Step 1b + 2:

Reflecting on the “the Difference Between Digital Skills and Digital Literacies, and Teaching Both” article by Maha Bali. I believe i was granted a very nice opportunity to learn the difference between both. I think that more people should be aware that digital skills and digital literacies are not the same thing. This article taught me how before entering the course, I just knew how to use tools and platforms like any user. Now, I understand why and when to use them wisely. Not only wisely but cautiosly. Especially, the topic about digital footprints and privacy, which made me think more about what I share online. 

Relating this to my graph, I believe Im comfortable and not competent in creating and being innovative as I think it comes more of laziness, I would create but I wouldn’t go an extra mile to learn more.Also, with teaching and learning, I’m pretty good at learning new things I did not know about, but I’m not really sure about teaching. And with tools and technology, I learned  to evaluate online sources better, checking if they are trustworthy and unbiased.

I am competent in finding and using, which is related to digital skills where I am great at learning  how to use a certain tool, but I wouldn’t delve deeper than learning the basics, which is something I realized I need to focus more on to have the drive to make my self want to learn more. And in identity and well being, I believe that is related to the self. I think I’m good at understand the well-being of myself and others as an element that comes out of compassion and empathy. And communicating and collaborating as being a sociable person, communicating is one of the strengths I believe I have, which is why working with students from other countries in Soliya taught me to be aware of cultural differences and how to communicate better.

Step 3: Read one article and do 4 activities;

Article reflection: How healthy is the internet? by Solana Larsen is the editor of this report.

As teenagers, we are growing up in a world where the internet is a huge part of daily life. This report helped me realize that the internet we use every day has both good and bad sides. Yes it connects us with friends, but it also tracks my every move, affects my privacy, and can spread harmful content. I thought about how my online choices affects my future. When i share personal details, what’s the consequences? Am i aware of how my data is being used? As mentioned in the article we have no idea how these big internet companies profit, the profit comes from us. The report encourages us to think about how we can make the internet better by looking at things we often don’t see, like how our data is used or how AI makes decisions

Games: Before reflecting on each game, I believe I tried my best to learn something new while choosing the activity, I would have easily chosen things I already know how to do and choose designing or animating, but I like learning new things so this is why I think I really enjoyed these activities.

Activity 1: Video Assignment

Sounds effects story

This activity prompt was to tell a story using nothing but sound effects, no visuals only sound effects, with at least 5 different sounds. i felt it will be an interesting activity especially that I’m such a visual person so i couldn’t imagine how i would do a story with audio only. To my surprise i actually enjoyed it, i learned how to use a new audio app called garage band. Where i learned more about stuff called reverberations, echos and levels. And created a story of “a day in hurghada” where you can hear the birds chirping in the morning then cracking eggs for breakfast then going to the beach and then playing beer pong and then going home and sleeping. adding all these audios without seeing what i’m working with was something new actually .

Activity 2: 3d Assignment

Build a House

This activity was completely out of my comfort zone, i’ve never used any 3d apps before but i wanted to challenge my self. For this prompt it was to use a CAD program to create a first floor house or room , no need to be fancy but explain the choices. Unfortunately, I could not install CAD on Macbook but i searched online and they said an app called room planner can be installed. So i installed it and enjoyed it ALOT. i decided to create my room as there isn’t any room i know better than mine. I tried to mimic my room size with the bed , desk and tv placement. I also added all the small details like my dog , my laptop , my notes and the pictures hanged up in the room. To be honest it was hard to use as it’s different than the graphic design programs , where the clicking and dragging does not preform how it usually preforms, you have to have your finger double clicked on the pad , which was hard to do on a Macbook too. (this explains why no architecture student uses Macbooks).

Activity 3: Audio/ Video Assignment

Breaking News!

This was the most fun assignment to be honest, the prompt was to create a breaking news story , the news should be fake and create the dialogue using AI and to be creative, funny or serious. and to just make it sound realistic. I let my friends help me in this assignment where i let AI write a prompt about 25th January revolution and they would be the reporter . The amount of misleading information AI produced about this day was hilarious . It is actually what made the activity fun. Especially that i asked ai to write the prompt in arabic. Wrong vocab , wrong spelling and wrong information was created, which made the filming of the news reporter a funny experience. I learned that AI cannot get correct information on old or new political news happening in egypt. It was a complete disaster. But i ended up filming the full script and adding it in a video where it’s professionally portrayed and edited it.

Activity 4: Audio Assignment

Album Mashup

This activity prompt was to create a mashup using songs from the same album , I thought this activity would teach me more about mashups, but i just thought it lacked a purpose , i was just creating a mashup for the sake of the activity, there wasn’t any goal that made me benefit more of it. But it was fun my brother helped me, he has this dj mixer set, where it’s easier to mash songs together. It was a fun bonding experience with my brother, but other than that i don’t think i learned much with mashing songs together.