Hello, visitors! Welcome to my second weekly reflection blog!
“Develop habits for engaged reading”
In week 2, we explored deeper the course questions (How do Disney films contribute to the construction of society's values and norms about gender roles? Have these values changed over time?). Through annotating the lecture, Killing us Softly 4, presented by Jean Kilbourne, and the scholarly essay, “Looking into the Magic Mirror: Disney’s Impact on the Fairy Tale Genre,” by Lynda Haas and Shaina Trapedo, I gained more insight into the impacts of the media in our perception of gender. Meanwhile, I was able to practice developing the “habits of mind” during the activities. For instance, following the reading strategies in McGraw-Hill Connects made me more engaged in the text and aware of how these ideas are related to our daily life. The image embedded below is my work processes in reading and annotating the essay. I worked in the order provided in the wheel from “before reading” clockwise to “after reading.” Working in this order, tackling from the superficial aspect to deeper understandings, created more interactions with the text. As a result, it also triggered my curiosity in exploring more about our course question.
“Understand the importance of reflection”
As Professor Haas mentions in the course syllabus that reflection is one ability that all successful professionals have, I do feel that reflection is one of the most helpful tools in the past 2 weeks for me. In writing these reflections blogs, I am able to sum up what I have done great, which I should keep doing. At the same time, it also helps me identify my problems and find alternative solutions.
Not only writing blogs helps with reflection, peer review is also part of the reflective process. When I read and comment on my classmates' posts, I am able to compare my responses to theirs at the same time rather than put them to the back of my mind after completing the assignment. There might be some similarities in our response or there are some insightful ideas that I have never thought of. In reading my classmates’ comments on my post, I can clearly see what I could have done instead to make my writings more clear.
Hi Cuiwen
I have the same thoughts about Connect reading strategies. They are really helpful. I read the articles step by step and connected them to my life, engaged in reading.
Tianai
Hello Cuiwen,
I agree with your point on how useful it is to compare your own work to others. It does provide a different view that wasn't thought of before.