A2.5: Week 2 Reflection

Aims and Objectives: 

 My goals for CD 315 this week were to create accounts and become familiar with delicious, bloglines, and Tapped-In, complete the class reading assignments, and complete the weblog development and writing assignments.  I began this week by creating my accounts and familiarizing myself with the websites.  I then went to the class webpage and read the readings assigned.  The last goal to be completed were the writing assignments.  I completed all of my goals in order to be a successful student in CD 315.

Declarative Knowledge:

This week I learned about several different things.  I learned about blogs, e-mail, hoaxes, and other internet sources.  I now know how to create a weblog, create categories for the weblog, and post to it.  I can manage my weblog too.  I know how to comment on other peoples personal webpages.  I now know how to set-up an account at delicious, bloglines, and Tapped-In and I know a little more about what each of these pages allows a person to do.

Procedural Knowledge:

To create accounts at the three designated websites, I first typed in the website address.  Once I was at the website I went to create an account and filled in all of the needed information.  To complete the process I went to my e-mail and confirmed the account.To complete the reading assignments, I went to the class webpage.  I then clicked on Week 2 Assignments and clicked on each reading that was assigned one at a time.To create the weblog categories, I went to wordpress.com and logged in to my weblog.  I then went to the dashboard and clicked on manage.  I then clicked on categories and created Week 2.  I repeated these steps to make the Online Journal Category.  To make a post and complete the writing assignments, I went to wordpress.com and logged in.  I then went to the dashboard and clicked on write.  I then clicked on write post.  I entitled my post with what was assigned and wrote my thoughts on the prompt that I was responding to.  In one case I created my own prompt.  After I finished responding I hit publish.To post a comment to a classmates post, I went to their webpage and clicked on the post.  I filled in the needed information and wrote in my comment.  When I was finished I clicked on submit.

Conditional Knowledge:

It is important to know about the internet and all that you can do on-line.  All of the knowledge that is gained through the internet allows us to be lifelong learners.  Learning how to create a weblog allows me to express my ideas and thoughts.  A weblog can be used as a tool for professionals to post their ideas and receive feedback from others.  It can also be used to keep in contact with friends and family.  I am currently helping my mother-in-law create a weblog for her high school class.

Questions:

Is there a way to create your own background (presentation) on wordpress?  If so, how?

A2.4: Reflection on Learning Values

What were some of the values and attitudes toward learning/education expressed in your family?  How have they influenced your thinking and your practice (as a student)?  How are they consistent or inconsistent with your own values and attitudes toward learning/education?

     Education has always been an important part of my life.  As early as I can remember my parents worked with me on simple tasks.  When I was 3-years-old I knew my ABC’s, simple shapes, colors, and I could count.  I also knew some basic Spanish because I watched Sesame Street.  My parents would read to me every night and we would work on phonics.  When I entered kindergarten I was very prepared.  My family never pushed me but they were very supportive.  My father was a coal-miner and he always expressed how important it was to get an education.  He always said, “I want you to get an education so you can support yourself and be successful.”  My parents taught me to always do my best, never give up, and to believe in myself. 

     I have always strove to do my best.  I think it is because I want my parents to be proud of me.  I have a very good work ethic because both of my parents do.  I know in order to achieve my goals I have to put in the time and the effort.  I have learned this from my mom and dad.  Even when I have been totally overwhelmed and frustrated I have not given up but instead I have worked harder to accomplish my goals.  The most important thing I learned to do because of my parents is to believe in myself.  I know that if I put my mind to it I can do anything. 

     My values and attitudes toward learning/education are very consistent with my parents.  I think that an education is the greatest gift you can give yourself.  It allows you to support yourself and be dependent.  If I have children I will instill the same values into them.  I will teach them to do their best, believe in themselves, and to never give up.  This is how my values and attitudes toward learning and education are similar to my parents. 

    

A2.3: Reflection on Personal Interests

Why do you want to become a speech-language pathologist?  What is there about being a speech-language pathologist that drew you to this profession?

     When I began college I was a chemistry/pre-med major.  After my sophomore year I decided that I did not want to pursue that major but I still wanted to be in the medical field.  Before I switched my major to communication disorders I shadowed a speech-language pathologist.  I was very interested in what she did so I changed my major. 

     One thing that drew me to this major was the choices that I would have when deciding what population to work with.  I knew that I could work with kids or adults.  I also liked that I could work in several different environments ranging from a school to a hospital or nursing home.  I have always wanted to help people and make a difference and being a speech-language pathologist will allow me to do this.   

A2.2: Reflection on Information Literacy

Being information literate in today’s society is very important.  Why do you think it is important and how have you been taught this skill?

     I believe that being information literate in today’s society is important because it helps people become lifelong learners.  Today people have several different sources of news and information, ranging from the television to an article in a small unknown journal.  The internet is another one of these sources.  Being information literate enables a person to distinguish if the information and/or the source is reliable, especially when using the internet.  People who are information literate also know how to locate, organize, and use the information that they find.  With tons of information available at the click of a button we must learn this skill.  It will enable us to be better students, learners, teachers, researchers, employees, employers, and parents.

     How have I learned to be information literate?  The first thing I can remember doing research for, using multiple resources, was my sixth grade research paper on drugs and violence.  I went to the library and used the computers to find books, magazine, and newspaper articles on my topic.  I also typed my paper on Microsoft Word.  In junior high and high school I learned how to use the internet to find reliable sources.  In most of my classes if you used the internet as a source you had to make sure that the source was reliable.  We did this by finding out who or what organization created the source and comparing it with other facts that we had found about the particular topic.  During these years I became a more efficient researcher.  When I came to Marshall I thought I knew a lot about researching and using Microsoft, but it was here that I learned how to use Power Point and Excel.  I also learned how to use the library archives, the academic search premier, and how to reserve books on-line.  I am always learning something new.  It may be how to find information, use a program, or even how to create my own webpage.  This is why I think being information literate is important and how I have learned this skill.