Content:

This semester has involved so much learning. Learning more about the computer, the internet and research. Everyone in our class had to choose a topic to research and then work on a multigenre research project based on that topic. I chose to do my research on dysphagia. There is so much information out there on dysphagia. I decided to focus my research on diets, techniques and how the family and other professions can be more involved with the patient in order to help them.

Process:

I believe that I have learned so much about my computer and about the internet. I had to think more about search engines and emailing lists. Things that I had never really thought about before. I also had to think more about whether or not a website is reliable or not. This class involved thinking a lot about online work. I always knew not to totally trust everything on the internet. The article about teaching elephants sign language was interesting. It was so noticeable that the author's information was not reliable at all. Ha! I think that was one of my favorite assignments. If you go back to the author's homepage, then you have hours of entertainment!:-)

As I had written before, I decided to do my research on dysphagia. I was really interested about whether or not people who have diet restrictions cheat. I figured that the family, therapists, doctors, and whoever else is involved with the patient would be really beneficial in helping them. I was also interested in the diets and techniques involved with dysphagia. In the neurogenics class that I have taken, we only touched a little on dysphagia techniques. I wanted to know more about them. I knew that SLP's are involved with those who have dysphagia but I had no idea what exactly went into it. I think from this class and my neurogenics class, I have learned so much about dysphagia.

The research part (the main portion of the class) was very interesting. I didn't think that it was too difficult doing research for dysphagia. I was really thankful that we had done the search engine assignment because it helped a lot. I was also glad that our class met in the library to go over EBSCOhost. I knew a little bit about EBSCO but it had changed so much since I last went through a library orientation. Actually, I was rusty and couldn't remember a whole lot.

The only roadblocks that I came to involved the internet(just a few small stumbles), citation, feedback on how I was performing and uploading my powerpoint. I must've missed the discussion about the uploading. The instructions were probably in some of the email that I didn't check. I did feel very overwhelmed with all of the email. I could probably spend 10 hours a week just checking my email. Ha!
;-) I had trouble getting good email before and now I can't keep up with it. I'm glad that I'm so popular now. :-)

I hope that all of my information was adequate. I didn't really have anyone to tell me if I was doing bad or good. My group told me that I was doing fine but I figured that my work was not good enough. I was really worried about citing my information. I found it hard to cite for my journal entry and email exchange because the information came from my knowledge. I hope that it is good enough.

Premise:

Research is such an indepth thing. I know that it will be very important in future college classes and when I actually begin working in the field. I think that their is so information in the field of communication disorders and I will probably constantly have to research something. I believe that CD 315 really helped by giving me an idea about research and what I should think about. I really enjoyed doing research on dysphagia. I just hope that the information will help others and continue to help me. I also learned that I need to give better, more thorough constructive feedback. I don't think that I gave very good feedback. I think that doing the multigenre research project was interesting because it gave me a chance to do something different and to think about how the client, clinician and family may feel. I definitely thought that it was a different way to think about dysphagia and a different way to incorporate research information.

I sit back and look at what I have completed this semester and I believe if I had it to do over there is so much I would change about my work. I think, "Man, why didn't I do this, that way and that, this way." I know it's crazy to think that now. I guess I'm still learning and understanding. Every now and then lights do come on in my head. ;-)

Plan:

I can definitely see computer technology integrated into my work. I'm positive that future college classes that I will be taking will have me involved with computer technology. I will always have to type papers and I will continue to do research on the internet. I think that the internet is a great place to get all kinds of information that I can use for class. I also know that I will continue to use computer technology throughout my professional career. Communication Disorders is a field with so many possibilities and answers that I'm sure I will need the aide of computer technology to help me find those possiblities and answers. It is also a field that is constantly changing and I will most likely have to do research to help me come to sound conclusions. I was so happy to have the opportunity to use this class to get me started on using computer technology more.

Thanks for the internet experience!