My Semester in Comm203

Knutti Hall on Shepherd Campus

Comm203 at Shepherd University has been one of the first communication classes that I have taken. I came into the class with very little knowledge about what was entailed in the communications field and very little ability to do things in the area. This class has greatly influenced my abilities and given me valuable experience.

One of the first things that we touched on was a software called Xmind. This software is used for mapping out ideas. It is a useful tool for organizing ideas and arranging things in a way that makes sense for people that don't think linearly. This software is a great tool, but I didn't use it as much as could have been done. I never really needed it to organize my thoughts because I have been making associations and making connections in my own mind for years. This software is still useful though because as I further my education and take on more projects, I will have more of a need for this software to keep my thoughts straight and produce excellent projects when my plate gets a little full.

Another thing that I was introduced to that I had never done before was blogging. This has been an invaluable asset throughout the semester. It has made me extremely proficient at doing online research and understanding the subject better. I enjoy the blogging because even though it is a somewhat informal way of writing, it allows the freedom to express ones opinion about a subject while still learning and understanding the subject. It has also developed my ability to write. I can now structure a paper a lot better than I used to, whether it be a blog or an academic paper. It has also helped me to better understand how to communicate the idea I'm trying to get across. You can check out my other blogs and see how my skill has developed.

The next major thing that we did was to create a graphic novel. This was a pretty daunting task for me at the beginning as I had never even considered doing it before. This project also introduced me to the Comic Life software. I was able to use it as a guide but was better able to actually draw the comic and get the idea across. This project also helped me in my ability to develop story ideas. The primer for the story was an excellent tool that allowed me to develop my ideas and make changes. After finishing the project, I was able to go back over the primer and view my process which helped me to better understand the way I think and the process for developing ideas.

The biggest project that we had this semester was a video documentary. This project introduced me to several different pieces of software as well as several different techniques. I was able to use Final Cut Pro to produce a video. I was taught how to shoot things with different focal lengths and lighting techniques. The shooting part was the easy part, after which I had to edit the film and put it together. I greatly valued the experience as it also helped me in other classes. I have produced several videos for myself and not just for classes now that I know how to do it. I have also been contracted to produce a film this summer for a missionary in Africa.

All of these new skills have been of tremendous value to me. I have learned so much and plan to continue learning more. These skills have introduced me to new software and techniques. I have picked up these abilities pretty quickly. If I were to be placed in a work environment I am sure I would flourish. I use a PC operating system at home but all of the computers on campus are MAC. Since I am placed in this situation, I have become proficient in being fluent in both MAC and PC operating systems. Now I believe that I have the skills and the potential to enter the workforce and use the software available to me to make me a valuable asset to the company.

Helpful or Harmful video games.

Scene from God of War III

There have been many arguments about whether or not violent video games are helpful or harmful. There have been those that say violent video games harm the player and show the player how to commit violent actions or just make them more prone to violent behavior. There are others that say that violent video games are a way for us to release our animal instincts and cope with life. They say that being able to play as an imaginary violent character allows us to be violent and release stress without actually harming the those around us. Now which is it? Are violent video games helpful or harmful?

The answer is somewhat confusing. The answer is both...and neither. The fact of the matter is that violent video games cannot be blamed or praised for what they do. There has simply not been enough research done in the field. Sure there have been studies done to study the behavior of a child exposed to such games but the research doesn't even touch the child's background. The player may have a disturbed home life and the violent video games may exacerbate the situation. However, in the same instance, the violent video games may create a refuge for the child and allow them to get rid of the violence through the game. There is just too little information out there to know for certain.

Now one can obviously form there own opinion about the situation and find research to support their theory. That is perfectly fine. However, that doesn't make their opinion a fact. It simply means that their opinion coincided with the findings of a specific study in a specific situation. To be practical, video games have just not been around long enough to really understand their effect on our psychology and make a concrete decision on their harmful or helpful nature. I mean we're really just now understanding what the antique philosopher's were meaning when they postulated their theories. "It really took us from 1750 to 1985 to really get it"-Kevin Williams when discussing our understanding of Friedrich Nietzsche.

Now as I said before we can always form our own personal opinions but they will never effect the reality of a given situation. From my own personal experience, I would say that video games have provided stress release when I was in need. I have been in a position where I was really stressed about something and in order to take my mind off things I just played a mindless video game which allowed me to calm down and the stress went away. Some games are pretty violent. For instance, Soul Calibur has been one of the biggest fighting games for a long time. This is one of my favorite games to play when I'm stressed out. It allows me to beat the crap out of an imaginary character and release my tension so I don't blow up and freak out on somebody else which would cause major problems.

So in conclusion, it is not possible to know for sure if video games are helpful or harmful. The best thing we can do is live from our personal experience and judge for ourselves whether or not these games are effecting us in a negative or positive way. Parents should also play an active role in their child's life and use their best judgment on whether or not to get a game based on the content. So even though science hasn't told us what the definite answer is, we still have control over our own lives and we should make our decisions according to our own set of values and priorities.

What I would like to learn about video production.

This is actually a very basic and simple question. I would like to learn the basics of video editing. I am mainly interested in the process of audio production and editing but I am also interested in video work. The society we live in today is filled with all types of media. There isn't just one thing that everyone knows how to do and the job market isn't filled with people that only know how to do one thing. In order to succeed in today's job market, one should really have a grasp of how many different things work in order to make themselves more appealing to potential employers. So in essence, I want to learn all I can about film editing, I just might not end up where that will be the main thing I'm doing.