The hunt continues and so does the fun.

This week was challenging. I have been struggling to find a data set that I want to work with. I spoke with Dr. Gravlee last week and we brainstormed some ideas. I have been trying to follow up on the thing we discussed but have been running into problems. I tried to collect articles from the four major Jamaican newspapers, but I can only access the achieves of one of them. I searched the suggested databases from the syllabus but haven’t located a data set that works for what I am trying to accomplish. The hunt continues and I am confident that I will have a data set by this time next week.
On a positive note, I’ve found that as I am going through my week, I see model and matrices everywhere. It gives me pause as I like to identify whether it is proximity or profile matrix. After which I spend a few moments examining the content, thinking about the information being conveyed but also why this individual choice to represent this data in this particular way. Using the world around me to study and engage with the materials from class has proven to be an exciting and unexpected element of this class. Additionally, everywhere I go I hear “indigenous terms.” Again, I find myself pausing to think about the phrase and trying to understand it in the context of its use. Being on campus with students who are 10-12 years younger than me provides numerous opportunities to test your skills. While I do find myself frustrated with my data set hunt, I have greatly enjoyed breaking down the wall between classroom learning and life experience. By taking what I’ve learned in class and applying it to the rest of my week, I have been able to engage with the material in a new and fun way which has led to greater learning outcomes. I intend to continue to use this approach to sharpen my skills and I look forward to adding more skills to my toolbox.