Writing Feedback / A reflection essay - Making Media and Contemporary Approaches courses [2]

Hi everyone, I have to write a self-learning reflection essay and have trouble revising the grammar so can you give me feedback

INDIVIDUAL SELF REFLECTION

Overall Impression
The two courses I applied for in my first semester was Making Media and Contemporary Approaches, without knowing these were compressed courses and we had to work harder than those June-intakes. The amount of work was the same, but the time was way shorter. During the first half of the course, I was shocked by the workload, felt stressful, broke down numerous times and had the intention to give up. However, I regained my confidence, knowing that only if I overcome this will I be successful in my future career. Bennett, Simon, and Linda from Making Media only put me under pressure to prepare me to be ready for the worst situations. Contemporary Approaches was the foundation of the media and communication industry. It was divided into 3 assessment cluster: individual work cluster, group work cluster, and self-reflection cluster.

Assessment Cluster 1: Individual Work
This cluster introduces me to some most basic communication theories and makes us practice two primary skills for Public Relations: academic research and writing and presentation skill.

I was asked to study a media issue, conduct significant secondary research using credible published sources, write a 1000-word paper following the 5-part module given in class. After the assignment, I now acknowledge how to write an academic essay using the 5-part outline, and how to cite and reference the sources applying Harvard style citing.

The next assignment of the first cluster is the oral presentation. I must give an up-to 10 minutes speech on the issue I chose in front of the class and the two instructors: Bennett and David, using professional-quality visual aids. Bennett helps the class to learn about the key to a professional presentation: create a clear agenda, make the presentation aids clean and easy-to-read using vibrant colors that will not be washed out when projecting, include only valuable and memorable information on slides, and make contact to the audiences. In the presentation, I have to associate the social issue and a communication theory that was applied to the provided issue to represents a full term planning an oral presentation while delivering live messages to peers and the instructors.

Learning Points
Knowing how to examine a current social issue, analyzing how media treats it and effectively deliver an oral presentation on the issue are by far the most essential skill set for 21st century leaders, in our future career.

Assessment Cluster 2: Group Work
The Group Work assessment cluster mainly focus on introducing us to the media industry by making a whole short film from the start. I had to form up with two strangers, develop an emotionally engaging movie, then write a script, produce a storyboard, and break out a shot list. Bennett spent 3 classes, only to instruct the class to function the technical device in order to have the most quality shots and audio and demonstrate different camera movements like tilt and pan. The post-production was also a challenge as we all footage had to be refined considering every aspect of the film would be graded: from the transition to audio and color.

Learning Points
It was a long and exhausting journey, require the effort of every member of the team. The assessment prepares me to be ready for life and work as I somewhat have an experience of coming up with an idea, to fully develop a film. I also understand that it is usual for the idea to be rejected and being criticized can only make me better.

Assessment Cluster 3: Reflections
At the end of every class, Bennett questions the whole class to report what they have learned. There were changes made in the last class session. Bennett and the whole class formed a circle and shared the personal experiences on the course and on their life and it was emotional.

It is very valuable to rewind what did we learn during the course in the form of a Behind the Scene documentary to represents a real life, visual reflection on the process as we are Communication and Media student, and a reflection paper to deliver a critical learning reflection.