Class Portfolio: CODE121

Mid-Term

Introduction

We are halfway through my first semester at CODES and without a doubt I have learned a lot, not only from Dr. Despain but from my classmates. I learned who I can work with on certain projects and the strengths of my classmates and myself.

I struggle with some assignments, and it is difficult to work under pressure knowing the big project we are part of, but I have worked on turning that pressure into motivation to work hard and keep going.

This class is helping me to grow and improve not only on this class but on many others and it is really important to me that I will apply the knowledge that I acquired from this class on a daily basis life for the rest of my life.

Learning skills like using websites to edit videos, learning how to record them, and how to use apps that I can use for this class are just some of the few things that I have learned so far on this semester.

Down below you can find my goals and how I achieved them:

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Suspends judgment in interactions with people culturally different than themselves. (25%)

During this course I want to maintain a positive and respectful attitude towards my classmates and teachers, respecting their ideals and culture. I commit to being an open person and keeping my eyes and ears open so I can gain knowledge from my classmates and teachers based on what they share related to our cultural differences. 

As we already know, CODES is a diverse group, with people who come from different places, who have different thoughts, knowledge and opinions. Without a doubt, this helped me broaden my vision and be able to complete certain assignments that were difficult for me to understand. I always maintained a respectful and open posture to listen to each and every one of my colleagues.

This is the first time I have worked with a team at CODES. My team members are Kasey, Bri, and E.J. I found the mix of members quite interesting because we didn’t have much in common but this helped us to be able to ask questions to each other and thus be able to complete our essay in the best way. My three classmates shared their doubts and I tried to help, just as every time I needed help they were my main support. Note that my classmate E.J. is helpful, has a spirit of service, and is very intelligent although I don’t often hear him speak in class, my classmate Kasey is very logical and correct and my classmate Bri gets distracted pretty easily but always dedicates time to her work.

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Takes risks in assignments and in approaches to learning to create new knowledge.   (25%)

I want to stay passionate about learning, taking risks, and getting out of my comfort zone. I promise to broaden my vision, listen to my teachers and classmates and take the best of their testimonials and comments in order to take advantage of everything I learn during this course.

I learned how to record and edit a video for a class project. I was able to apply the knowledge that I acquired, in my political science project. I had to record a video or a presentation and talk about a congress member.

I learned how to use paragraphs on my assignments to make them easy to read. I have been applying this knowledge in each and every single one of my classes cause I have to write papers and essays constantly.

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Develops clear, innovative central messages with significant supporting materials.   (20%)

My compromise is to always look for sources of information that are 100% reliable and always ensure that the work that I present is always consistent and does not lose the main message.

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Implement solutions to address multiple contextual factors. (15%)

I will work hard to generate solutions that encompass and solve problems of any kind. I am aware that multiple problems of any kind can arise in the middle of our path, and this is why I want to work on being bold and intelligent to find the solution as soon as possible and execute it effectively and successfully. 

During this period of time, I did not have questions or doubts that arose in me that needed consultation. My teachers were in charge of making all the topics clear and they succeeded. Even if someone had a question, we talked about it as a group in case someone else had the same doubt.

There were several situations where I found myself a little confused and it was difficult to complete my assignments correctly and on time. A clear example could be when I had to do my rhetorical analysis. I had to define this term and understand its meaning before completing my assignment. Being something that I had never written or analyzed before, it was difficult to be clear about what my teacher expected from me and my work. Once I understood what it meant I was able to complete my rhetorical analysis successfully, with some mistakes but I was able to understand what knowledge my teacher wanted me to acquire or understand and I feel much more comfortable with this topic.

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Uses language to skillfully communicate with clarity and fluency.  (15%)

For me, being a Mexican girl, whose first language is not English, it is difficult to communicate certain things accurately. I am committed to improve my communication skills as well as my confidence in order to communicate clearly, fluently, and objectively everything I need to express.

I consider that I have improved my ability to express myself in English. I have learned new words that have expanded my vocabulary and that have helped me express what I want to say more accurately. A great example of this is one of my last essays that I presented in my CODE-121 class in which I felt quite in control of what I could and wanted to say. 

RhetoricalAnalysisDownload
  • Whom: Whom is defined as the subject of a verb or preposition. If I can substitute the term with he or she, I’ll use who. If I can substitute him or her, I’ll use whom. When referring to the topic of a statement, who should be used.
  • Ineffable: The dictionary defines ineffable as “incapable of being expressed in words” or “unspeakable.” His music is ineffably beautiful.
  • To cherish: he meaning of CHERISH is to hold dear, to feel or show affection. I want to cherish him in my heart.
  • Interweave: to combine or bring together two or more things. Interweave the last two assignments so you can build your project.
  • Juxtaposing: To place close together or side by side, especially with an arresting or surprising effect, or in a way that invites comparison or contrast. The juxtaposition of those two is comprehensible.
  • You can only do so much: I want to mention that this one was pretty funny and confusing cause if I translate this to Spanish it means to keep trying and not give up but I understood that it means that there is a limit. I know you have been trying to change this situation, but you can only do so much.