EDLD+5366+Course-Embedded+Reflection

The assignment to create a newsletter really opened my eyes after I did some self-evaluation. I created a holiday newsletter to share with family and friends so it became very personal to me. I had never used Publisher before and had preconceived notions that it would be difficult to use. I was also a little upset when I learned we could not use templates because I thought it would make the assignment more difficult. Once I began playing around with Publisher, I found it very easy to use and I also liked the fact that it would check your layout for you. I began to become seriously involved with my project and probably took more time than I had to in order to complete it.

As a teacher, I know that planning is a big component of a successful assignment. I took a great amount of time writing each article and selecting an appropriate picture to accompany it. I referred to the four components of good design and made sure the colors and font I used did not clash. When it comes to technology, I am a very hands-on learner so most of my learning occurred as I was creating my newsletter. It was easy to size and move text and pictures around so this was perfect for my type of learning. I also learned a lot from reviewing comments on the Lamar Facebook page and looking at some of their newsletters.

In completing this assignment, I discovered several things about my learning. I do prefer hands-on learning and I also realized that it does help to do more planning before you start a project. I was very pleased with my end product so this self-realization has opened up new doors for me. I also feel that collaborating with colleagues benefits everyone involved and hope to help others by participating in more collaboration.