I always adopt a systematic approach to tasks. Like a computer program, I decompose my writing process into small, distinct, and manageable parts. The program, written in java syntax form, continually add new text and images, effectively editing and revising a traditional essay until the final draft is acceptable and meets expectations. The new line added to the program, “draw diagram” line would effectively include visual thinking into the writing process.
For the final Sunday Sketch I wanted to choose something that allows you to go from the beginning of a journey to an end which is why I decided to use an airplane. In order for me to do well in the course I need to incorporate multiple methods of learning and writing. Just as a plane can’t function correctly if a piece is broken or missing, I would not have been able to perform in an optimal condition in this course. I feel that as a writer and as a person I have learned that I have an easier time visualizing my learning with diagrams and pictures as opposed to staring at ink on a page.
I chose to use a person as my diagram as I thought it was a creative way to apply the learning outcomes and what we did in the class into a diagram. In the diagram I chose certain parts of the body to represent each learning outcome and tried to match the body part based on the words used in the learning outcome. For example, Digital “Identity” is found in the fingertips because on each persons fingertip they have a special pattern that represents their identity. “Writing” as a Process is found in the hand because we use our hands to write, etc.
I chose to use a person as my diagram as I thought it was a creative way to apply the learning outcomes and what we did in the class into a diagram. In the diagram I chose certain parts of the body to represent each learning outcome and tried to match the body part based on the words used in the learning outcome. For example, Digital “Identity” is found in the fingertips because on each persons fingertip they have a special pattern that represents their identity. “Writing” as a Process is found in the hand because we use our hands to write, etc.
Out of all of the possibilities of what to compare the learning outcomes of this class I chose a pencil, pen and pencil sharpener. It sounds lazy but in actuality, those are probably the three tools I have used the most for this class. For most of the Sunday Sketches I favored drawing them out to digital work if I could help it and I went through a few inches of my pencils this way. Then there was part 2 of the literacy narrative and tracing pages. Honestly, even though this class required a moderate use of technology, my pencils and pens were Ol’ Reliable.
For our Final Sunday Sketch, we needed to come up with the important components of our class, and depict them as an architectural blueprint or diagram. For this assignment I chose what I believed were the skills I not only used the most, but also developed and learned. Every part of a Robot is equally important in having it work. This is what I believed to be true as well, in our class. Every concept identified above is equally important. For example, critical thinking is a skill that I have used in english classes my entire life and was used her as well. However, it was slightly different this time. This is becasue, we only read graphic novels. Becasue of that, I had to go deeper into the meaning of not only the words but also the pictures. This is where visual thinking comes into play. I have never really used visual thinking in an academic setting. However, now with hundreds of drawings to analyze, I ended up thinking more visually than I ever have or ever thought I would.
One of the first things anyone notices in a piece of writing is the tone and audience. That was the same for this class, as tone and audience was important and always changing. For reflections and personal narratives the tone was more casual. While the Tracing Pages assignment had a more scholarly tone. Revision is also a huge part of any good piece of writing or drawing. Being able to revise whatever whenever, really gave me the time needed to make sure my work was the best it could be. I also was able to utilize peer review during this process, another tremendous help. Despite not having the best drawing ability, I was able to convey my point and message using mostly stick-figures. However, there were times when being a better artist would have seriously helped. As mentioned before, this class not only furthered my skills but introduced new ones. Visual thinking was one of them, and digital identity was the other. I have never had a web presence, where my work was displayed for anyone to see. However that all changed by the end of this semester.
For any first-year writing course, critical thinking and reading is always the major element, the noodles in this Japanese ramen. It is the broth, the soul of ramen, that differentiates variations of ramen the most, just like the extensive use of visual thinking that makes this section of first-year writing special. Sliced meat is the most crucial topping. The protein and the broth reinforce each other’s taste, similar to what visual thinking and the writing process do. Other toppings, including the half egg, scallions, Nori, and Kamaboko, represent the skills and learning goals of the class in addition to those mentioned. They are great complements for students to succeed in this course.
Here is the delicious ramen. To have it, however, one will need the willingness to try, the chopsticks, to get the most from these interesting course content and assignments. I eventually found myself enjoying this course mainly because David had been preparing me both technically and mentally for unfamiliar tasks, giving me the tools to enjoy my ramen.
I’m pretty happy with how this turned out, especially because I had no plan going into it. I think that helped though. Once I realized I wanted to do a diagram of how a camera works I just started drawing, without a full plan for how everything was going to fit together. This allowed me to organically think about how our class is structured. I went from start to finish. First we read a graphic novel, and then we discuss it in class (condensesing the information), and then we pick up what information we want and process it outside of class, and then we display that information through writing, and then we transfer our writing to an assembly of visual images, and then we upload that visual image on our websites. One could also consider our initial perception of the graphic novel (titled “our own perspective”) as the first step, but it doesn’t flow as well like that. As I was making this I came up with the next step as a part of the camera. This process allowed me to incorporate or exclude certain parts of the camera. I could have included focusing the lense, framing the shot, adjusting the settings of the image, or even pressing the record button. I didn’t do this partly because it didn’t fit the structure of the class process I was trying to emulate, which is kinda cheating, but overall I think the piece still flows logically.
Like a computer, this class has several varying parts – each with it’s own functions and purpose. In this sketch, I explain how the parts of a computer can be compared to the different aspects and learning objectives of the work that I have done in this class. From the monitor, to the system unit, to even the router, a computer uses all these parts to function and perform fully and would be incomplete without each part fulfilling it’s role. Similarly, the experiences that I have gained from the work I have done this semester consolidate to display my understanding of the various learning objectives and allow me to continually grow as a writer.
