Rachael Sauceda

Class Evaluation Final

Discussion,

I believe that sometimes it was hard to have something to say about the readings or there was not always any direction in the discussion. It was hard for me sometimes because I did not know anything about Jerusalem and it was hard in the beginning to talk about Karen Armstrong’s book when it was all historical based. Sometimes it would have been nice to have a little more direction on the discussion or structure. Once people did get a better understanding the discussions went along nicer and it seems that discussions are somewhat based on time and being comfortable talking or voicing your opinion on subjects you may not be that knowledgeable in.

Video Conferences

I thought that all of the video conferences went really well, and the only issues with them would have been technical or things out of the realm of our power. I would have liked to have had a little more background information or have looked up more information on the people that we were conferencing with. It was also nice for example with the PYLARA group to conference with because they were around our age and somewhat less intimidating, they were more relatable from a social stance in having a more normal conversation. The conferences gave an interaction that is unbeatable when trying to get a feel for where another person’s perspective is coming from. There is nothing more powerful then to see human emotion and to talk with people from so far away is just amazing.

Readings

I thought that all of the readings were interesting, and were able to help with the discussions. The readings were all pretty different and gave many aspects look at when dealing with the city and the conflict. I liked the range of the topics and different authors. Some of the readings were a bit confusing for me at times but they were all so insightful on different scales. The diversity in topics was also interesting, even though sometimes I like more flow from topic to topic there was a lot of different things to read and engage in. I liked how we got to talk to some of the authors of the readings that we did. It was the first time that I had done anything like that. I always like when people are actually saying how they feel and when you get to talk with them or hear them speak it is so different than just reading a passage.

Speakers

All of the speakers that we had in class were all extremely engaging and informative. I believe it was interesting because all of the speakers were so different and it was nice to hear and speak with people coming from across different areas to all discuss Jerusalem. I really thought that all of the speakers were great because they were all so knowledgeable and seemed prepared in what they were going to talk about or just knew the subject matter very well. I also liked how one was more personal dealing, then there was another which had a power point and overall they were just engaging and interesting. To see so many people who are interested in the city even here in Columbus is also more humanizing than just discussing about readings. I found it interesting how many people in academics were also nervous to state their personal stance on the situation.

Blogging

I had never blogged before and found it pretty easy to use, up until today which I am currently having problems so it is a touchy subject to write about. The blogging was a new experience and I thought that it was a good way to get ideas down. There should be more criteria to respond to other people’s blogs because for me it was a time issue and sometimes I would read through the blogs and just not really remember to make a comment. The class blog and individual blogs I believe were a good idea and a good way to organize all the information about Jerusalem. I found it very convenient that the class syllabus was online, but would often forget to look at it some weeks for the assignments. I think the syllabus was kept pretty simple which I liked since I did not have to search extensively for what was needed to be done or when to blog, etc.

Final and Reflection

I liked the outline for the final project because it let people just enough structure but left a lot of researching a topic of interest. I found it very interesting to see all of the projects that people came up with and just how different everything really was. I liked seeing all of the perspectives and how there was freedom for creativity in picking one’s topic. There is so much information from all aspects of Jerusalem that the ideas are endless and I loved that about this class. Incorporating technology so closely is also an interesting aspect of the class. From not only my own project but all of the projects I have learned something new about that region of the world. Coming into the class I was not knowledgeable of the area at all and now I have a better understanding about what is going on. When people asked me what the class was about before I was actually in it I was even a little unsure myself. I believe that this class has truly changed my perspective on Jerusalem and I now have a deeper appreciation and respect for the area and people that live there. It is hard to try and even come close to imagining what life is truly like to live in Jerusalem and from what perspective you are coming from all differ so drastically. I was glad to see many diverse aspects of the conflict and how Jerusalem is functioning today. I am extremely excited to visit the city and feel already that it will be such a powerful and moving experience that I cannot even imagine what it will be like. This city, this place means so much to so many people and it is their livelihood, even though I will never be connected to the city as much as others it will become part of my life experience and I will be connected to it in one way or another for the rest of my life.