This unit was a little more difficult for me than the last one, and to be honest it was my own fault. I had an epiphany half way through and decided I would change my topic. I quickly went from having folders and folders of research to having none. I would not call this a mistake though. By making this decision I was able not only to research online but through my agency as well. When I switched my topic to nutrition I spent a large amount of time talking to kitchen staff and teachers about nutrition and where to look for more information. From here I found a lot of amazing sources that really gave some interesting angles to my research. Although very few of these sources made it into my website they enriched my research by influencing my perspective and understanding of childhood nutrition. I found that research can go faster and be more productive if you talk to people interested in the topic. When Professor Brandstad suggested I look into Jamie Oliver for example I was able to gain an amazing insight into my topic. The TED video I posted on my second reflective entry was in large part the inspiration for a lot of my website even though I do not cite it once in my text.
I also enjoyed seeing what a huge influence Head Start nutrition plans had on the kids. Every day I am there they are introduced to new foods. They are never forced to try it but sooner or later they give in to the pressure of their peers. Often this results in a new favorite food. There is also a family like element to meal time. Besides the fact that parents are usually present kids find sanctuary in each other’s company. It is a time for them to be heard. Meals can last anywhere from a few minutes to an hour. It can at times be overwhelming for the adults as they are inundated by questions and comments from every direction but they are more than happy to be there. It is a great environment for me to observe and learn more about the kids and how they see nutrition. Surprisingly they understand quite a bit about it. Often times I will catch them correcting each other on the names of food, or giving each other friendly reminders to use their manners.
Choosing a topic was honestly my greatest challenge in this unit. As it is every time I do a research project. When I finally find the topic I want to write my paper on I am on my last legs and rushing to get my paper done in time. I have a hard time finding it in me to write about just any topic. It has to be something I am passionate and curious about myself. This almost always leads me to under researched topics and I find myself struggling for information. I was lucky this time to find something broad enough that also fascinated me. Once again though, it was discovered far too close to the deadline for comfort. I feel like I could have done so much more, especially with my text. I wasn’t able to find any contradicting sources, or become familiar enough with the political aspects. There are tons of policies and political debates over childhood nutrition but I felt uncomfortable adding them to my website without understanding them in depth. My current understanding of them is blurry. Since the website is going to be public, to some extent, I feel it is best if I don’t take the chance of misunderstanding or misinterpreting certain laws.
The website was the best part of the unit. I loved manipulating the text and images in a way that would capture my reader. I have always loved design. My biggest struggle as far as organization and images go was my text. I had a hard time picking a font, size, and color, as well as a way to organize it on the page. In my full draft the text was a little much and all over the page. It took away from the overall visual appeal instead of adding to it as it should have. My group had several good suggestions for me that really helped me improve my site. First of all they found that my text color was changing throughout the site and also that it looked better if I just used black for my text. They also suggested that I use titles to help even out the text. All of these suggestions were great.
I am really excited about this website. I feel as if it is a success. There are several areas where more information could be a huge benefit but other than that I feel it works well for its purpose. If nothing else I learned a lot about my own particular researching style, and ways to expand and gain a deeper meaning of the material. Just reading the text only gives you an overlying idea of the subject. To truly understand it you have to experience and discuss it with others who are as passionate about it as you are.
Website!!!
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