Task 2c: Reflective Theory

Reflective Theory

Task 2a/2b: Journal writing experience

My hand is aching from journal writing. I´m not really certain if it would be better to type all my thoughts into my computer instead of writing everything with a pen into a paper notebook. On the other hand, I‘m enjoying not to have to look on a screen, cause this is what I have to do the whole day. Even now I would prefer handwriting, because my eyes are a little bit tired after my work.

Before I could start journaling I had to find a useful notebook. After reading Reader 2, it was clear to me, that I wanted to write into a notebook made from paper. For the reason of my hobby painting and drawing, I have always a few scratchbooks in my flat. I found many notebooks (6 or 7), but some where to big and some to small. I decided for a middle-sized book (24 cm x 40 cm), which has enough space to write and draw in.

My feelings 

I like the feeling of a pen into my hand and the pressure on the paper. Than I feel the energy which is getting from my mind, through my body and my hand on the paper. My hand is forming the words and in the same moment I feel facilitated. Like somebody would take the burden of my shoulders. 

First conclusion

I recognized that it is more effective for me, not to think to much when I´m writing about the day. I have heard or read about the theory that the human subconscious has more informations than our consciousness. For this case I decided only to write and not to evaluate about my day and the experience which I made. Sometimes when something appears more interesting to me, I tried to find out more about the situation. E.g. why I had a feeling or thought in specific situation. Than I begin to analyze. 

Now I would like to tell you something about the experience which I made with my journal.

Stream of Consciousness 

The problem of this method was, that I wrote to much. I filled a few pages with all things that I have done during the day, but could not focus on a special event or experience. To get started it was very useful, to get "warm" with the journal and to let out the words which I had in my mind. For me this didn´t work very well, I just felt remember on my diary writing in the past.

List

This was also unsatisfying for me, because now it was the opposite of the "Stream of Consciousness". That method felt like I had to reduce the day to a few words. But I again didn´t know what where the more important experiences or feelings which I made. At the end it was only a list of words, without a connection to any other word. That was so unsatisfying and a little bit frustrating to me. I broke up and decided to write whole sentences, not only one word. That worked a little bit better. But after reading this part again I realized that it didn´t made sense. 

Evaluation

I was exciting to use this method from the first moment I have read about it in the Handbook. I was so glad to start with this after two methods which didn´t work very well for me. And like I expected this works very well for me. The question which I had to ask myself gave me the right direction.

So, I could get from one important experience, to my feelings and from this point to the analyzing. Afterwards it is possible to learn from the reflection. I´m sure that I will use this method. Maybe later one method will work better for me, but now this seems the right way to write and analyze my daily experience.

Diagrams/Graphs

I have to submit that I haven´t heard from a spider diagram before. I really don´t know if this is used a lot in Germany. Even other persons which I have asked didn´t know what this is. In german we call this "Netzdiagramm" (=netdiagram). One benefit of this method was that I had to learn the terms of graphs and diagrams in english. I also liked this method for another reason: it is very clear and the opportunity to compare something directly is very amazing. I decided like many bloggers, to use the spider diagram. I compared my worksituation now with my situation for 6 month. I decided to use this diagram besides the evaluation. I will use this to compare my worksituation in an interval of 6 month or less. This seems to me very useful, because it is possible to see at one view what has changed during this time.

After searching for infographics in the internet I saw many well structured and well looking graphs. I found a very useful site, with wonderful, creative and very different examples. Especially "infographics" are very interesting for graphic designers.

For this reason I can really recommend this site:

http://vi.sualize.us/tag/infographics/?page=1

After this creative inspirations, I decided to create also an infographic. 

This is my spider diagram:

What if

This is also a very useful method. It wasn´t very difficult to me to think about what I would like that happened. I realized that I sometimes already do this before I feel asleep. The imagination of the next day is really relaxing for me. I will use this method on the evening e.g. before an important event will happen on the next day.

Another point of view

This was very exhausting for me. At first I had to think about from which point of view I had to write. Afterwards the decision was made how to start. And than it was very hard to imagine how it would be to see and feel everything different. That was all so difficult for me that I couldn´t concentrate on the essential, my experience, thoughts and feelings. At the end I had only a funny story about the day of the point of view of my finger ring.  

After this few weeks of journaling my thinking has changed during the work. It felt like if my decisions have more value and I really looking on my personal presentation. I suppose I know why this effect is occured. The day is more important since I have to write about it at the end of the day. As if I have to do things which I will be proud for. It is a better to get the impression that "I made the write decision".

Now, I will continue writing in my journal. Many sites are empty and I´m looking forward to fill them all.

Start Journalling

This is the beginning....

Today, I have started with my Journal. I suppose the first Journal writing method "Describing" will be the most easiest one, because I haven´t to think about my feelings or must empathize with somebody or something. 
I am very excited about this task, because if it´s true it is possible to improve many skills with this method. So, I am very curious if this works. But I suppose it will do, because every reflection comes usually to a result.

Reflective thoughts/Journal

Hi everybody,
the next task is writing, writing, writing...I have already read Reader 2. But i think I have to re-read it twice or more before I can start with my journal.
I am sorry that I am always a little bit later than everybody else, but it was not possible for me to start with this program on time. So, I have to work hard to catch up and I will try to be on the same level during the next week. 


Good luck everybody for your Journal writing!!!!

Searching for quality data in the world wide web

I was about to answer the comment of Paula. But after reading through different articles which Paula posted into my comment field, I realized that my answer got longer and longer. So, I decided to post the new informations, because it is a transition to the last post of mine and maybe interesting for other students.

The first article "YouTube has merit, but enough already of cat videos" is from the author Tara Brabazon. She is professor of media studies at the University of Brighton. Her article deals with the different options of how to use YouTube. Some sentences in this article refers to what I wrote in my last post about the "lack of experts". Brabazon wrote: "We know that there is a lot of nonsense online" but she told the reader in the next paragraph that "it is also our responsibility to improve the calibre of online information" (Brabazon, 2009). I agree with her in this point, but I also think, that YouTube will likely stay for entertainment. It has a potential become a platform for visual informations, but it depends on the user, the creator, how much qualitative valuable content these platform will have in future.

The second text "Digital Dieting" which Paula has posted, describes the consumption of information with Google. The author, again Tara Brabazon, compares the world wide web with our eating habits. "We not only live in an environment of abundant food, but an excess
of information" (Brabazon, date unknown)  She quotes "We eat because there is food around us. This is "mindless eating" (Wansink, date unknown), but she said "There is better food. There is better information" (Brabazon, date unknown). After reading through the text, I think under the line it is a appeal to think more about consumption, wether food or informations. The results of Google are sometimes like Fast Food "It is not quality data, but is the informational equivalent of Big Mac, Fries and a Coke" (Brabazon, date unknown). We get information, without good quality, and are satisfied. "We do not think about the other choices we could have done" (Brabazon, date unknown).

But it is not possible to forbid Fast Food neither Google. It is only possible to make a information diet. Brabazon is teaching her students in the scholar use of Google:  "The key in enacting digital dieting is to gently move students from ‘selecting’ Google as a default option. Even instigating a single change – from Google to Google Scholar – makes an incredible difference" (Brabazon, date unknown).

In my last Post I wrote that it can be very hard to find the right informations in the internet.

But now, after this article, I think a little bit different about this issue. I compare the searching for a good result at google with the searching for something to eat. 

You can use the next drive-in for Fast Food or I can ask somebody for a good restaurant. The second opportunity is not so easy, but maybe I get more palatable food and memorable moments.

References

Internet Sources

Brabazon, 2009, YouTube has merit, but enough already of cat videos: Times Higher Education (THE), 26 Red Lion Square, London: Ann Mroz. Available from:

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=409416

Art/Design/Media Public Centre, Digital Dieting: Art/Design/Media Subject Centre, 68 Grand Parade, Brighton: Unknown. Available from:

http://www.adm.heacademy.ac.uk/networks/networks-spring-2011/features/digital-dieting