I’ve learned a few things from the feedback I’ve received, the required readings, reflecting on the course, and the format of the course.

Regarding feedback, what I took from it is that I’d need to better engage in the readings and try harder if I’d like to produce higher quality pieces and receive better grades. The reason why I haven’t been fully applying myself is in part because of other class obligations and in part because I find some of the readings fundamentally flawed (I’m socially conservative), making it difficult for me to interact with them without completely arguing against them. To even summarize some of these papers raises issues because I feel like I need to accept pretenses that I do not morally agree with–or believe to be illogical. I enjoy interacting with new ideas, even if I vehemently disagree with some of them, but I feel like my hands are tied when I am simply asked to summarize them. I haven’t been doing as much extra credit as I should, but I’ve been thinking about perhaps writing a paper or two arguing against some of the ideas found in the required readings. Finally, if I’m to become a better researcher and writer, then I’ll have to gain a firmer grasp of grammar and learn how to properly cite my work.

As far as whether or not my understanding of the composition process has evolved, I don’t think it has (not yet anyway). I will say however that this class is different in the sense that digital media isn’t completely ignored when composing writing pieces. I believe that’s a good thing, especially in this age of technology and images. It’s important for people to understand how to use images, audio, video, and the Internet to communicate their ideas. This is a skill that can be carried over into any field that produces information that must be disseminated. Furthermore, I’ve started to gain a greater appreciation for built environments and how they can unknowingly and knowingly influence myself and others. I’m surprised that I never gave it much thought up until I was exposed to it in this course.