmates were very helpful. They always give

great feedback and usually a different view on subject topis that help to view

things in a different way.

 Any final thoughts you want me to know as I read through your work?

o This has been one of the hardest classes I have completed in the BIPS program so

far. I’m not sure that the course itself was hard but learning new information and

having to write such long essays and make video presentations has been hard and

stressful for me.