Friday 21 December 2007

Evaluation for semester 1

The last semester, as been harder than the 1st semester has at the beginning I had 3 assignments to do. After I had handed my referral work in, I didn’t really worry about my grade I was too busy trying to get all my other assignments work done. But when I did get my results I was really happy has I wasn’t expecting to get my grade that day. I have enjoyed doing the 3 assignments so far, I have had good and bad moments while doing the assignment. It’s good when I concentrate for hours and get lots of work done, but the bad things are like when I lost my work and when I had problems with Photoshop, but I have learnt how to solve the problems I have had so if they do happen again I know what to do.

For assignment 4 I had to restore an image, this was the hardest task so far as I didn’t know how to use the software that I had to use to restore the image. When we were starting the Photoshop task I was about to hand in my a2 referral work so I was quiet stressed out and not knowing Photoshop but having to use it to restore the image I started stressing out more, which didn’t help. When I finished restoring the image I was quiet pleased with it, it wasn’t as good as other people in the class but I was happy with what I had done. I know I could improve with restoring images and when I have more experience with Photoshop I could have and other go and see how the second image, would look compared to the first image I restored.

There is a number of things that I have improved on because of this course, first my time management, I wasn’t bad a managing my time before but I am better at it now and It has been useful to use, when I have been doing my assignment work, to sort out when to do different tasks and get all my work done on time.

When I started the course my confidence was really low and over the past couple of months it has improved because of college and work. At both college and work I have done things I don’t like doing. When I had to do the presentation at college I was really nervous and I don’t think I could have done it in front of the class but I would be really pleased with myself if I had, and hopeful I will be able to do a presentation in front of the class and be happy with the presentation I give. When I found out I have to do a long presentation at the end of year 2, I didn’t mind as it’s a long time till I do it. I like preparing for a presentation I just don’t like showing it, so if I do, do the presentation in the second year I will be so happy, because I will prove to myself that I can do them and If I have to do it for a job one day hopefully I will be better with the experience of doing other presentations.

I like how I have to use the sketchbook to record every things, I find it useful for when forget some information or I want to find a useful web site I have been on before, as I can just go back and look in my sketchbook. I have enjoyed collecting inspiration for the sketchbook as it as help be with designs I have had to do, for example my screen designs. One thing I think I could improve on with my sketchbook, is taking more notes in seminar meetings, so next semester I’m going to aim to take more notes seminar meetings.

Having a blog was new to me when I first started the course, I enjoyed writing the blog entries as I get to reflect on what I have done in that week. When I found out that I had to leave comments on other people’s blogs I was a bit nervous about doing it, I thought what If I say the wrong thing or what If what I write doesn’t make sense people are going to think I am stupid, but the more comments I do the more I am less bothered about doing them.

I feel like I have learnt a lot so far this year and I have enjoyed learning all the new things I have been taught and improving on some things I knew. I am going to carry on working my hardest and aim to get getter grades next semester. I always just expected passes but when I get higher I am really pleased, so this year I am going to aim to get a merit for at least one of my assignments.

When I finish the course at the moment I would like to do a third year, I always think that it’s better to have more education, but I am not at the end of the course yet so don’t know exactly what to do till I am nearer there. If I decide that I don’t want to do a third year I would get employment. Since the start of the course I have said I would like to be a web designer and the course as made be surer about that. I have enjoyed all the designing of web sites and I am looking forward to getting to build web sites.

9 comments:

Rebecca Bradley said...

It looks like you have learnt a lot from the course so far and you have seemed to enjoy most parts about the course.

Michelle Bonfield said...

The sheer volume of work in the first semester has really challenged us all. Especially when you had the added strain of doing the referal work. I really don't know if I could of done the same, and I have a lot of admiration for those that did. Hopefully our experiences will make the next semester run a little more smoothly' as we become more efficient in our working methods.

Liam Corfield said...

I think everyone found the image restoration task the most difficult of the semester. it really bugged me, i completed it then had to redo it,ill learn to keep a copy in future

Anonymous said...

Approximately two and a half hours until comments are closed for Semester 1.

Shaun Bellis said...

Hi Victoria

Handling the referral work at the same time as the other assignments was tricky.

I think you did fantastic to pull it around and manage to complete A3 and A4 on time also.

The image restoration was a very interesting assignment. I too had very little experience with Photoshop; however, I had used image manipulation software previously.

I am really pleased to hear that your level of confidence has increased since the beginning of the course. Believing in your self is very important.

I am told that presentations are one of those things that just become more natural with time. Keep at them; I am sure that we will all be professionals by the time we are through.

I honestly believe that we all underestimated the amount of work that would be required of us throughout the duration of the course. However, with our eyes now opened I feel that we can all make some fantastic progress.

The third year sounds really appealing. I guess the ideal would be as Sue has said, it would be fantastic to get with a company during the third year that would allow release to college.

Hold onto your dreams and do what it takes to make them a reality.

--
“If you don't believe in yourself, then who will believe in you? The next man's way of getting there might not necessarily work for me, so I have to create my own ways of getting there.” - Michael Korda

Andrew said...

I agree with Michelle about the volume, as I noted on someone else's blog; some of our modules are a full dissation long, which is some peoples final, final project. That we have to do regularly, my friends have been amazed at the amount of work I do. It's alot to deal with, especially when this way of learning is quite new to you; I've found it a little hard to adjust to aswell.

In regards to the Image Manipulation task, I thought that I would enjoy it alot; but it became a very frustrating task. I think mainly because when it comes to design I want things how I want it, and perfect and if it won't do that I get annoyed, haha. I think a few other people went through these feelings, I'm sure there will be plenty more of it!

Liam Corfield said...

I had the opposite reaction to you with the refferal work, i was worried about getting that done first. mainly because if i failed it agin it would meen exclusion from the couse, but form the work i have put into it it will pass. it has been a challenging semester, but i belive we have all done a geret job so far, so go us.

Anonymous said...

Semester 1 Journal Comments Closed.

Gary Benn said...

I personally found the Image compression essay the most difficult out of the A4 units, and quite enjoyed the image restoration process.

Its good to hear your getting good knowledge out of the course. And well done in juggling the assignments and referral.