Journal #6: Self-reflection

I started this course, this quarter, and this MA program with the wrong assumption that my educational background would help me deal with difficulties, if any, and I would easily get over my ignorance of using technology for purposes other than searching for resources, writing long research papers, and preparing Power Point presentations.  I have to admit that the first weeks of class were a torture for me since I strongly felt that I could not follow instructions, I could be left behind any minute, and I was probably the weakest link in the class chain. It took me four to five weeks to feel better and more confident. Rather recently I've started enjoying the class and looking forward to the next session and the new things I can learn and apply.

Now it has become like a hobby for  me to look at the HTML of everything that I find interesting. What I really like about HTML is that there is a structure, an organization, which – although it is rather strict – is at the same time immensely flexible and offers numerous possibilities to the designer. I find the way that each element is, or can be, embedded inside a bigger one – each with its own clear borders – and the logic behind such an organization fascinating.  This gives my mind a desirable structure, avoids confusion or chaos, and makes controlling each element more feasible. And when content and organization are there, CSS comes in to polish the ideas by giving them color and finesse and make the webpage both attractive and easy to read. Borrowing terms from my Rhetoric and Composition background, I could say that HTML provides logos (content, logical arguments) while CSS creates pathos (feelings to the reader); their successful combination establishes the web designer’s ethos (credibility and acceptance by readers).

Although it took me hours of practice at home, I was very proud of myself when I felt I was really able to use the FTP and transfer files to the server and then see them when opening a browser. What was also rewarding for me was when I created a very simple but still my very  first webpage, which of course needs a lot of CSS work.  The book assignment of Chapter 13  took me forever to finish and put my sanity at risk because I couldn’t find any mistakes (I had misspelt the word background – I had written backgound). But that taught me a good lesson – to pay attention to the detail. And I was to blame for my time wasted, not the assignment.

After a very hesitant – and even more stressful – start in this course, I now think I’ve started enjoying the course since I feel that I can understand and apply what we do in class.  It also makes me feel more optimistic about my future in this program.