Project Reflection #3

  -What happened over the last cycle?

Over the last cycle since my last post, I have really hunkered down and decided on what educational product I want to deliver. I am going to synthesize the information I find in my sources into a Twitter account feed. In our current day and age, digital media and marketing is hugely popular. Being able to directly share my finding into a short form tweet will allow me to reach a wide range of audiences. I also have finished documenting my research wiki which I will be using for my educational product. I also was able to finish more of my textbook readings and class discussions allowing me more time to devote to this project.

            -What did you learn (be specific!)?

A ton! In my initial research findings on my topic of mass incarceration, I learned that black men are disproportionately incarcerated at higher rates in the U.S. I learned about the "slave patrols" that have led to modern day militarized police forces. In the midst of our ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, I also learned how unsafe and unsanitary most prisons and jails can be. These conditions have caused rampant spreading of diseases and unhealthy conditions for inmates. Beyond the actual horrors of being incarcerated, our justice system does not set spend much time actually rehabilitating individuals. Instead of combating recidivism, our system is designed to punish and oppress those prevent them from getting a fair standing chance at succeeding.

            -What challenges did you face?

The main challenge I face again is time. I'm so very close to the finish line, and I need to keep my blinders up and eyes on the goal. My next main challenge is getting a good stream of content in my Twitter feed. I face the challenge of finding a way to market and promote my educational product once its finished. With Twitter being an instant blast of information into the internet, there are plenty of ways I can think of promoting my product. The challenge of staying organized and on top of my game is all too real! Another challenge I am facing is the fact I do not have an IHOP-constantly-refilling cup of coffee.

            -What are your next steps?

I have my next steps laid out before me like stepping stones: I first need to bump up my content in my Twitter feed. I next need to investigate what are some popular hashtags or ways I can promote my educational product. After buffing up my feed and using some hashtags, I need to report back here to my blog for another update for you all. After finishing and submitting my educational product, I need to begin my final TedTalk presentation. This TedTalk will be a pre-recorded powerpoint presentation about my product. I need to make sure I know what I'm going to present and how I'm going to present it. Time to get stepping!