Week 7 Learning Journal

Reflection on Final Research Video Project Planning

For our final research video project, our team used Discord to communicate, mainly through its voice channel feature. It made collaboration easier since we could talk things through quickly and avoid long back-and-forth messages. It felt more efficient and helped us stay focused. For production, we used Filmora for editing, Canva for creating visuals, and Artlist.io for voiceovers and music. Each tool played a specific role in helping us bring the video together.

The overall process went fairly well, and everyone contributed. However, it was a little challenging to coordinate schedules, especially as deadlines got closer. Sometimes, we had to wait for everyone to be available before moving forward with certain tasks. If we were to do a similar project again, I think we could improve by assigning roles earlier and setting clearer deadlines for each stage. A shared progress tracker or checklist would also help make sure everything is on track without needing constant reminders.

Reflection on Weekly Learning and Lecture Material

This week’s lectures and readings focused on writing, revision, and presentation skills. One key message from the writing lab video was that revision is an essential part of the writing process. The instructors reminded us to review all feedback carefully but also to recognize when certain suggestions may not be useful. I appreciated the emphasis on being thoughtful about the feedback we use. It helped me realize that writing well takes more than just fixing errors. It involves stepping back and making sure your arguments and structure are clear and effective.

The TED Talk about the future of creative work also stood out. It explored how AI and digital platforms are affecting artists, which connects to our own video topic on digital immortality. Both raise interesting questions about how technology is shaping identity, creativity, and the way people are remembered. The speaker's points made me think about how data can be used to represent people, and whether that representation is truly meaningful or just a digital copy.

The presentation skills resources were also very helpful. The "Death by PowerPoint" video used humor to highlight common mistakes, like using too much text or relying too heavily on slides. It reminded me that good presentation design is just as important as the content itself. Keeping things simple and visually clear can make a big difference. I also learned that tools like body language, tone, and pacing are just as important as the slides we use.

Overall, this week helped me improve my approach to both writing and presenting. It reinforced the idea that thoughtful planning, clear communication, and careful revision are all part of producing quality work. These are skills I plan to carry with me into future projects.