When registering for my Fall semester courses, I wasn’t sure what to expect from Digital Storytelling. I was confused by what exactly I would learn in this class but I had read the course overview and understood the basics. I understood that I would be taught the various platforms that people use to broadcast information but I didn’t truly understand the wide variety of projects this class would have. It was difficult at times, but I truly learned more than I had anticipated I would. I was nervous to learn about the different Adobe programs and to put together the larger projects (i.e. the mini documentary, podcast, PSA, etc.). I felt as though the other students would have more experience with the platforms. This was not the case and we all worked together to teach each other tips and tricks, along with giving “compliment sandwich” critiques. One of the most difficult aspects of the class was not quite the projects or the labs, but learning more personal skills such as time management.
Time management has always been my weakness. I somehow would look at the clock 15 minutes before class started and think I could complete my entire to-do list in that allotted time. Surprise! I never could. While I never fully tackled that area of time management, I began mastering the art of completing my assignments, labs, and projects more timely and by their due dates. Unfortunately, I experienced a personal setback recently that affected my ability to fully devote my attention to the mini documentary. I still did what I could but I had to prioritize my mental health above all else during that difficult time. The rest of the class, I submitted my assignments early or on time and was quite proud of myself for this because my workload was heavy this semester. This course also is quite a time commitment outside of class so staying on top of my workload the way I did was difficult, but I succeeded.
One of the biggest surprises I had with this course was the workload. I knew I would be putting in time and energy into the coursework, but I had initially thought there would be fewer assignments and labs during the week. I wasn’t anticipating as much of a time commitment outside of class and I have not had a class with as much of a time commitment as this one. I am thankful I took it this fall semester since I will be overloading next semester and would be struggling much more than I was this semester. Even with the time commitment outside of class, I grew to appreciate seeing the fruits of the class’s labor. We all seemed to work together and put in great effort into each project we did and watching/listening to the final productions were entertaining and impressive. My favorite project was the ghost stories for this reason.
The projects we created in class helped give me a better understanding of how to get a point across using different techniques (i.e. platforms, ethos, pathos, logos, etc.). I also had a better understanding of how crucial one’s voice is in digital storytelling. Tone, pitch, and flow of words are all important to a storyline/script. I hadn’t understood this detail with storytellings at the beginning of the semester and I had to re-record my voice-overs for both the PSA video and my mini documentary. I was speaking in a way that was less engaging and did not fit well with the overall goal of the videos. This change helped me grasp why every detail is so important when making a digital project/message.
This class helped me prepare for my future because I will be able to understand how tone affects how I come across to others and it helped me grow my time-management skills. I will need those with general interactions in life and with any future commitment- such as a job, plans, travel, etc. While I am still indecisive on what my life post-graduation will look like, the skills I have developed in this class will only benefit me later on. This class was important for me to take and I am thankful for everything I have learned in it. We live in a digital world and finally learning how to utilize technology and apps will get me much further in life as we become even more digital. While I faced my fair share of ups and downs in this class, it was a learning lesson to keep pushing forward and try my best. I will miss this class next semester and am proud of myself for finishing it strong.
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