Mid-Term Reflection

1.) After studying media for 8 weeks in Rob Williams class, Contemporary Media Issues I have learned a ton! Basically how to be way more analytical about the media through all of the concepts of the tribune brain, 7 principles, 8 shifts, persuasive techniques, and ideas from Postman, Anderson, and the Media in Society book. Media is very complex and powerful in shaping the way information we receive, how we receive it, what we think about it, and our actions.

2.) Most important thing I have learned about myself as…
A.) Critical reader: Apply the concepts we used in class more. I don’t simply take the information presented to me.
B.) The way I write is shaped by the media I use. Example- I write differently on Twitter than I would in an e-mail to someone.
C.) I have become a more critical thinker. I don’t simply accept information being given to me. By being aware of the several tool sets I have learned allows me to analyze media in terms of the knowledge I have gained.

3.) One thing I would do differently this first half of the semester is apply the readings from the book assignments and the concepts from our tool set packet to the small articles we read and blog about.

4.) I have gotten a ton out of this class and I am being honest when I say that I don’t think you should do anything differently. I like the readings, assignments, and tool sets we have learned and it makes me view the media in a different light. Now I am analytical about the media I use and the information that is presented to me, instead of taking it in without really thinking about it. I also find myself applying what I have learned to other classes.

5.) Usefulness of…
Course Blog: Very useful- learned how to blog, allows me to learn from other students blog posts, allows for the assignments to all be in one place.
Personal Blog: Very useful- Causes me to reflect more deeply about media that I choose and apply the concepts in the books and packet a great deal.
Films/Books as learning tools: Very useful- Has given me many new concepts and ideas to think about and demonstrates them. Through the information in the books and films I am better able to understand how the concept are applied to media.