Reflection As a Letter to the Instructor

Dear Dr. Bali,

When I think about this course, the first phrase that comes to my mind is the sweet spot. From the first weeks until the end of the semester, this class felt different. It had no finals, no boring lectures, and no pressure that made learning feel heavy. Instead, it felt like the course you take as a break from all the major and core courses that usually feel stressful and sometimes useless. This class was the opposite. It was interesting, interactive, and honestly enjoyable. I always came knowing that something different would happen in class.

One of the most impactful learning experiences for me was the morning board activity. Even though it might seem simple, it really changed my energy for the whole class. It woke me up, made me alert, and helped me focus. When we did it as a group, it was even better. It created a fun atmosphere and made everyone feel involved from the start. That activity helped me understand that learning does not always need to be serious to be effective.

Another important moment was watching a video about visual illusion. I do not have the link anymore, but its idea stayed with me. It made me realize how easy it is to make people believe something that is not real just by presenting it in a certain way. This helped me think more deeply about perception, truth, and influence. As a marketing student, this idea really stuck with me because it showed how powerful framing and visuals can be.

At the beginning of the semester, I was not excited about this course. Most of the core courses I was taking felt boring, repetitive, and disconnected from real life. I expected this course to be the same. But it turned out to be completely different. Board games, untraditional assignments, morning activities, and group work made learning feel natural. Over time, I realized that learning can be fun and meaningful at the same time.

This course taught me a lot about myself. The biggest example is the Alternative CV assignment. It was my first time doing something like this, and it was honestly one of my favorite assignments I have ever done. Instead of writing about grades or achievements, I reflected on my values, dreams, and personality. Writing about my personal ambitions made me think deeply about who I am. This assignment helped me understand myself better and showed me that self-reflection is important, not just academically but personally as well.

Academically, one thing I will take with me is how to use different tools for different purposes. While working on the narrative game with Mohamed, I learned how to use AI tools like Gemini for coding support and other AI tools for brainstorming or organizing ideas. This helped me understand that AI is helpful but not always accurate, and that it should support thinking, not replace it. This will help me a lot in my future courses.

Socially, this course made me more comfortable sharing my opinions. The classroom atmosphere was very friendly, and everyone shared freely without judgment. Because of that, I felt safe speaking and listening. Group work felt easy because groups were always changing, which pushed me to work with everyone. This helped me become more open and confident in discussions, both inside and outside class.

For my future career in marketing, this course helped me understand influence, perception, and communication in a practical way. Activities like visual illusion, board discussions, and AI assignments showed me how messages are shaped and how people receive them. These ideas are directly connected to marketing and will stay with me.

If I were to show someone my learning from this course, I would choose three things I created. First, my Alternative CV, because it shows how I reflected on my identity in a creative and honest way. Second, my Artificial Intelligence in Business Marketing assignment, which shows how I critically understand AI, its benefits, and its limits. Third, my Soliya alternative assignment reflects my ability to listen, interview others, and connect personal opinions with course concepts  

If I could change a few things about the course, I would add more classroom activities and reduce the amount of readings. The activities helped me learn much more than reading summaries or annotations. I would also improve the GCC experience by making engagement clearer for students who missed the first session, because starting late made it harder to fully connect.

In one sentence, I think this course is perfect for students who want to learn in a relaxed, creative, and meaningful way without feeling overwhelmed.

When it comes to tools, I really liked board discussions and collaborative work because they made learning feel social and real. I liked using AI tools, especially for organizing ideas and understanding concepts, but I learned that AI is helpful but not always accurate. I did not enjoy reading, annotating, and summarizing as much because they felt less engaging for me. Classroom technology overall worked well and supported interaction rather than replacing it.

As for the GCC experience, I did not engage as much as I wanted because I missed the very first session and had to do the alternative assignment. I think starting from the beginning would have helped me feel more connected. Still, the reflection work helped me practice listening and understanding others.

Overall, this course felt balanced, human, and refreshing. It reminded me that learning does not have to be stressful to be valuable. It helped me grow academically, socially, and personally, and it will always stand out as one of the few courses that truly felt worth taking.

Sincerely,

Karl Ishak