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Ashley O’Dell
Mr. Lewallen
EDT 180A
November 25, 2019

Final Reflection

Before the beginning of this class, I did not realize that there were so many options that I

could utilize to create different technology projects. I was aware of many of the programs such

as the Microsoft programs and the creation of a podcast, but it is interesting to see how common

technologies can be used for different purposes. There were only two new aspects of the course I

was not aware of at the beginning of the year. One of them were that I was able to do more than

just the basic functions on PowerPoint. The other being that coding was considered a language. I

believe that my perspective changed because I was reintroduced to all kinds of technologies that

I had used in the past. This reminded me of all the options that I could use in the future.

During the duration of this course, I had run into some obstacles that made some of the

assignments challenging. The first challenge that I faced was with the communication module.

Once I had gotten close to completing my podcast, the editor I was using would sometimes

freeze, causing me to lose saved progress. This was frustrating because the only choice I had was

to redo the progress I had lost. The other challenge that comes to mind is the technical issues I

had faced with the construction module project. In the end, my partner and I could not figure out

how to get past them. We had attempted for many hours to correct the issues, but nothing seemed

to work. We even went to other classmates and they could not figure out how to fix our project.

Dealing with these challenges can be frustrating, but overall, I know that I did my best to work

through the problems.

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When I looked back at my previous reflections, I had discovered that there was a pattern of

having positive experiences. Focusing on the peer reviewing aspect of the revision process,

overall, I had received encouraging feedback that praised my individual projects throughout this

class. The only project that I had difficulties on was the construction module because there were

some technical issues that my partner and I were having trouble figuring out. Therefore, my

partner and I had lost points on that specific assignment. Based on my experiences, I think that I

can conclude that I tend to do better when I am working on my own. It is easier for me to rely on

myself for completing the project at the highest possible quality. One thing that I have learned

about myself through reviewing my revision documents is that I have an ability to create unique

and creative technology-based projects that meet all the requirements. This surprises me in the

sense that I have increased my ability to be creative while using technology for a task given to

me.

In order to see how I have progressed throughout this course, I examined the differences

between one of my first assignments to my last project. When comparing my inquiry module to

my expression module project, I can see clear differences in my work as a progressing college

student. I notice that my overall vocabulary had increased and became more sophisticated while

nearing the end of this semester. In addition, I had noticed that there were more creative freedom

and individuality opportunities involved in the projects as they progressed throughout the

semester. This transformation has evolved my skills as a future high school English teacher.

During the peer review process, I was able to see what some of my classmates were doing for

their own projects. I was impressed when I played a murder mystery game for the construction

module project. I enjoyed the concept of playing a game rather than creating a quiz like my
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partner and I did. If I were to redo any of the projects in this class, the construction module one

would be my only choice. In the future, I think there will be little opportunity for me to create an

application game for a college course. On the other hand, I believe that in my future teaching

career that this could be used to develop an interactive class activity.

Digging deeper into what I would do if I could change or redo my construction module

project, I would consider some ideas. One idea being to make the actual quiz longer. My partner

and I had developed a ton of different options for the user to pick from, but each choice would

lead to a different path. The actual pathway to receiving their ideal destination only took a

minute or two. I would go back and add more decision options for the audience. On the other

hand, if I were to redo the entire project, then I would do a completely different idea. As I had

said earlier, I really enjoyed going through one of my classmates’ projects that was about solving

a murder mystery. I would want to do an app that was targeted towards little kids (approximately

ages six to twelve). The simplicity of the application would make the process most likely easier

since it could not be too complex for the young children to use. I believe that creating a story

using domesticated animals such as dogs and cats would be entertaining for this age group. I see

it as an interactive story book in a way. They would be able to decide what the main character

does. The outcomes of the characters actions would be displayed so the children could learn

about how there are consequences for every decision that they make. Overall, I believe that this

idea would have been more fun for me to make and a more successful project.

One goal that I have set for myself for next semester is to continue bringing my creativity into

my course work. I feel that by doing this I will be able to stand out from my colleagues and

create more personalized assignments. Additionally, this will make my assignments more
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entertaining for myself as well. Adding creative elements can take more time, but I believe that it

is worth the positive outcome.