Initial thoughts about online classes
This was an interesting experience for me. It was my first time taking an online class. The online classroom setting took some getting used to but has many benefits. I have always shied away from online courses due to my lack of knowledge about them. Initially, I was the guy saying, “I need face-to-face contact.” Now, I highly recommend the forum for those yearning for a more convenient way of learning.
JoMC 711: Writing for Digital Media explored online avenues to achieve effective communication, which include:
- Creating blogs
- Including hyperlinks
- Writing with an active voice
- Building a hierarchy to assist skimming
- Uploading images
- Creating maps
- Working with wikis
- Reporting through liveblogging
- Outsourcing tasks through crowd-sourcing
- Sending news feeds through Twitter and other social media trends
Learning from the professor and peers
Professor Brian Carroll did a great job providing timely feedback to assignments and inspiring the students to add to the discussions. The diverse group of students provided insights from a variety of backgrounds. Each week, different individuals shared their knowledge and experiences through the discussion forums.
Challenges and changes in my writing
Writing has always been a challenge for me. So, completing the writing assignments took longer than expected. I found myself having to check comma use, punctuation marks, and I still ended up creating verb tenses. This class helped me gain confidence in writing. The detailed critiques were more welcomed than a deterrent. I realize that I have a deficiency and is working towards improving it.
The quality of my writing was improved when I allowed more time for more drafts. By taking breaks and revisiting the writing, I noticed errors that did not stand out before. As I read the draft, I would think about ways to say something better or if it should be written with less words.
I am more conscious of writing to a specific target audience. Since the audience of the class was web-based the addition of hyperlinks and images help support your position on a topic or provide more information for those wanting to know more. On the web, the reader is more likely to skim the writing instead of scroll. The inverted-pyramid approach attempts to provide the most important parts of an article in case the reader is not motivated to review the entire piece.
Looking forward to learning more
The quality of my writing was improved when I allowed more time for more drafts. By taking breaks and revisiting the writing, I noticed errors that did not stand out before. As I read the draft, I would think about ways to say something better or if it should be written with less words.
I am more conscious of writing to a specific target audience. Since the audience of the class was web-based the addition of hyperlinks and images help support your position on a topic or provide more information for those wanting to know more. On the web, the reader is more likely to skim the writing instead of scroll. The inverted-pyramid approach attempts to provide the most important parts of an article in case the reader is not motivated to review the entire piece.
Looking forward to learning more
I have always heard great things about the J-School from family and friends. I definitely benefited from taking this class and feel it was a great start to becoming a better writer.
I look forward to expanding my knowledge of digital communication, while continuing my enrollment in the Certificate in Technology and Communication program.
