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So, I think this is definitely going to be my most loved course…  To be able to say that I’ve done the weeks work in two days is definitely a first for me.  It’s odd though knowing that I’m writing the ‘Weekly Summary’ and it’s only Tuesday.  Feels good though!

Let’s start with the reflection on the YouTube videos that we were told to watch.  Any time someone talks about art, I automatically think of Bob Ross.  He is just THE GUY that I think of when I hear the word ‘art’.  If you don’t know who Bob Ross is, here you go:

http://www.genv.net/files/gallery_images/bobross_0.jpg

My favorite part about the Robert Hughes video, though, is at the end when he talks about art as experiences.  I’ve never really though about art as an experience.  I’ve always looked at it as something that someone creates based on some sort of talent that they possess.  The idea of art as an experience opens up a whole new world for me in terms of what art really is.  Technically, what we are creating here is art as well because it’s a kind of experience with the world.  Things that I would have never considered art before seem to have more of an artistic element about them.  ”An experience of the world” is a direct relation to the next video as well.

Steven Johnson really breaks down this idea and ties it all together with his video.  I found this one to be even more engaging because of how it was created.  The information in it was spot on, but the fact that he took the time to actually create something while explaining what he was talking about seemed to be absolutely amazing.  Not only could I hear what he was saying, he was actually doing what he was talking about (if that makes any sense). One idea leading to another idea and then finding another idea based off of someone else’s idea and so on is just absolutely correct.  The ability to feed off of each other is something that I think will be implemented in this course.  We are all going to be bouncing off ideas with each other whether we think we are or not.  Just by reading this, someone might be thinking about something else that is kind of related to what I’m talking about.  Without reading what I’m writing, they might not have ever had that thought.  In that instance, Steven Johnson’s thoughts are already going into play.  It’s just a huge cycle and it seems to work really well.

The third piece of work is something that I really had to think about though.  Just the thought of being a student, I don’t view myself as a creator of anything substantial.  The typical class will consist of lecture, notes, tests, zoning out.  This class, however, is literally the exact opposite.  We are creating something all the time.  I’ve already done more new things with this course than I have with any other course at UMW and I love it.  Those ten rules seem to really capture the creative aspect of what we need to be doing with this course.  Producing something is being productive.  If you aren’t producing something then you aren’t being productive!

Here is my Daily Create:

So far, I LOVE TDC!  I think that doing this each day is going to just become a fun and interesting way to create stuff.  Even though we may only have one or two to do a week, I am actually considering just making it a part of my daily routine to do one each day.  I think that TDC is an excellent way to keep the creative mind flowing and that’s something that is definitely needed in this course.  I actually watched a bunch of the other videos that people put up just to see what other people’s keychains had on them!  It’s a great way to become involved in the class with the other students since this is an online class so I think that TDC is an absolutely amazing idea.

Here is my Twitter message embedded.  I believe I did this right?

@mburtis alexspangler.com/blog/2012/08/2… #ds106

— Alex Spangler (@aspangle0629) August 29, 2012

My About Page: http://alexspangler.com/blog/about/

I have kind of touched base here and there in this entire post about what I think about this course so far.  If I’m repetitive, oh well!  I think this class is going to be the most interesting class that I’ve taken here this semester and it’s a great way to end my undergraduate degree.  I love that I can work as fast as I want and at my own pace.  I’m planning on being away this weekend so it’s nice that I can get it done now and not have anything to worry about when the weekend gets closer.  I’m just excited to see what kind of stuff that I can create and I enjoy looking at the stuff that other kids create too!