Hey everyone!

First of all, congratulations on making amazing sites and on some great presentations! All the presentations were very informative and to see the final products of your sites was awesome! You all had so diverse topics and each of your sites showed the importance of these conflicts and showed the passion and effort put forth as well! I’m so glad I got to be a part of this process with you all!

Overall, this experience wasn’t always the easiest, but so rewarding. I signed up for this class, having no idea what it would bring. I had never done a class over videoconference or create a site so all was new for me. I knew from the beginning that this would be a unique and unforgettable course. Alyssa and I encountered some hardships and bumps along the way, but in the end we were able to create a site that showed all the blood, sweat, and tears that went into it and that we were proud of. I think the most interesting thing I learned during this experience was the importance of digital history and humanities in allowing forgotten pieces of history to see the light of day and to be experienced by people all around the world. This project challenged me to reconsider the way that I’ve done research in the past and how I can take what I’ve learned this semester to better supplement my future research endeavors.

Initially, I was hoping to learn about a new part of our community’s history that I had never heard of before and to learn how to tie in technology with research when it comes to using digital tools and develop a site. What I learned exceeded my expectations. Not only did I learn more about how school desegregation occurred in Fredericksburg, but also I was able to learn about the stories of those who walked through it and even about events that occurred in the county I have lived my entire life in. I was able to not only learn how to develop a site, but how to format it to look visually appealing, how visual elements add to the topic’s significance, and how various digital tools can enhance the experience that the viewers of the site who learning about this information for possibly the first time.

This project also encouraged me to seek out all avenues for potential primary or secondary resources to aid the research topic. Prior to this class, I had never set foot in a library or archive center to find sources. I solely relied on the Internet, which I learned with this project isn’t always sufficient. All of the sources we found for our project site came from archive centers and without them the site wouldn’t have been as successful. I can apply this skill to future undergraduate research to make sure that I cover all bases when it comes to finding sources for my topic. The knowledge and skills developed while in this experience also broadened my perspectives on the world by allowing us to connect with classmates around the country and see diverse range of topics that were found in each state. This expanded my knowledge on what conflict and conflict resolution can look like and what lessons we can all draw from historical and current examples of conflict.

There are a few struggles that we encountered in this experience. The biggest blow was being denied all access to the photos we found that were printed during the time of school desegregation in the Fredericksburg area. We were so excited and optimistic that we would be able to present the amazing photos we found to the public, so it was definitely a blow to the gut when it was all taken away. After taking a moment to recover and strategize, we were able to find great photos that we had permission to access and use that still greatly amplified our site, regardless of where they were taken. The other biggest challenge was finding time as a pair to meet and work on the site together. We were able to jump this hurdle by utilizing, texts, phone calls, and video chat to communicate to each other and stay on the same page so we could complete the site to the best of our ability.

I think we did well in every sense of the word. We effectively managed our time and made sure we always met the deadlines set for us. There were some times where we cut it close or our goals didn’t go as planned due to factors outside of our control, but we still got everything done in a timely manner. I feel like we were very organized and kept all our information in a central location that was easy to access for us both. We also worked great as a team and helped each other through the hard weeks. I personally feel like I couldn’t have done this experience without Alyssa. We each brought great knowledge and expertise to the table that complemented each other well. We came to be very knowledgeable and passionate about our topic and our site overall and that spurred us on to produce the best site we could possibly create to make sure this information would be presented for all the understand and learn from.

Personally, I would like to continue to strengthen the skills I’ve developed in this class. I want to grow my technology skills when it comes to developing sites and using digital tools to enhance projects. I also want to continue conducting research in all sense of the word by factoring in all the possible avenues of securing sources for the topic I choose or are assigned in future research. I also want to continue to develop my writing style. I learned from this experience that my writing style can sound too much like a research paper, which can lead to extraneous words and phrases being adding in that aren’t necessary in the long run. This project challenges me to remember to make sure that my writing is able to be digested by a general public, but not too informal that it takes away from the value of the research.

Overall, I don’t think this experience has changed my post-graduation plans, but it has helped me grow in my approach to research that will aid me in my graduate research and my future career. I don’t think I’ll ever become a full-time researcher upon receiving my graduate education, as research hasn’t always been my strong suit, but this project helped me tremendously to the point that if I’m ever given the opportunity to research, I would be more open and prepared to approach it. Once again, I am truly thankful for being a part of this unique course. I learned so much about conflict resolution and its various forms. I also learned from my fellow classmates and I’m so thankful for the encouragement and advice we were able to exchange with each other. Finally, I learned more about myself and how I can continue to grow and develop myself not only as a researcher but as a community member and maybe even be a part of conflict resolution in the future throughout my community as well. This is an experience I’ll never forget. I wish you all the best when it comes to finals coming up and even the rest of our college career and beyond. Go out there and change the world! 🙂