Competency #1 - Communication

The need to communicate is a basic human need. To share our thoughts, ideas, and to inspire change and progress we must be able to communicate. Our culture has required that we write, speak, read, and listen everyday. I have learned in college how to do these things with grace and intelligence.

In addition, I learned how to use digital media to communictate ideas and feelings often reserved only for words. My project in the capstone class required me to create a digital story, combining spoken narrative, images and music in story form.

Below you will find examples of how I have effectively learned to communicate my thoughts and opinions at school. My review of The Crucible would be appropriate for a newspaper that would serve to inform others about this play. My fictitious fundraiser letter is an example of how to effectively communicate to the potential donor. My digital story, Thoughts On Food, shows my command of new media.

• Review of The Crucible
  
• Fundraiser Letter
• Thoughts On Food
  

Competency # 2 - Quantitative Skills

The process of mathematics teaches many things, including patience, logical reasoning, and persistence, just to name a few. Developing these qualities is invaluable because so many in our culture do not have them and fall short of their goals because of it, while those who do produce quality work.

My work with math while at UAS was a short, but passionate, love affair. I was scared to take the classes, so I waited until the end of my college career to attack them. While it turned out to be one of my favorite subjects, I believe it also improved all of the other subjects I was studying, especially English. Math requires you to think analytically and logically and it pours over into all other areas of life making you a more generally knowledgeable citizen. The links below show evidence of my work in this area.

• Statistic Homework Chapter 10
  
• Statistics Homework Chapter 19
  

Competency #3 - Information Literacy

An overwhelming amount of information is available to us today. The result is that accessing information has become more important than remembering it. Because of this students should know where and how to access a variety of credible sources appropriate to their topics.

If there is one invaluable thing that I learned in college, it is how to research. I have learned that before I begin and decide on a project, I should research potential projects. After I have decided on a topic, I know how to learn more about it. I know how to access and use academic journals, search engines, libraries, and reference librarians. Having this knowledge turns me into a lifelong learner, capable of pursuing my own research interests. I am also prepared to conduct research in most areas, regardless of the profession I choose.

Here are two projects that demonstrate my competency in information literacy:

• The Laramie Project: A Powerpoint presentation that demonstrates my used of the research process
• The Pavement Predicament: A research paper on the road out of Juneau
• The Pavement Predicament: works cited

Competency #4 - Computer Usage

Understanding how to use computers and information technologies is essential in today's world. Computers are used not only to process information, but to communicate with colleagues, potential employers, friends and family. University classes required the use of a range of technologies in order to prepare students up to participate in the workforce.

In college I have used a computer almost every day. I have become excellent with Microsoft Word, web navigation, online class discussion boards, and Microsoft's Powerpoint. I have also learned to use Excell, a blog, projectors, and Moviemaker (a media production program), and technologies such as scanners and projects, just to name a few. The following projects demonstrate my competency in computer usage.

• Thoughts On Food: Humanities Capstone New Media Project
• The Building of a Flat for Perseverance Theatre's Noises Off: a Powerpoint Project
  

Competency #5 - Professional Behavior

Developing professional behavior at UAS helps students transition to the outside world. Students need to learn to produce quality, timely work because that is what employers need and expect from employees. In addition, having a good attitude and a sense of appropriateness should be learned during college to prepare students for the world beyond it.

I have demonstrated professionalism in not only through my work ethic, but also through the quality of my work. As a theater minor, I worked at Perseverance Theatre, a professional theatre, on many occasions during my college career. I operated the lightboard for a show (which takes extreme focus), for all of my roles on stage I completed research for the play and character, I learned all of my lines, and came to rehearsal warmed up, ready to work, and on time. While employed by this organization I also received credit for some of my projects. Below are references to my professional work. The first is a newsletter I created weekly while interning for their summer children's theatre, among many other tasks, including recruitment and assistant directing the show Children of Eden. The second demonstration of my professional behavior is through photos of a play that I had a lead role in.

• Parent Newsletter for Summer Theatre Arts Rendezvous (STAR) at Perseverance Theatre
• Photos of lead role in Perseverance Theatre's production of Much Ado About Nothing (all video is copy-righted and therefore cannot be used)
• Click here to see photo
• and here
• and here
  
• and here also
  

Competency #6 - Critical Thinking

Critical thinking involves not only finding information, but also knowing how to think about and use it. Whether considering a concept, idea, problem or project, critical thinkers are able to disregard the unimportant details and focus on its essential elements. They use the essential elements as a springboard for thought. Critical thinkers can think about something in multiple ways, and therefore develop a more thorough, holistic understanding of it.

Instead of being overwhelmed by a concept or project, I have learned to pick it apart and connect it to things I do understand. Once I can see the parts of the whole, I can then analyze and interpret the parts and, in turn, understand the whole. Below you will find an analysis of the play Hair, in which I consider and evaluate the different aspects of the production. You will also find a link to a paper arguing against the road out of Juneau, in which I had to develop a detailed understanding of the situation and generate convincing and informed arguments.

• Hair Review
• The Pavement Predicament: an argumentative research paper
  

Competency #7 - Language Arts and Communication with a Theatre Minor

A student studying Language Arts and Communication should be able to communicate effectively through writing, speaking, and media. With a theatre minor the student should also understand the many aspects of theater, including technical theatre (design and building of: lighting, sets, props, sound, and costume), history of drama, acting, arts administration, directing and Shakespeare.

I had never participated in any theatre before I took Acting I at UAS. While at UAS I have had the increidble opportunity to work professionally with Perseverance Theatre and use the stage to communicate, with language and emotions, characters who are tangible, believable people. Participating in theatre made me a more confident speaker and performer. I was also able to find a great writer within myself and now take pride in my abilities as a writer. I have developed a strong sense of voice as a writer, as well as interesting, readable pieces.

Here are demonstrations of this competency:

• Photos as Hero in Perseverance Theatre's version of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing
  
• Click here to see a photo
• and here
• and here, too
• Hash City: an informative paper demonstrates my ability to communicate effectively through written language
  

The actual poetry

I guess the poetry that I tried to attach to
my last blog didn't post, so I am posting
it now. My favorites are the found poem
and my personal poems. The poem
generator I found was not very good.
I thought this was a great in-class activity
and here are the results:

• The found poem from a book:

A Sudden Wave of Loneliness

Sorry about the birthday party
he was staring
it would be best to call it off to tell you the truth

it doesn't matter
one last look at the beautiful room
I'll never forgive myself

• Check in for the week and inspiration for poetry generator: "I felt relaxed but accomplished quite a bit."
  

 My Love

Your skin glows like the orange , blossoms relax as the daisy in the purest hope of spring.
My heart follows your bells voice and leaps like a dragon at the whisper of your name.
The evening floats in on a great parrot wing.
I am comforted by your shoes that I carry into the twilight of bitbeams and hold next to my eye.
I am filled with hope that I may dry your tears of water.
As my hair falls from my vest, it reminds me of your chair.
In the quiet, I listen for the last clink of the day.
My heated fingers leaps to my neck tie. I wait in the moonlight for your secret pencil so that we may run as one, fingers to fingers, in search of the magnificent blue and mystical Juneau of love.

• Here are two personal poems written in class:

White and cold
soft and pink
warm and tired
hopeful heart that compromises and is compromised
sing to me
and just be.
here.
now.


Life is a battle to the death
breath in musky sweat
settle into your wasted world

Poetry

What does it mean to be human in a digital society?

It means we have to think fast. In a sense, it is no longer about how much you know, but if you know where to look for the knowledge that you seek. At what pace can you not cope any more? That is what we are forced to ask ourselves and we are balanced between ulcers, television, caffeine and sugar.  We must all find balance for ourselves because having the world at your fingertips can be overwhelming. 

To be human in a digital society one must stay grounded and rooted with other people if digital will continue to mean anything. SOCIETY. 

I guess we could only communicate digitally, but if feels as if some of my senses are dying then. is that true interaction?  

jabberyabberblabber

Brainstorm

I must run to statistics soon here, but I did some brainstorming on my individual projects and here is what I am thinking (very general right now).

• Making a digital valentine. ( I wish I thought of this earlier, seeing as how I don't know how to put one together. Also, this may not be what John had in mind.)
• Some sort of snow sculpture (also associated with valentines?)
• Portable decorations: My room is bare and I have lived there for 8 months. I would like some decoration, but I foresee a lot of moving in my future. Maybe portable decorations?
• home-made cards (not for valentines)
  

So that is what I have thought of right now. And I think I will have more soon. I like brainstorming ;)

Goal for the next two weeks:
- learn how to put pictures on blog
- search out camera options for students

A real effort

I have found myself in class repeatedly frustrated with this required blog. When I first heard about it, I was excited. I thought: what a neat assignment. But instead of excited, I have felt boxed in and under pressure. At the end of class, it always seems as if there isn't enough time, and I feel like I can't find the 'right' things to say. So I am going to try and check in more regularly just to try and feel more at ease.

I used to blog a bit on myspace. However, it began to feel narcissistic, self-centered, and passive aggressive so I made a goal to actually talk and be in touch with people instead of surrendering my thoughts and feelings on this type of forum.

This is me, trying again. I will let my hang-ups about blogging hang in the back of my closet for a while.

Here's to the unfamiliar - cheers.

Week 3

I am fascinated by the short movies we watched today. Over and over I wonder where people find it within themselves to pursue and create these unique things. These spoke to me. Actually made me think about my perceptions on art and artists and what that means. Reflecting back on myself and what I really intrigues me are things that make my chest feel tight, like I can't breath because I am so full of life. And when I try and reflect that back on campus, and our classroom more specifically, I struggle with how to engage and capture everyone with some thing that seems so personal. However, I also don't doubt that we can do it. I think our hearts all pounded a little faster as we watched those videos and it was hard for all of us to look away. Why? What sort of intensity and skill allowed that to happen? Is that the type of thing that would capture the hearts of our class/campus? Not that we have decided that the campus would be our 'audience', but I sense that is what we are leaning towards. 

An 'art project'. One individual, one group. It's been a long time. I am a practical person. If I am going to make a collage I want to decoupage it and make it into a table top.   

One thing I don't agree with is the idea that other majors missed out on something that we didn't. Although, if that is true, it is certainly true that we equally but differently missed out on something that other majors received. 

Must shut down computer...

Week 1

Who am I?
Am I creative?
In what ways am I creative?
In what ways am I not creative?
How and where has creativity been encouraged in my life?
How and where has creativity been discouraged in my life?
Am I an "Artist"?

There was this girl in my 211 English class and she told everyone she was a writer. I had to read one of her papers, as a peer review type of thing, and it was awful. Really awful. No structure, uninteresting topic (maybe if it was well written I would have found it interesting) and I thought to myself, and hopefully this doesn't make me a bad person, where does she get off calling herself a writer? And I thought about it. I came to a couple of conclusions.

1. It is subjective. Everyone surrounding me can write, and yet the majority of them would certainly not consider themselves writers. It was the fact that she WANTED to be a writer, that it meant something to her, and that she had something to say and had to write it was the reason she was a writer.
   
2. Just because you are a writer doesn't mean you are a GOOD writer. In order to be a good writer, to write with some authority and knowledge. The Diary of Anne Frank was written by a girl who had some authority and knowledge of her situation and her life. She wrote honestly about how she felt, what she did, and her subjective observations.

I guess I feel I do not have any of that authority or knowledge to call myself an artist. Maybe the point that was trying to be made tonight is that not everyone can be a doctor, but everyone can be an artist? I just felt tonight that I was doing something wrong by NOT calling myself an artist. I do plenty of artistic things, but I don't see what is essential about me calling myself an artist. And I don't think that is wrong. I think it is fine. I think my life is wonderful. In terms of encouraged or discouraged with creativity, I am both of those things everyday.

I feel it is creative to problem solve. And that is life. Does that make us all artists?

New Media

The role that new media plays in my life is an unconscious one. I haven't noticed it. I use it, I am sure, with myspace and facebook, but I don't actively pursue it. 

The questions I am asking myself and seriously considering are:

• How can I participate in New Media in a way that I am excited about?
• As I think about graduation, how can I use New Media to get ahead in the work world? 

Surly, the more skills I have the more employable I will be. But I guess as I have been sitting in class and thinking about the place of New Media in my life I had some initial reactions or concerns. I feel like New Media speaks to a certain economic class. Fortunately the school provides all of the technology I am required to have, mainly a computer. But I don't own a computer, camera, or video camera. 

Food for thought. Class end. ciao.