In looking back over this semester I have determined that
this is not the degree tract for me. I did find some of the teachings to be
interesting in regard to technology and the way in which it seems to
continually grow and evolve; forcing us to grow and evolve along with it. I found
specific assignments to be rather interesting, for example “Literacies as a
Social Practice”, opened my eyes to the way we translate texts and the way we
associate. It has been said that, "The distinctive contribution of the
approach to literacy as social practice lies in the ways in which it involves
careful and sensitive attention to what people do with texts, how they make
sense of them and use them to further their own purposes in their own learning
lives" (Gillen and Barton, 2010, p. 9).”
We are exposed to almost anyone; information is shared quickly, vastly
and relentlessly. We have fewer in depth conversations and many more that are
surface level. We translate the mass
amounts of info we receive, sometimes, as it should be translated and at other
times the way we want to translate it. Most of the aforementioned goes hand in
hand with social media and daily digital and technological interactions.
Additionally the exploration of “signs and symbols”
further explored the social practice of how we each participate as interactive
or represented depending upon whether we are providing or receiving
information. What was interesting to me is that we are both depending upon the
situation and the text in which we are viewing. This opened my eyes a bit!
Interactive participants are described as,” the participants who speak and
listen or write and read, make images or view them” (Kress & van Leeuwn,
48). So essentially I would be a representation of this definition if I were in
the midst of a conversation, participating in an assignment, or taking in and
absorbing information. Yet as a represented participant which is described as,
“participants who constitute the subject matter of the communication; that is
the people, places and things” (Kress & van Leeuwn, 48). I would be more of
an observer than perhaps a creator. Which is interesting because prior to this
course I always considered myself a creator.
I enjoyed the “Adolescent Interview” as a project. It was
eye opening for me to see just how much impact social media and technology is
having on the younger generations! While it was challenging to nail down a
participant and while she seemed rather indifferent, some of her responses
caught me off guard. For example there is a naivety that many young adults have
about content being private or in the case of Snapchat disappearing all
together. I found this to be alarming, I would never rely on content to not be cataloged
somewhere.
My “Ah Ha” moment came when I found myself wishing I
could relate the curriculum more to my interests. I do not see this having the
same impact in my life as a more traditional degree in Marine and Coastal
management would. As a result I have decided to apply to a Marine program that
would have me more “submersed” (pardon the pun) in the various ocean environments
and environmental issues. I have enjoyed working with such a wonderful group; I
wish everyone much success in their endeavors!
Kress,
Gunther & van Leeuwen, Theo (2006). Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual Design. New York:
Routledge.
