Week 13 - Future Strategies

Friday the 31st. As I write this last entry, time fathoms me. It only felt like last week I posted my first Tumblr post. And here I am, reflecting on the busy first semester. So, let’s get to it;

Knowledge; This first semester, I’ve had a lot of information to take in. Four very content heavy subjects and plenty of assessments to keep me busy. In fact, that struck and surprised me, the amount of assessments that we completed in the first semester. It’s a sign of the work to come, and while I’m ready for the challenge, it does come with negatives. For example, the fortnight period with two essays and a case study report that were all due was immense. It was a lot of work, but sub sequentially, it allowed me to garner plenty of knowledge and feedback going into the second semester.

Skills; Referencing and condensation. You want some context? Sure. I’ve had to adjust to the Holmesglen Harvard Referencing system, as the style I used at my previous university was different. And my exposure to in-text citations has also increased. As for condensation, the feedback I’ve received from most of my wiring is to condense my sentences and points. I’ve got a lot to say, and while that’s a sign of good research, I’ve learnt that the best way to communicate that research is in small chunks with relevant evidence, rather than long sentences that struggle to hit on a point.

Attitudes; Concluding this e-portfolio, my attitude towards this assessment has improved. I’ve found that by voicing my experience throughout the semester has assisted my progress in other assessments. It will be a busy week studying for the two exams, but I will take all the skills I have learnt into study week and prepare as best I can for the exams.

Signing off,

C.McKenzie

31/05/2019

Figure 1: Progress review conducted in Week 4.

Week 11 - Managing Assessments

Deep breath. A whole rush of relief flowed through my body after submitted the A3 Research Essay. It was the third piece of informative writing I had submitted in a fortnight. My computer keyboard hates me.

But getting serious, I have had a ton of good feedback to work with. Both feedback that is reassuring and constructive in improving my essay writing. Looking at my essay rubric, I was happy with my overall essay. In the past, I tend to write essays off the cuff. And that leads to essays that start strong but veer away from the topic itself.

Lately, I’ve taken feedback from previous essays and constructed an outline. Yes, this may take an hour or so, and I used to loathe that hour because I believed that the hour I spent planning could be used writing. But when proof reading the essay, it flows a lot better than other essays. I’m still getting a grasp on citations. I need to ask more citation questions rather than submitting and hoping for the best. While my referencing is strong, my in-text referencing isn’t. I will continue to refer to the rubric before submitting. I’ll also try and shorten some sentences. If I were to submit my draft today, you’d lose breath reading it.

Signing off,

C.McKenzie

20/05/2019

Figure 1: Screen grab from my OneNote that shows essay planning in small chunks to assist in writing.

Week 9 - Blog Artefact

‘If you think it ain’t broke, double check’ Here we go again. Only feels like a week ago we were bombarded with wall to wall news of discontent in our federal government, and by the end, we had our 5th prime minister in 9 years. ‘ScoMo’ he goes by, and since ‘ScoMo’ has been sworn in, the government is as tumultuous today as it was 6 months ago. I’m not an overly political individual. I always went with the flow. Sure I kept up with the news and formed opinions, but I was never one to voice these opinions to others or use politics as a conversation starter. Let’s be real, politics isn’t a country guy or gals passion. However once murmurs of another coup in Canberra was in the works, I thought ‘okay...we’ve got a bit of a situation here’. Now every single one of us has a political agenda. No, obviously we aren’t politicians. We are farmers, engineers, mechanics, small business owners, supermarket clerks, bartenders, landscapers, nurses, doctors, retirees, pensioners, and the list goes on. But each of us has different political passions, from high ticket policies such as economic health to climate change, to lesser known debates such as funding for the NDIS scheme to drought relief. But one aspect I’ve observed about our vast and wide electorate, is that our voices aren’t being heard. The Mallee is continually neglected when the rest of our great country seems to be progressing, economically and socially. Having lived in three different towns in 20 years, from Warracknabeal, a quiet and gorgeous town with plenty of potential that has yet been untapped, to spending my late high schooling years in Ballarat, to now in Melbourne studying at university. One thing is clear to me, progress requires attention, and unfortunately, a bucketload of money. Melbourne has it in spades. Every second household owns either a BMW or an AUDI. Obviously by owning these high class cars show that they’ve done well for themselves, and good on em’, all power to you. But our priorities out in the Mallee our very different. Majority of us don’t consider success by how many luxury cars we own, or the square footage of our houses. We’re down to earth, we cultivate the land, we enjoy the close knit communities we live in and the connect to the wide open spaces and slower lifestyle we lead. Sure, our electorate isn’t the Bill Gates of Australia, but boy do we have the spirit of John Farnham during a concert tour. But because we don’t have the money in the savings account, that doesn’t mean that the political elite at Canberra have the right to keep muting us. Country folk are the blood and soil of this nation, and we deserve a better crack at improving our electorate. I believe Ray Kingston is a breath of fresh air for this electorate. ‘Oh for Petes sake’ you might be thinking. I’ve just read three paragraphs just to find out that this piece is a political ad. By the time this opinion piece is printed, no doubt the whole nation will be tired of seeing political ads, myself included. But while I will be voting for Mr. Kingston come May 18, please don’t think that I’m pushing my political agenda on you. The worst thing about these ads is forcing a opinion down your throat. This piece is intended for you, the voter, but more importantly a valued member of this community, to evaluate and analyse your vote. Have you considered all parties/independents? Do you know the policies and future plan your chosen party/individual has adopted? Do you agree with them all? Or just one specific policy? Young or new voters, don’t do what I did in the past state election. Are you voting for the party your Mum or Dad will vote for? Having contrasting opinions from your family is not wrong. Don’t ‘go with the flow’. You don’t have to be politically minded, and I’m not asking you spend hours upon hours researching. Unfortunately for us, the Mallee is arguably the safest seat in the whole nation. And while safety and security may have been an real asset in the past, having a safe seat or a major party is not the way politics is conducted anymore. In the past, come election day, majority of our brains are programmed to vote National. It’s a culture in our own electorate to believe, without forethought, that the Nationals are the party for the country. That has been true in the past, but the landscape has changed. And we need to change with it. Nationals need to be given the flick. All I ask is that you know in your heart that your vote is representative of you, and not a vote moulded by external voices, family and political history. Mr. Kingston is a local, is a farmer, and is concerned about you. His country values, his family values, his undying love for the landscape he resides in is a real advantage for the Mallee in the government. If Mr. Kingston is successful in his campaign, the Mallee will be represented by an independent, a very exciting prospect. The Nationals have failed in providing the Mallee regular and sustainable results. Being the safest seat in government is not a reputation we need, and certainly something we don’t want. I’d rather our reputation be being fed up with our political representation for the past years, and doing something about it. If you made it to the end of this opinion piece, I congratulate you. Pat yourself on the back. Your one step closer to helping us move forward. I talked a lot, I’m sorry. I’m known to ramble. But why listen to a 20 year old? What experience do I have? What credentials do I have to motivate you to vote different? To be honest, I have no credentials. I’m just another average local who cares about the Mallee’s future. Hell, nothing is stopping you from ripping this paper up and chucking it in the fire with outrage. If you read this whole piece, tell a friend to give it a read. Even better, talk about it with them. With you wife or your husband or your siblings or your Nan and Pop. Share your thoughts. Debate. My final message; give someone new; a wildcard; a former mayor; a father; a friend; give a true blue local a chance. Give Mr. Kingston a chance. A chance to show us what he can do. Progress happens with unrest...change happens with discussion...and chances come with new opportunities. Time to give the Mallee a chance.

Author: Connor McKenzie, published May 3rd.

Week 9 - Effective Communication

I sometimes imagine what it would be like if we as colleagues couldn’t communicate with each other. Right of the bat, an aspiring media professional that couldn’t communicate effectively is presented with a myriad of problems. Communication can be positive and negative.

Recently, I published a political opinion piece to the local paper of my hometown in Warracknabeal, VIC. A small town with a population of just over 2300, most of which who work in farms and the agriculture industry. When considering how I would effectively communicate my opinion to the town via the paper, I needed to consider how I could get my piece to reach as much people as possible with the demographic I had to work with. I originally thought of just publishing this piece online and social media, but many of the town’s residents are of the older demographic with a tendency to read the local paper.

Looking back, I believe I effectively used this form of communication effectively. I achieved my purpose and got plenty of reactions to my piece. Reflecting, to reach the people of Warracknabeal, I don’t believe I had another option that would have been just as effective. I will create a separate blog post showcasing my piece and using that as an artefact for this blog post.

Signing off,

C.McKenzie

6/05/2019

Week 7 - Understanding Feedback

Feedback. It’s like friend that means well but also gives you a little punch in the gut when they speak. An odd anecdote, but that’s as close as I can get to describing my feeling towards feedback. Disregarding my fear of feedback, I recognise its importance. And my experience in university has only extended my feedback experience further. Receiving feedback from the class during the A2 presentation for example was very helpful. I was able to garner that while my performance presenting was strong, I needed to make sure that my other teammate we’re also on the same page. Discrepancies in our performance were noticeable. Again, from the presentation, a clear piece of feedback I received was trying to talk and present over a video part of our presentation. Many classmates described it as ‘hard to listen’ during that time.

The feedback I received was taken on board well. I’ve used the feedback from that assessment in this class and represented its improvements in other presentations I’ve conducted throughout the semester so far. Utilising feedback is key to self-improvement, and while it may be confronting to hear your weaknesses spelled out for you, from friends and colleagues, remembering they have your professional improvement at heart is dignifying.

Signing off,

C.McKenzie

24/04/2019

Figure 1: Example of feedback received during A2 presentation. Very thorough in feedback analysis.

Week 5 - Self-motivation

We’ve all struggled with motivation at one time or another. And in varying different forms. From struggling to get out of bed on a cold morning to finding the motivation to put your runners on and go outside for some exercise. In class at university, this motivation and resilience struggle takes another form also. It’s no secret that university is very independent, and without the push from teachers to that of high-school, students must find that motivation themselves.

Doing this university course, you assume your passionate about Sport Media and look to gain professional skills to enter the industry. But a key to self-motivation is ‘scheduling time for yourself’ (Werlin 2010). Being able to recharge with a hobby is key, but also remembering why you are completing this course and assessments in the long run. Additionally, have a plan. ‘It has been scientifically proven that people are far more likely to achieve their goals if they write them down rather than just keep them in mind’ (Werlin 2010). Having a specific plan will make it a lot easier to bounce back from obstacles and overcome procrastination. Yes procrastination, the one weakness that alludes and haunts each one of us.

Signing off,

C.McKenzie

6/04/2019

  Werlin, P. (2010). Seven keys to self-motivation: These are tough times for everyone. here are some tips in how to keep yourself up to the task-and enjoying yourself. Bank Investment Consultant, 18(8), 25-n/a. Viewed 6 April 2019, Retrieved from https://login.ezproxy.holmesglen.edu.au/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.holmesglen.edu.au/docview/734355639?accountid=132066

Week 3 - Teamwork

It’s always a nervous experience when meeting and working with people you’re still getting to know. It is also extra nerve-racking when there is a grade at play also. Now I recognise that when starting a new course, grades and scores may not be your number one priority, but it always good to get a good start and create personal connections in the process.

My overall experience with my first team assessment was a great one. We communicated effectively, shared ideas, and we didn’t have any passengers. It’s always interesting to figure out your new classmates work ethic. Their habits. Their work quality and their thoroughness. Our A2 presentation was of good quality I believe, and the mark we received is reflective of that. As a team, we vocally presented well, and it was helpful to assess the presentation skills of my teammates for future projects. This is helpful to recognise strengths and weaknesses in classmates so that come next project, we can use everyone’s strength to their advantage. I’m confident that now after the first teamwork project, each project after from now on will be quite easy to organise with my new classmates.

Signing off,

C.McKenzie

24/04/2019

Week 1 - Starting Out

‘How was Week 1 you ask? Simply, busy. It was very great to begin a course I felt was the right course, where I know and feel that the content will be relatable and mixed with workplace transferable skills that I can from now, learn and put into practice throughout the whole course and into the workforce, a feeling I did not have once beginning my previous Business course at Monash.

I plan to attack the course head on, and plan and organise to make sure that each subject is carefully studied and researched, so that I can aim the best I can for an enjoyable and rewarding result.

The procrastination video was an interesting watch and raised some thought-provoking points. 

Screen grab from - TED 2016 ‘Inside the mind of a master procrastinator | Tim Urban’, online video, viewed 11/03/2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arj7oStGLkU

Tim spoke about time management mostly, which I feel okay with, although like everyone, there is much room for improvement

All in all, the surprising thing I learnt about this course is the abundance of opportunities the course provides, and I fully intend to involve myself in these opportunities as they come, while managing my time and studying, with the occasional YouTube video as procrastination here and there.....

Signing off,

C.McKenzie

11/03/2019