Describe what your knowledge of digital technology was at the start of AS. Talk about how you felt about using it, what you did know and what you didn’t.
At the start of AS, I was not entirely knowledgeable about all forms of digital technology. For instance, I had never used a DSLR camera before and so this was something I had to spend a lot of time learning about to become skilled. I had some experience with software programs such as Adobe Photoshop, but was mainly limited to this program and hadn't tried After Effects, Premiere Pro, etc. I considered myself proficient with computers as a whole and using online medias, but had never had the opportunity to be creative with them (such as creating videos to present my work).
How did you develop knowledge and skills? Workshops, study days, tutorials?
I developed my skills mainly through practise - I did an AS in Photography, which vastly improved my knowledge of operating cameras and other equipment, which I would need later on in my Media Studies course. If I was having a particular problem with a software program, I would search on the internet for an answer or alternative method. I also found it helpful to ask peers who had more experience, as this allowed me to learn new ways of doing things from others but still have input into how I went about it. Later on in my A2 year, I went to a workshop in Corby run by Channel 4 whereupon I worked in a small group to produce a multimodal news article (5 images, text and a 30-second vox-pop) about the 2020 Paralympics. We each had separate roles; I was the photographer and also had some input with the writing of the article itself. This allowed me to develop my group-working and communication skills, which further prepared me for working in a group at A2. Overall, developing my skills just took some initiative to use the resources around me and striving to improve.
