Midterm Reflection

1. After studying 21st century media for eight weeks in this class, what have you
      learned? Please be specific.
I’ve learned that media can easily change our perceptions and how we think. No more is this more apparent then in the clip Reel Bad Arabs where Hollywood and Washington change our perceptions about an entire group of people.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned about yourself as a critical reader, a writer, and a thinker in this class so far? The most important thing I have learned about myself as a critical reader, writer, and thinker in this class so far is that when you look at a text when you look at a text, film or whatever media that it may be you need to look at all aspects of it and not just from one standpoint.

3. What’s one thing you would do differently this first half of the semester of you were to take this class again? One thing I would do differently if I were to take this class again is read things more thoroughly and blog more in depth.

4. What’s one thing you would like me to do differently this first half of the semester if you were to take this class again? One thing the professor could do differently the first half is have more class discussions analyzing why were doing this such as why were blogging, watching this film, reading this book, etc.

5. Please comment on the usefulness of the power tools, our course blog, your personal blog, our in class quizzes, our films, and our book(s) as learning tools.

Power tools~ I didn’t find the power tools very useful because I didn’t ever use them. I think that it would have been easier if we discussed about them more in depth.

Course blog~ I liked the course blog because it helped reiterate what you learned in the textbook. It was a great way to share ideas with the rest of the class and have online discussions about the reading.

Personal blog~  The personal blogs were a great networking tool. I think it was useful because not only could we connect with other people in the class but we could use it for a potential job application. It’s a great way to reflect on how your doing and to learn about other people.

Film~  I liked the film Reel Bad Arabs because in the film it showed how media can influence our perceptions on how we think and what we do.  The film is an analysis about how Hollywood portrays Arabics and how we in turn internalize this information. It is interesting to see how Hollywood can perpetrate old sterotypes and we seem to follow into the mould. He states that  movies such as Rules of Engagement, The Delta Force, Death before dishonour, and true lies encourage these negative sterotypes.

Book~ The textbook is really through and covers many different topics. This is good because at least it is not tedious. The textbook is up to date and at least relevant to what we are learning in class so I think it is useful.