Trusting the Process by

jones723 — 2023-12-09 21:29:44 UTC

Having this class was a great experience. Growing up I had a very strong connection to writing, but I lost it a few years ago. However, this class really brought that connection back. I can also say it made it even stronger. With previous writing classes, I was accustomed to reading a book or piece of writing and writing about what I read. So I never had the chance to write about myself. However, this class gave me that opportunity and I fell in love with writing all over again.

jones723 — 2023-12-09 21:30:37 UTC

I would have to say WP1 meant the most to me. For that project I wrote about a very difficult time in my life. Before writing about it, I never addressed my feelings about that time in my life. So having that moment to reflect really helped me put some things into perspective. Now I can acknowledge that that time in my life was not great, but it helped me get to where I am today.

jones723 — 2023-12-09 22:11:37 UTC

I also feel like WP3 meant a lot to me. Before completing that project, I was stuck with a very important decision. I knew I wanted to change my major, but I had no idea what I wanted to change it to. However, after having the opportunity to research and discover more about my desired major, I was able to make a decision. This meant so much to me because I feel like I would've still been lost if I hadn't completed that project.

jones723 — 2023-12-09 22:13:23 UTC

The most helpful skill I am taking away from this course is time management. Looking back at the course I really liked how we had the due date sheets for each WP on D2L. It was very easy and convenient having all of that information in one spot. So, I decided to follow that same format and I made due date sheets for my other classes. Just doing this has kept me on track and relieved me of so much stress I had from doing work at the last minute.

jones723 — 2023-12-09 22:58:09 UTC

Another skill I am taking away from this course is communication. During this course I found out communication is one of the key elements of writing. For example, during WP2 First Draft Reviews it was said “I would like to know more about what attributes the house has and what it was like in detail” (Logan Kreitner, WP2, First Draft). At first I thought adding in those details was unnecessary, but I shortly realized that if I didn't have it in my story it would feel like something was missing. So in that moment I knew I really had to start communicating with my peers and trusting their thoughts as well. Doing that really helped me work through the rest of this class and improve my revising methods.

jones723 — 2023-12-09 23:15:24 UTC

I'm also taking away the skill critical thinking. During WP2 and WP3, we were challenged to come up with more questions to analyze our object and complete our interview. I really enjoyed this task because it showed me how one questions can turn into three more different questions. It also showed me how to figure out what details might be important to include in a project.

jones723 — 2023-12-09 23:19:49 UTC

Before we really started writing in this course, I oftenly questioned the process. However, once we started writing, I was really surprised at how well the process worked. At first, following the process was not easy. I think the part I struggled with the most was the brainstorming step. I felt like my brainstorming wasn’t detailed enough and that was also pointed out on Padlet. “One suggestion would be when you are brainstorming to go a little further when exploring or inquiring” (Carol Arnold, WP1, Brainstorm). This feedback really helped me because improving my brainstorming made the other parts run even smoother. The proposal process, first draft, peer review, and final draft became much easier.

jones723 — 2023-12-09 23:28:27 UTC

One thing I have gained from this course is the ability to express my personal feelings. Before taking this class I never enjoyed sharing my feelings with anyone or even addressing them by myself. However, I felt like I was really stuck at that point because I didn't know how I wanted to express my feelings. Some people may express their feelings through, dance, art, music, and etc. Now, after taking this class, I know I have an outlet to express and address my feelings.

jones723 — 2023-12-09 23:52:05 UTC

One of the things that really worked for me on D2L was the weekly announcements. For me this was a life saver. Being able to see all of the important information and updates for the week was very helpful and practical. I didn’t have to go searching through piles of content and documents to find what I needed. I also really appreciated this because not many of my other professors did this, so it meant a lot to me.

jones723 — 2023-12-09 23:54:24 UTC

As for the Individual Padlet, having everything color coded and organized really helped me. Being able to go back whenever I wanted to and find my work without a hassle was great. Also having the feedback posted directly under my work was helpful. I could easily read the feedback and go back to revise my work.

jones723 — 2023-12-10 00:35:15 UTC

The Perusal activities were one thing that helped me find success throughout this course. The first thing it helped me with was improving my peer reviews. At first, I didn't know what type of things I should be looking for when reviewing someone’s work. However, having to leave comments and analyze the content on Perusal helped better my understanding of what a real peer review should look like. A peer review is not a space for you to criticize someone's work or writing ability. A peer review is an opportunity for you to help someone better expand and demonstrate an idea.

jones723 — 2023-12-10 00:36:06 UTC

The D2L assignment sheets were also instrumental in me finding success. Having every project fully broken down and detailed, saved me so much time because I didn’t have to figure out what was expected of me and projects. Every piece was already laid out in full detail.

jones723 — 2023-12-10 00:36:45 UTC

Another activity that led me to success was the first draft part of the process. Before taking this class, I never wrote any types of drafts. I still managed to get good grades on those assignments, but I wasn’t really confident with what I was turning in. So having a first draft be a mandatory piece of this class really improved my understanding of why first drafts are important. First drafts aren't supposed to be perfect, it's just the first opportunity to put all of your ideas into perspective.

jones723 — 2023-12-10 00:46:20 UTC

I honestly wish we had the opportunity to complete more projects. Even though each project took a good amount of time to complete, I still would have loved to do at least three more. For me, with us only doing five WP’s it made the class go by so fast. Unlike other classes, I wasn’t ready for the class to be over.

jones723 — 2023-12-10 00:48:52 UTC

If I were to begin this class again today, I would probably engage differently within the classroom. Whenever we had open discussions to ask questions or give feedback I never said much. By the time I made it to class, I was pretty much drained of all the energy I had. However, I shouldn’t have let that hold me back from missing out on a great opportunity. I’ve had a few classes where we didn’t have the opportunity to actively engage with each other. So I most definitely should have taken advantage of the one that was sitting right in front of me.

jones723 — 2023-12-10 00:49:58 UTC

Overall, this class holds a very great value to me. I can honestly say it has been one of the best I’ve had since beginning my studies at MSU. Taking this class did not only help me improve my writing. It also helped me in a few different areas of life; most importantly my future. So with that being said, I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to take this class.

jones723 — 2023-12-10 01:19:39 UTC

jones723 — 2023-12-10 01:20:29 UTC

jones723 — 2023-12-10 01:21:19 UTC

jones723 — 2023-12-10 01:26:01 UTC

jones723 — 2023-12-10 01:28:19 UTC

jones723 — 2023-12-10 01:31:04 UTC

jones723 — 2023-12-10 01:40:42 UTC

jones723 — 2023-12-10 01:56:11 UTC

Another thing if have gained from this course is trust. Starting WP4 I was really nervous about collaborating on a whole project. During some parts of the project, I was a little frustrated because I felt like I was on a different page than my teammates. Everyone contributed good ideas to the project, but sometimes I wasn't able to clearly visual them. However, I had to remind my self that everything doesn't have to go my way. So the only option I had was to trust my team. In the end, it was most definitely worth it because the end project was very clear and well- organized.

jones723 — 2023-12-10 02:12:39 UTC

The D2L grades page was also very helpful. Having that area to see all of my grades and the feedback for each assignment was amazing. As for the feedback specifically, I loved having detailed feedback because it let me know where I needed to improve. It also meant a lot to me because it made me feel like what I was writing was actually enjoyable to read.

jones723 — 2023-12-10 02:19:20 UTC

The reflections were also a key part in me finding success. As a reader, I was able to look back and identify what parts may have needed more details or emotions. As a writer, I was able to look back and see what I have accomplished and what still needs work. Also, this project is giving me the opportunity to reflect on a whole experience. I have the chance to analyze and document my improvements and evolution.