I originally signed up for this class as a Gen-Ed requirement. I cannot draw or paint, as I am not very artistically inclined, but I had experience in computer programs like Photoshop and WindowsMediaMaker, so I figured that this would be my best bet. I found that during the first class I was a little concerned as to what I had gotten myself into. The whole introducing yourself via Skype was pretty weird. Now, reflecting on the course, I am glad that this is the course I chose. I think that I  gained something out of the class other than just a grade, which is not what I have expected for other gen-eds. I enjoyed doing a lot of the assignments and I can use these computer skills outside of the class. The most important thing I gained from the course is building an online identity. While I still only think of my blog as a place to hold assignments, I think I accomplished a lot on the blog, and I am glad that I have something to show for a class rather than a stack of graded papers.

I found that  the beginning of the semester was my favorite part of the class. I enjoyed the design and visual assignments, I think I was much better at them than the audio and visual assignments. I think I did my best at the beginning of the semester doing design work. Video was my least favorite part of the course, as while all of digital work can be tedious, I at least enjoyed design and was pleased with the final product. Video work was not really enjoyable for me, and I found that I was not entirely pleased with the end result. I think that we had fewer stars on the design assignments as well, and I could put more effort into one assignment, while with the video assignments I could finish one assignment, and then feel like I still had so much more to do.

As for the title of the course, I am still not entirely sure why it is called a storytelling course. I may be confused still on the idea of this, but throughout the course I did not really feel as though I was telling a story. I feel like we only touched on storytelling at the beginning of the course, and when were wrapping up the course. I understand that the idea of digital storytelling is still under construction, so to speak, but this is not what I imagined. When I signed up for the course, I imagined a type of photo journalism I guess. Taking a story and using pictures or videos to tell it. The syllabus outlines the definiton as “using digital tools so that ordinary people can tell their own real-life stories.” I don’t know that this is what I did. Is making minimalist posters, adding a splash of color, or defamiliarizing something telling a story?  Other assignments, such as “A Day in the Life,” or the “Sound Story” are applicable to the title, while I don’t see the connection in others. I realize that students compose a lot of the assignments, should we have to make it fit more concisely with the storytelling concept. I admit that when I submitted my assignments, I was not thinking of storytelling at all.

These are just my thoughts as I reflect, I’m not staying that the course is not a storytelling course. I’m just pointing out that it’s not what I expected, and I don’t think that the idea of digital storytelling was fully developed as we were doing assignments. In the beginning of the semester we talked about what telling a story is, I think that during the transitions between digital mediums there should be more discussion on how these things do fit into the digital storytelling realm, because I think this fell off in the middle of the semester.

As for the idea of a cyber infrastructure, I still think that the idea of college students creating a sort-of online portfolio is the most compelling part of the argument. I’m not sure that I completely understand that goes into Campbell’s argument or in web storytelling in general, but I agree that having something to show for your work is important. I still like the idea that students can engage online with things such as UMWBlogs and other websites. I am glad that this was a big feature of the class, because many classes, particularly lower level courses are not entirely concerned with anything other than tests. I have found that I have gotten more out of the courses that require online participation and reflection on a blog, rather than lecture notes and tests.