1. Honors ENGL2089
Summary: In the fall of 2020, I took a class ENGL2089, "Intermediate Composition Honors." This class was the more advanced version of "Intermediate Composition," where there was a higher standard and expected quality to the essays that were written. The main focus of the course is on "discourse communities," which we learned to be different communities based on discourse, or language. Not all of these communities have to be written language - some discourse communities can be based on a skill that is similarly something that must be developed. There are 8 criteria of a discourse community, created and optimized by John Swales.
Throughout the course, I read many academic writings about the act of discourse. Prior to learning about discourse communities, I had always seen language with others as a means to communicate. I had some idea that I had to use different types of communication with different groups. This comes from my multicultural background, where I have to adapt to my different sides with different languages and societal expectations. But the idea of discourse communities gave me a solid understanding of the small things that influence our experience in different discourse communities. Not only was this an academic experience, it also taught me about how groups of people interact and the sociology of it.
The work below is the best representation of this course and discourse communities. While the regular ENGL2089 class also covered Swale's criteria, I had to use all 8 criteria in this essay for it to be "honors" level. I enjoyed writing this essay because there is so much to cover on discourse communities. Discourse communities are complex, and the people who are a part of this are also complex. While I focused on the conflict and ideals of the discourse community, UC Mountaineering Club, I could have instead focused on the physical knowledge needed to fit in to the community, or what happens to people after they graduate - whether they leave the discourse community or stay a part of it (hint: some do). I also enjoyed learning a little bit more about my roommate and one of her favorite hobbies.
Throughout the course, I read many academic writings about the act of discourse. Prior to learning about discourse communities, I had always seen language with others as a means to communicate. I had some idea that I had to use different types of communication with different groups. This comes from my multicultural background, where I have to adapt to my different sides with different languages and societal expectations. But the idea of discourse communities gave me a solid understanding of the small things that influence our experience in different discourse communities. Not only was this an academic experience, it also taught me about how groups of people interact and the sociology of it.
The work below is the best representation of this course and discourse communities. While the regular ENGL2089 class also covered Swale's criteria, I had to use all 8 criteria in this essay for it to be "honors" level. I enjoyed writing this essay because there is so much to cover on discourse communities. Discourse communities are complex, and the people who are a part of this are also complex. While I focused on the conflict and ideals of the discourse community, UC Mountaineering Club, I could have instead focused on the physical knowledge needed to fit in to the community, or what happens to people after they graduate - whether they leave the discourse community or stay a part of it (hint: some do). I also enjoyed learning a little bit more about my roommate and one of her favorite hobbies.
2. Redesigning the ACM-W Website
Title of Experience: Redesigning the ACM-W Website
Competency/Competencies: Creativity, Research
View the website here
View the source code to the website here
To summarize my experience, I created a new website for the ACM-W chapter at the University of Cincinnati using new tools such as React, GatsbyJS, and node.js. The previous website was difficult to manage and had a set template that would make it hard to make any significant changes to the design and layout. The new website I created is simple and more resilient.
When I started looking into creating a new website, I looked at what the previous website lacked. The things I took note of were a bad menu, difficult readability, and unnecessary tabs and click boxes. Then I spoke with the previous webmaster, who recommended the tools I use to create the website. I did do some research into other web tools as well, but after testing with GatsbyJS and the other tools, I determined that it would be the simplest way to create a website. Until this project, I did not have much experience in web development, so I was learning these tools at a very basic level. I had to do much research into how to run the website locally, how to place objects on the page, and how the different tools work together. One thing about creating websites that is different from coding in class is that you use multiple coding languages for different purposes. For example, html is used to create objects, but css dictates how these objects look, from fonts to where the object is placed.
One roadblock I faced was when I had to add photos to the website. It was not as easy as including it in the html, something I had learned previously and thought to always be the case. I had to learn how queries worked and that the website would query the photos each time it loaded. I had to read documentation and coding blogs to learn how these queries worked.
Another roadblock I faced was finding and taking down the previous website. It was hosted on CEAS servers, which I didn’t have access to, and was created by ACM-W exec years ago. I had to reach out to alumni in order to learn how it worked and ask them to help me take it down. It was hosted on a different website domain, which we also took down so that members wouldn’t be confused seeing both sites.
Because I was given a blank slate, I was able to create the site in the way I imagined it. Rather than a menu bar on the side, I put it at the top because it would be easier to click through and read. I created a new tab, called “Resources” which I can update when we have opportunities to share with members. I got to choose the fonts and colors for the site, which were based on our chapter’s logo. I had to balance creativity with usefulness, as what may look nice may not necessarily be the easiest to use. At the same time, I also received input from ACM-W exec to see what they wanted in a website.
This experience helped me gain a better understanding of web design and development. This is a skill that isn’t taught in my curriculum so I was able to take a step into another field in technology. It solidified the importance of developing myself outside the classroom. While co-op is one way to do it, I can also take on small projects like this to learn more. Also, this site will be used after my term as webmaster, giving future webmasters a solid foundation to build more. Most importantly, it is simple to use and read, giving members of our chapter an easy way to stay in contact with the overall chapter, which has been exceedingly difficult due to virtual meetings.
This experience has inspired me to work on my own website, as I have my portfolio site (where you are currently reading this) hosted on Weebly. I had hit roadblocks when I had created the site, as it is not as customizable as I wanted it to be. Although this may have been daunting to me before, creating a website is not as difficult as I thought it to be. I also learned that self-discipline is very important in having a self-led project. Distractions would come and go, preventing me from making progress at times. I would like to work on that side of me.
Competency/Competencies: Creativity, Research
View the website here
View the source code to the website here
To summarize my experience, I created a new website for the ACM-W chapter at the University of Cincinnati using new tools such as React, GatsbyJS, and node.js. The previous website was difficult to manage and had a set template that would make it hard to make any significant changes to the design and layout. The new website I created is simple and more resilient.
When I started looking into creating a new website, I looked at what the previous website lacked. The things I took note of were a bad menu, difficult readability, and unnecessary tabs and click boxes. Then I spoke with the previous webmaster, who recommended the tools I use to create the website. I did do some research into other web tools as well, but after testing with GatsbyJS and the other tools, I determined that it would be the simplest way to create a website. Until this project, I did not have much experience in web development, so I was learning these tools at a very basic level. I had to do much research into how to run the website locally, how to place objects on the page, and how the different tools work together. One thing about creating websites that is different from coding in class is that you use multiple coding languages for different purposes. For example, html is used to create objects, but css dictates how these objects look, from fonts to where the object is placed.
One roadblock I faced was when I had to add photos to the website. It was not as easy as including it in the html, something I had learned previously and thought to always be the case. I had to learn how queries worked and that the website would query the photos each time it loaded. I had to read documentation and coding blogs to learn how these queries worked.
Another roadblock I faced was finding and taking down the previous website. It was hosted on CEAS servers, which I didn’t have access to, and was created by ACM-W exec years ago. I had to reach out to alumni in order to learn how it worked and ask them to help me take it down. It was hosted on a different website domain, which we also took down so that members wouldn’t be confused seeing both sites.
Because I was given a blank slate, I was able to create the site in the way I imagined it. Rather than a menu bar on the side, I put it at the top because it would be easier to click through and read. I created a new tab, called “Resources” which I can update when we have opportunities to share with members. I got to choose the fonts and colors for the site, which were based on our chapter’s logo. I had to balance creativity with usefulness, as what may look nice may not necessarily be the easiest to use. At the same time, I also received input from ACM-W exec to see what they wanted in a website.
This experience helped me gain a better understanding of web design and development. This is a skill that isn’t taught in my curriculum so I was able to take a step into another field in technology. It solidified the importance of developing myself outside the classroom. While co-op is one way to do it, I can also take on small projects like this to learn more. Also, this site will be used after my term as webmaster, giving future webmasters a solid foundation to build more. Most importantly, it is simple to use and read, giving members of our chapter an easy way to stay in contact with the overall chapter, which has been exceedingly difficult due to virtual meetings.
This experience has inspired me to work on my own website, as I have my portfolio site (where you are currently reading this) hosted on Weebly. I had hit roadblocks when I had created the site, as it is not as customizable as I wanted it to be. Although this may have been daunting to me before, creating a website is not as difficult as I thought it to be. I also learned that self-discipline is very important in having a self-led project. Distractions would come and go, preventing me from making progress at times. I would like to work on that side of me.
