Finishing the last bits of our project!

By working closely together, Papiya and I have managed to finish this today (Thursday). We have both a lot to do regarding our other Uni work, but together we have done a great finishing touch. I have learned a lot from her as she struggled in the beginning understanding the site set up, but whilst talking and emailing and facebook'ing...yes we are using all available tools here... we have done a great job! I am proud of us all. I am a worrier and a warrior and like the challenge. Maybe the worry gave me strength to pin point the weakness and strengths if each individual in the group. It is good and fun to play this game of getting a project done on time. Urvi is good to discuss things with, Raquel is doing a great and thorough job and research, Papiya is our computer wizz and Jess...well I am glad she got well enough to come back in the group just in time to hand in her written work and help us finish this wiki wiki. And me?? Well think this is the first Blog entry where I am positive and very very relieved.

Working in a group with people I have not worked with before I have learned a lot about myself over the past nine weeks. The essential skill of working successfully in a group to get a project done has been an interesting learning process for me as I have mostly been quite happy working on my own. However these past weeks has developed me and my skills Becoming aware about the excessive importance about the use as well as misuse of the Internet has opened up my mind as to how I am using the web in the future. Over the past weeks I have been working with people who has turned out to be, maybe not fantastic communicators at all times, but yet able to get this project on the road and finished in time. Their contribution to the group as a whole has given many interesting inputs, when we, discussing and sometimes arguing our topic and ended up with many, and often too many constructive ideas for our wiki page. We are working hard on finishing the last small bits and bobs. However we have all experienced stress and worries with getting together at times when other assignments had to be handed in. Whoever says that women are good at multitasking are not telling the truth. However all in all I believe that our group have worked well together. Specially I think that Papiya have been fab at setting up the page. With out her skills we would be lost. I sincerely hope that by tomorrow we will have everything together in time for the hand in. Last day of stress, multitasking and making people do their work....c'mon girls!!! Let's finish this!!! We are doing so well now! : )

Roller coaster and giggles!

Being a cynical young woman I am easily misunderstood. On my last blog entry I was not referring to the course itself, but the stressful and confusing state of being a student in her last year of studying. Managing a team of talented young women to achieve something which has a deadline as well as requires communication between the group members at all times, is hard work, but yet very rewarding when we have done well in the end of it all. Roller coaster is the metaphor of my own unfortunate situations which disabled me to attend two classes as well as managing my time to write my dissertation etc. Having to manage a group whilst being ill was hard work. However we have nearly finished our work and I am really pleased with the end result. Last week I was very confused as we were told to sign Jess out of the group as she had only attended once and therefore not been in the process of doing the group work. I understand she has been working on a piece for the site, but as she has not been in touch with the group I am insecure of what she can give. We have been working hard, and changed things each week as we discussed the topic, added things as well as scrapped other. Now i am told that Jess is in the group anyway. I really hope that her contribution to our site will add positively to the end result and not downgrading our group work. Referring to a roller coaster as a part of this experience is summing up the positive as well as negative that has happened over the past weeks. Nothing to do with the teaching... so don't worry NOGBAD, I still have the giggly feeling in my stomach when getting out of the roller coaster. Just happy that I am closer to be able to concentrate entirely on my dissertation.

Last blog entry...I am looking back this whole experience and think we all in all have done quite well. However I have seen myself as a 'troop' leader directing the team to complete their tasks, and that sole responsibility can be quite tiring. In the end we have a result which I am all in all quite happy with. Starting off not knowing anything about creating websites, I have learned a lot about the whole process of working as a team to finish a project and that is valuable. I know from previous jobs that I naturally slide into this role of team leader as this is something I am good at...and do you know what?? I am really proud of the girls even though it has been a rough ride. Things happen when you back off and let them do their bit, because even though some might not believe it themselves...they are actually really clever at what they do. However, I feel frustrated and sad that one group member has to be written out of our team as the person has not been in more than once. However this is how it works and we have done okay. These past weeks have been interesting. Panic, frustration, anger, puzzlement, happiness, relief, fun etc. has been everyday experiences. Like going on a roller coaster and feeling the relief when it all stops and you can get out.

Last week on the wiki project!!

My goodness me what a ride!!! Finally I have finished my writing for the wiki page. Not that it was much writing as such, but the research was on something that was on a subject very new to me. But now we can concentrate on setting up the site and that is a relieve. All in all I think we have done great in the group. Unfortunately Jess have been absent most of the time so I am not sure exactly where she belongs in this project. However if she turns up tomorrow with a page of research useful for us and the site I am alright putting it up. It has been an interesting journey doing this course. And thinking back all in all glad to be able to work with people I have not worked with before as we will all go separate ways in a few weeks time. Always good to gain more friends on the last breath of a degree. Funny how three years of your life can go so quick, and still not being able to speak to everyone in the classroom. Watching the youtube film much truthful is said about contemporary student life. The Internet has become a frightening important part of our life. Most of communication is done online, skype, facebook, myspace, email etc. is so important for us in the west that we are cut of from the world if we have not got access to a computer. News covering is done online and we don't realize how widely we are influenced by the use of the Internet. Sitting in my room with my computer I am thinking about what I would do without the Internet. I remember my childhood full of adventures and explorations in the real world. Walking in the woods using my imagination to play trolls and witches under the young trees. Pleasures we in our contemporary society easily forget when surfing the net and talking with our friends via Facebook. This creates the question weather the internet is such a good idea for us humans. Well...as long as we have our imagination intact I guess it is good. Just feel my backside grow bigger and bigger by each minute I am sitting by my desk surfing the internet. Better finish this blog entry for today and continue researching for my dissertation : )