13B) Creativity Can Help

 

 

 

 

 

         I want my draft video to have a high level of creativity and the way I will try to stay creative to my audience is by making my final project totally different then my chronological order midterm video. Even though I feel that I was successful in my midterm project, there is always something I can improve on. I want the outline of my final to make scene but order videos then alternate it with pictures. I’d like my video to have enough time on each slide so that the audience can read it before transitioning over to the next. I do not want my interview videos to play back to back. Adding appropriate music into my video is essential to me since the song sets the tone of what is being read by the audience. Something creative is putting another (Youtube) video that relates or connects to my topic. It is creative to have brighter colors other than just black in the video but still making it look professional. Adding visuals, as I was stating in my previous blog is effective. I hope to be able to have percentages that are not just numbers listed on a slide but in a chart that stands out. This will be easier for the audience to remember. Transitions onto slides and effects also enhance how a video is perceived. I hope to create a video that the audience can relate to for the individuals that work and go to college. However I hope to increase my personal touch and teach a message though my final video that everyone can understand. I’d like to work on being more enthusiastic so the video is fun and interesting to watch.         

 

 

 

 

Video Making Improvements!

For my final project I choose to present on being a full time student as Southern Connecticut State University and working. I personally feel it is very important to work for your own money while still focusing a great amount of time on furthering education. I am currently working two jobs. The balance of college and work can be extremely hard at times however it is not impossible and there are many people who do this. I want to focus on positive attitudes with not giving up when times are on overload with college work, when I have other priorities in your own life. What I am planning in doing video draft is interviewing my aunt Jennifer because she is a role model of mine that I look up to. She is a prime example of someone who has kids, a full time job and also goes to Central Connecticut State University full time. A level of high college thinking involves statistics, charts, and creditable sources. For my references or sources I want to add in a quote or fact that was in at least one of the articles we have read over the course. I also want to search visuals that will support or inform the audience of something they wouldn’t know. Most of all I want to start recording my video bit by bit and gather my information as soon as possible. Procrastination was my struggle for our previous midterm assignment so now that I know what I should work on and include, I think I will do better than my first time working with windows media player. I am still thinking about other areas where I can improve from my previous video and include for my final. I am more confident in myself for creating a stronger video outline. Working on windows media player at first was not very fun with the experience I had. However, after working on it the second time I enjoyed putting all the clips together. I look forward to putting the video together and hope technology is on my side this time around.

13V) Purpose

 Purpose is the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. We as individuals all have a purpose of existence. For example, some people have their purpose of existence come easy for them, and they know exactly what they want to do with their lives and simply what they select to do with their lives make them happy. Another example of this can be choosing what will make someone glad after graduating. I’ve realized that many people after graduation either want to join the army or some kind of institute or college. Both of these examples of the army compared to college play a different role in society. The only thing that should matter is how much it will make you happy to do what you love to do. However someone else may not know what they want to do or what they want to be, or even who they are. Finding your purpose of living can be difficult in a world that is always evolving. In college it is important to find your purpose and what personally fits you the best. Ultimately finding purpose is being able to tell what makes you happy out of all things. Hopefully we should love the purpose of existence in our everyday lives because we all make impacts on another.    

 

12A) The Importance of Liberal Arts

 

Liberal arts is the study of academic subjects such as literature, philosophy, mathematics, and social and physical sciences as distinct from professional and technical subjects. When you think about the word "Liberal" Itself is the total opposite of conservative and  in this context of use is related to only academics. The value of liberal arts is valued in society today. In the article, "Liberal Arts Education and the "know nothing" Bandwagon." A UNC student states her concern on how she feels offended by Governor Pat McCroy for blasting liberal arts higher education. She is a social science major at UNC and there are many other majors that classify under the liberal arts degree. Many people value their major and how liberal arts is special to them. Reading this article I was able to understand how offended she became supporting a democrat that does not support what she lives because she likes liberal arts and its obvious he is against it.  

12B) INQ Question - Higher Education Is Important

1)    In the article “What is college for” by Gary Gutting he states “our support of higher education only makes sense if we regard this intellectual culture as essential to our society”. Do you believe that this statement is important, why or why not? Does this apply to you as an individual?  

In the article “What is college for,” the author uses a very persuasive tone in this article. He does value that college is important to our society however according to the statistics shown about college graduates it does vary from person to person. Overall for the statistics shown 86% of graduates from a four year university think that college has been a good investment. Something that stood out to me was when he explained that “students only spend as much time as they need to get what they see as an “acceptable grade”. I absolutely feel that the author is right. In college everything changes so quickly, that many people just try to get by even when they may not understand something completely. The purpose of what Gary Gutting is clarifying to his readers is that we should enroll in college with the intentions of achieving success in our studies by knowing what we are doing. The whole purpose of college is that you can graduate and find a job that will support you and a possible family. We should take a lot out of every course that we are placed in even if we don’t think it will benefit us in the future. He understands that many colleges are very expensive, so to support your investment by going to college you should make decisions that will help you grow intellectually. We should not only strive to pass each of our courses but actually apply what you have learned in other areas of your college career, daily lives, or work environment. In addition to this idea, I feel that this statement is important to me because I do believe going to college is essential in today’s society. As stated in the “Liberal Arts and the Workplace,” “The rush for degrees has surely has been”…it is apparent that many people strive for a degree as much as you may.     

12V) Interdisciplinary Perspectives

Interdisciplinary Perspectives: Is the combining of two or more academic, artistic, or scientific disciplines. Normally interdisciplinary is thought of as combining two or more academic subjects or fields of study. Perspectives are a mental view or outlook, the way you see something. When you put these two words together what comes to mind is what we talked about in class. I learned that the word disciplines itself means that you are well rounded in such subjects as literature, art, music, sociology and the list goes on. Therefore interdisciplinary perspectives are about having a good outlook on a wide range of disciples also known as (field of study). For example, if you’re outlook on math is that you are never going to get better at it, then that is most likely that’s how you will remain. However if you set goals to improve yourself then I believe you will prosper in your studies. So a positive outlook about something that you are not that good with, can change your whole perspective if you set your mind to it. You will become better at what-ever it is that you fall short on. A quote that relates to what I am writing about is “If there’s a will there’s a way”.

11B) Good Questions is a perfect start in college

 

1)    In the article “Creativity, Education and the gift of stress” What does “Sweet spot” or “sweet zone” represent?

The author Michael Jinkins states that psychologists recognized creative sweet spot or sweet zone somewhere on the continuum between a complete lack of stress and disability of stress. Theological seminary Michael Jinkins, explains that Majority of people need the variety of inputs life brings, including experiences of dissonance and difficulty and strain, in order to achieve some level of creative output. This "sweet zone," because it is broader than a single point on the continuum, varies from one person to another. For any particular person, it may also vary from one situation and activity to another. For example this may apply for individuals in college because if they are having a hard time in a subject they might reach the point where they’re only option is either to seek help or to fail for the semester. They have already reached the point where they have been stressed over what they are lacking and it is obvious that they need help for the subject from either the professor or one of their classmates. Taking this action and asking for help can be a part of creativity for them if they’ve never had an experience that they had to seek to find the resources they need. 

 

2) How does the creative industry hold people of creative nature ransom to their own self-image?

 

People of creative nature are held ransom because of fear of not being creative enough to please everyone.  Most jobs lack creativity.  People learn to live without the need to be creative. So for jobs that require creativity, there’s is a lot more pressure on these creative people. These people become less willing to put their ideas out there because they don't want to be criticized or rejected.  The pressure of coming up with the best idea keeps creative people from coming up with an already great idea. I found it interesting that the author states everything has become a split second decision which is very true for today’s world. The author in the article that is not identified emphasizes that creativity is lacked in a job environment.  

 

3)      The author states in the article “The Joy of Boredom” that "if you think of boredom as the prelude to creativity and loneliness the prelude to engagement of the imagination, they are good things." Explain some of the things that apply to you as an individual that brings the best out of you. Simply put, do you feel that being bored has times where you express yourself in constructive ways? Do you agree with the Carolyn Johnson about this issue of boredom? 

           When I meditate about what I do when I am bored it would be to mostly check my phone, go on twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. I feel that when we are bored we certainly consume our time with our mobile devices as what is identified in the article. The article also states that we have a fear of being disconnected and when we are, our only option is to be bored. This article is very relatable and I agree completely with what the text is proving because I find myself to be one of those people who hate to be disconnected and if I do not have my phone it’s a crisis. However there are times where I do construct myself in positive ways and not just negative. One example of this would be to pick up a book, or review over notes and do homework. When there’s nothing else to do because I’m bored, even if it’s not a large amount of time at once, I find myself working on school work. This is a great technique in college since there is so much work given all at once the smartest thing to do is start it little by little! The times where I can be using my personal device, I’m consuming with more studying.

 

 

4)      In the article by Jonan Leher,“How To Cultivate Eureka Moments,” the author emphasizes that group interaction appears to pay a key role in innovation. What do you think?

In the article the author uses examples to support his claim like Steve Jobs, makes a strong case in urban cities, He even quotes a theoretical physicist, Geoffrey West, who says he has found data that certifies Jacobs’s theories.  “What the numbers clearly show, and what she was clever enough to anticipate,” Mr. West says, “is that when people come together, they become much more productive per capita.”  One study by Mr. West and another physicist, Luís Bettencourt, Mr. Lehrer writes, suggests that “a person living in a metropolis of one million should generate, on average, about 15 percent more patents and make 15 percent more money than a person living in a city of 500,000.” This statement is very interesting and shocking to me.  I do believe that the authors claim is valid because the statistics that are given and also for example I’ve noticed when visiting New York I see thousands of faces when walking the streets however very few actually take time to start a conversation. Majority of people are too caught up in their daily lives to consider group interaction or even think about it benefiting them. Another example is in my Professional Presentations class. We were put into groups to persuade an audience. Since there are five of us supporting our claim and backing up our reasons, it makes us stronger as a group then just one individual. A great amount of the presentation was getting to know each other and being able to work together and find convenient times too. Working well in groups is very important as we continue our college journey.  

 

 

 

 

 

11V) Innovation

Innovation is the act of doing something new that no one has attempted or thought about before. When I think of the word Innovation, two words come to mind which is standing out. The act of innovation allows you to stand out from whatever the rest of the crowd is doing and create your own path of something new. Innovation is the foundation that you make for yourself. I hope that we all have a drive of innovation in ourselves to not be like the rest of crowd and make a difference in not only our lives but others as well.  

 

 

9V) Critical Thinking

I’ve mistaken the vocabulary word for the week so I am doing the vocabulary word that was assigned the previous week which was critical thinking. Critical thinking is a way of deciding whether a statement is true or false. Critical thinking is a process that leads to skills that can be gained and used. Critical thinking is a technique by which one can come about reasoned conclusions based on the reasoned process of critical thinking. If we think about the word, “critical thinking” we actually do use it in our everyday lives. Our minds are constantly wondering to find correct answers, not just in school but also in our daily lives. This may take more time than usual depending on the situation, critical thinking can be time consuming since the answers are not chosen freely but actually thought deeply about and in some cases there is evidence behind the assertion made.    

Mid Term Project - The Impact of UAP

10B) My Creative Drive

 

 

         We are all very creative in various ways from when we were a child to now adults. As I grew up one way that I was able to express myself creatively was through drumming. I loved how I was able to explore all different rudiments and songs but most of all what makes drummers unique is how much they are able to be creative and just make all sorts of beats that come for their head. In my high school the percussion section did not have a drum teacher like most since we were not a competing band like most are. I played the snare drum for marching band all four years. My senior year was when the transition was made to competing because we had a new band teacher. This impact of not having a drum teacher for three years of high school did shape the percussion section to be creative because we were able to play whatever we wanted as long as we were all together as one as the O.H Platt drumline. I absolutely loved this when playing the drums because if something comes to our head we address our idea to the rest of the group to get their input. Lots of the times we played beats that got the crowd going that were all improvised and not written down on music paper. We would practice these beats together of course when it was practice time and then play the beats in the stands. I am able to hear a beat in my head a few times and memorize the rhythm. So music is always where I am able to express creativity from a young age. When something pops into my head like a trick with the sticks I’ll be sure to try it out! Practicing is where I am able to make as many mistakes as I need to make it sound like it should or have my sticking be the right way. Being the drumline section leader my junior and senior year allowed me to come up with all different creative ways to stand out compared to the other band we would play against during football games. I didn’t want only myself to stand out but the whole drumline section too and each of the drummers loved what they did. Even though I no longer play in a marching band I know that when I pick up my sticks something new will come to mind and I’ll have a fun time playing beats. I hope to join the SCSU drumline while I still am currently enrolled because it would be a great opportunity for me to enjoy what I love doing.

 

Technology Is Not Always Made To Be Easy

I choose to do my midterm project on the UAP because I have learned a lot from over the summer that has positively affected my experience here at Southern. Even though I did not expect the program to be as hard as it was I now understand the whole process did open my eyes to how college runs. I am very thankful that I did have this opportunity over the summer to become well prepared for the challenges that college may bring. I would not be a student at SCSU if it was not for this program. Above all applying dedication and hard work is what got me into Southern. Therefore I know I’m a college student that has to try extra hard in some areas to keep my grades up. The program helped me improve in such areas as my writing, college success, math, and reading. I took something important from each of the classes taught in the summer that carried over to my success in the fall.

I feel that overall I did put together a decent midterm project for my first time using windows media player. I unfortunately did not have the best experience with technology in finalizing my midterm project in time because of my computer crash. Because of my computer crash I had to start brand new by organizing all my clips since my computer had to be wiped out. If there was something I would change about my project would have been to complete it in time and also interview more people. After my computer crashing and working on putting my project together one last time, I  wanted to post the video as soon as possible since I’m already far behind. I thank Professor Guarino for understanding my issue. My video goes in chronological order so it’s an easy story line to follow and is a little over five minutes. I interviewed two coordinators affiliated with the UAP program. I think that my project is informative and hopefully catches the audience’s attention also. Many of my classmates aren’t aware of this program and to explain about it would be through academics and how they help in all different ways to make Southern a place where we want to stay because I have this extra support. My video has pictures included from over the summer. I can hear all voices clearly in this video and tried to make the graphics professional. If I could revise my project I would focus more on the interviews however I enjoyed how they both went.  I am working to post my video up this weekend.

10V) Vocabulary

Creativity to me personally means to be a creator of your own ideas and putting them to action. Creativity can take place through many different ways ex. art, learning something new, taking risks, music and many more. We are all creative in our own ways and may just be directed inwards and not something everyone realizes however we all have our own values and ideas to everyday life, which makes us creative.