Frankarlo Figueroa reflects on a semester-long project researching the benefits of military service. He learned a great deal about military values and family programs through his research. Creating the project in Prezi was challenging as he had never used the platform before, but he learned how to use it independently. The most difficult part of the project was combining, summarizing, and finalizing all the information collected. He is proud that he was able to provide a positive perspective on the military given other classmates focused on negatives. The project reinforced his plans to join the military after school.
1. Frankarlo Figueroa
10th Literature/Composition
End of Semester Summative Reflections
1. During this project, I have learned so much about the military through my research. I
have learned more in depth with the values of the military. I have learned a lot
about military family programs and child services. I do not have any questions. But I
did leave out a lot of information on the family programs because it would have
taken me another week to collect and summarize the information.
2. One of the challenges did not know anything about Prezi. To be honest, I have never
done a Prezi before. I should have listened to Ms. Hamilton and watched her videos,
but I have learned how to use a Prezi by myself. Another challenge was hot to use
Slideshare. I also learned that by myself.
3. I found that combining, summarizing, and finalizing all of my information was the
most difficult thing about this project. I did not want to drag on any information or
leave anything to short. It was especially hard for me when I summarized about the
military values and programs. The most rewarding thing was to find all these things
about the military. Everyone else did the negative so I wanted to do something good
and informative. I am glad that I have done my project on the benefits of the
military.
2. 4. To be honest, the books did not do any effect on my decision of my topic. The
fishbowls did actually have influence on me. I kept hearing all these negative effects
about war and military so I wanted to be original. I decided that my life is
surrounded by pro-military people that my topic was going to be the benefits of the
military.
5. Well I have always planned in going into the military. This project has made me
realize my options and the decisions I am going to take when I am older. Also, now I
know how to use Slideshare, Prezi, and Easybib. So I keep using these tools in future
until I find something that is more efficient and easier.
6. What I think I did well was my research. I believe that I went to websites that had
more than enough information. I think that my organization skills were another thing
that I have done well. I thank Scoop It for that. My Prezi is the thing that I am most
proud of. I have put so much information, videos, and images. My path is not
confusing. Nothing in my Prezi is distracting.
7. The most challenging aspect of this project was the time management. Sometimes I
have been too close to the deadlines. My procrastination and my laziness always
held me back in this project. I have to work on my motivation more.
8. I believe that my research fishing and summarizing skills have improved deeply since
last semester. This has cut down the time I spend on research by a lot. 1.1.5 Evaluate
information found in selected sources on the basis of accuracy, validity, and
appropriateness for needs, importance, and social and cultural context. I feel like I
3. type faster as well from all the organizing I have done. 2.1.2 Organize knowledge so
that it is useful.
9. I think that doing a Prezi has my visual learning skills. It has also helped me by
putting videos, images and text together so I can keep the audience informed and
interested. The original paper would have been boring and not as adventurous. I am
glad that I chose to do a Prezi.
10. I have used Symbaloo as my information dashboard. I did not use it that much. I
used Scoop It to organize and go to my sources. I think I will only use it if I have over
fifty sources. I do not think I will use Symbaloo again in the future. The only thing
that my Symbaloo says is that I will only use things that I find useless only if I am
required to use it.
11. Well I have learned all the tricks and turns of Prezi. So I have learned more computer
skills. Also my analytical reading skills have improved. It used to take me a half hour
to find the essential information in a source but now it only takes me ten minutes.
This is a skill that will not make me waste my time next year in American Literature
and Composition.