This week in Communication class I learned more about extracting information from texts in the practice reading assessment. I'm trying to think more deeply about what I'm reading but also take important parts of it that I need more than others. I found that in the assessment I wanted to say lots about what I thought, but this turned out to be far too much. I would end up running out of time and not finishing the assessment if I dont change this. So I need to practice working more quickly and extracting what I need from the text by scanning over it first of all and then picking up applicable points quicker.
In investigating Europe class, I discussed my project plans with Joe. I went through the techniques I plan to use to investigate the Moors effect on Andalucian culture. I going to use different methods of obtaining information. I'm going to interview an Andalucian on the contemporary culture, and also perhaps an Andalucian person who knows about the period in history involving the Moors. Also I want to gather information from the internet and books, something which is taking quite a bit of investigation actually. I have lots of separate books on Spain, Spanish contemporary, and on the Moors. So I'm trying to connect and cross reference the information I'm collecting. I'm hoping that popping to Granada next week will help me a lot. I'll be able to see first hand the effect on the architecture, the art and will be able to investigate the possible effect on the language and the people by speaking to an academic at the university or maybe just a friendly local. I have learned that I need to have a lot of disipline to work alone and avoid distractions. I am trying to keep thinking of ideas that I can keep constantly at the back of my mind to drive me on. I'm reading on the bus, popping into the library to check out any more books I can find (I've tried a lot of libraries!)
I am using skills I think I'm picking up in other classes, like History, Literature and Communication, skills such as essay writing, investigating and gathering information, reading-which I thought I could dobefore! Now I'm learning there is more to it and I can look a whole lot deeper.
In history we went through the democracy of the 1600's-1700's with Evan, continuing on from 1500 or so last week. I am going to try remember the order of the monarchy, the dates and names of each person and the events at the time that changed history, or guided the course of it. It's really interesting to learn how we got here in politics and the royal family etc. I didn't know the the royal family are German! I love history and I'm learning so much about it.
Monday, 12 October 2009
Monday, 5 October 2009
Reflective journal week 5
Aaah Spanish, is there enough time in the day to learn what I want! Getting there though. I have learned I want to work more on speaking, listening is the easiest part for me, but thinking in Spanish of what I want to say, constructing sentences, writing, and speaking take a good bit longer. I have learnt that writing things down really helps me, if I'm trying to really learn something I just keep doing written exercises with it. I'm going to start listening to Spanish more also. As Alicia says I should revise the handouts everyday before moving on to new things. She gave great encouragement and I really feel like I can do this if I apply myself. Learning two new words everyday is reasonable to do and as she says it all adds up!!
In Literature class, we handed in our essays on the poem 'Valentine.' I really enjoyed doing this, I had to cut my essay in half because I doubled the word count! I learned from this that the main work in writing an essay is the organisation and work you do before hand. I spent hours making notes and trying to put it in order to make sense. Writing it up was easy after that. I bought a book on literary terms and re-read the poem several times using this. It was really interesting noticing techniques used and sort of getting what the writer was trying to convey.
For our Investigating Europe class, I had a subject to study chosen. That was the variety of cultures in Spain. I decided this was too wide a subject to try to fit into 2500 words and a 3/4 minute talk. It's sooo varied!! So I chose one area of Spain I've always been interested in- Andalucia and the Moors effect on the culture of the area. I'm finding loads of great books on this, my next challenge is to find somebody to interview about it. Maybe a field trip to sunny Andalucia!!! So I learned that I need to be organised in this, and create a plan of action to use the time I have well. The 7th of December is not that far away really! I learned that mind mapping and elimination helps in making decisions sometimes and clear thinking.
I really enjoyed Communications class this week. We analyzed a Scotsman article which was arguing the case for animal testing. Something which obviously provokes feelings of some kind. We looked at the points made and what exactly the writer was trying to say, and how exactly he was doing that. I thought it was interesting how much he was trying to sway us arguing one side of things. In reading newspaper articles since this I find it's so common, the articles are so opinionated. I learned to put my feelings aside when analyzing a text to try and empathise with what the writers points and opinions were.
In Literature class, we handed in our essays on the poem 'Valentine.' I really enjoyed doing this, I had to cut my essay in half because I doubled the word count! I learned from this that the main work in writing an essay is the organisation and work you do before hand. I spent hours making notes and trying to put it in order to make sense. Writing it up was easy after that. I bought a book on literary terms and re-read the poem several times using this. It was really interesting noticing techniques used and sort of getting what the writer was trying to convey.
For our Investigating Europe class, I had a subject to study chosen. That was the variety of cultures in Spain. I decided this was too wide a subject to try to fit into 2500 words and a 3/4 minute talk. It's sooo varied!! So I chose one area of Spain I've always been interested in- Andalucia and the Moors effect on the culture of the area. I'm finding loads of great books on this, my next challenge is to find somebody to interview about it. Maybe a field trip to sunny Andalucia!!! So I learned that I need to be organised in this, and create a plan of action to use the time I have well. The 7th of December is not that far away really! I learned that mind mapping and elimination helps in making decisions sometimes and clear thinking.
I really enjoyed Communications class this week. We analyzed a Scotsman article which was arguing the case for animal testing. Something which obviously provokes feelings of some kind. We looked at the points made and what exactly the writer was trying to say, and how exactly he was doing that. I thought it was interesting how much he was trying to sway us arguing one side of things. In reading newspaper articles since this I find it's so common, the articles are so opinionated. I learned to put my feelings aside when analyzing a text to try and empathise with what the writers points and opinions were.
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