Portfolio Openings

Follow these steps:

Choose one of the items below. Insert your cursor below the item, and then write about the projects in this class in terms of that item for four minutes.

Choose another of the items, and then write freely about the projects in this class in terms of that item for four minutes.

Choose a third item from the list. Without discussing directly the projects, write freely about the activities and processes experienced in this class in terms of that item for five minutes.

• Creativity
• Problem Solving
  • Throughout this course, I had to face a lot of problem solving. I was not well versed in Adobe Photoshop or Audacity and found that many of the technical skills involved were not extremely intuitive. I am familiar with Adobe Illustrator and have had practice processing audio in the past, but the platforms used were very different from my experiences. Even just navigating around the platforms was a challenge at first. Once I began to spend more time with these projects, my technical skills increased drastically and I was able to work with the programs much better. I feel much more confident with illustrator and many of the tools we used for these assignments. I also feel as though my ability to edit audio and really know what to hone in on for different types of audio projects has improved. Most of this was found through trial and error, but I believe that it was a good way to learn how to use these tools. 
• Critical Thinking
• Leadership
• Communication
  • I would say that more than anythings, my communication skills have been developed over the course of this semester. This is especially due to the podcast and audio essay assignments. It is so important to be able to communicate ideas in a clear and concise way. I found that with these two assignments in particular, I had a challenging time doing so. When recording the podcast, you aren't really sure what the other people in the group are going to say or what direction they are going to take. As a result, you have to be able to think quickly and focus on the flow of conversation as well as making the point you are going to bring to the table clear. With the audio essay, speaking for five minutes or so with no visual aid is a challenge. I had to adapt and be able to keep the audio interesting.
• Collaboration
• Information 
• Risk taking
• Adaptability
• Curiosity
• Reflection
  • Being able to reflect on the projects throughout this course has been very helpful for making improvements and bettering my work. Reading over the comments from Professor Anderson on my work allowed me to focus on weak areas that I may have not even spotted at first. I found that after reflection and editing, I was much more proud of what I had created. I also am very happy with the reflections in my portfolio and how they contribute to the exhibition of the knowledge I gained from this class. Presenting both original projects and the revised, cleaner projects creates a fuller portfolio that better emulates the takeaways from the course. Without seeing both sides, it is not as evident how much work went into these projects. 
• Motivation

Finally, choose one item from the list below. Write freely about the projects in this class in terms of that item for five minutes.

• Logic versus emotions
• Role of visual, sonic, and textual media
  • The media of the project you are woking on is very important to consider when you are trying to convey a certain message. It is crucial that the idea being presented is adapted to the type of media, and not the other way around. For example, with the audio essays, listeners are better able to grasp ideas if they are presented in shorter, quicker points. Whereas, if you are writing a paper, thoughts tend to be longer and more extensive within a single sentence. The memes also worked in the same way. The more effective memes had less words and let the combination of image and text hold the power. Creating projects that are tailored to the type of media being used is vital to making effective arguments. 
• Networks and social exchange