Unit 3 Reflection

     In creating my Unit 3 project, a Canva video titled From Boomers to Zoomers: How Each Generation Adapts to Technology and Writing, was an exciting opportunity to reimagine my Unit 2 research into a more engaging, multimodal format for a public audience. In this reflection, I will walk through how and why I chose this genre, the decisions I made to reach my projected audience, and how I engaged with feedback throughout the semester and the improvements I made to my blog overall to better align with the expectations of this assignment and the audience I was trying to reach. 

    When I began brainstorming possible formats for my Unit 3 project, I knew I wanted something more dynamic. Since my Unit 2 project explored how different generations—Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z—have adapted their writing communication practices in response to changing technologies, it made sense to choose a genre that reflected these changes. A video created in Canva, with audio narration, images, quotes, and animation, allowed me to mirror the very subject of my research: the evolution of communication.

    Specifically, this medium aligned well with my projected audience: college students, educators, and young professionals who are likely to engage with visual, easily digestible digital content. A video can be viewed quickly, shared easily, and offers multiple entry points through its blend of text, audio, and visual elements. Compared to a static document or slideshow, a Canva video allowed me to simulate scrolling through time — from typewriters to TikTok —and reflect on generational shifts in a compelling way. This decision was influenced by one of the core ideas in my Unit 2 project: that form follows function. Just as writing has evolved to fit new technologies, so too should my own rhetorical delivery. Another reason I gravitated toward a video format is that it mirrors how modern audiences —especially Gen Z and Millennials —consume content today. I wanted to respect their attention spans and offer something that felt modern, relevant, and accessible. Creating this video forced me to consider pacing, tone, and design aesthetics, all of which are crucial to keeping an online viewer engaged. I spent time with experimenting with transitions, timing quotes to match the audio, finding videos with music that felt upbeat but also set the tone for the video. These small decisions added to the overall polish of the final product and gave me a deeper appreciation for how much work goes into crafting even a short digital piece.

    I submitted my video on my blog through an embedded link, which allowed it to be played directly from the site. Before the video, I included a short cover paragraph that introduced the topic and clearly addressed the purpose and intended audience. My "pitch" to the audience was that this video offers a quick, insightful overview of how writing has transformed across generations and why that matters in our modern world, especially in education and professional contexts.

Here in the introductory paragraph, I stated:

    In this short video, you'll journey through the decades to see how writing has changed from Boomers to Zoomers. From pen pals and typewriters to text-speak and TikTok captions, each generation brings unique writing styles shaped by the tools of their time. If you're a teacher, student, or just curious about how technology influences communication, this video breaks it down in a fun, fast-paced way— with direct quotes, real-world examples, and some surprising insights.

    Ideally, I want my audience to not just watch the video but reflect on their own writing habits and assumptions about "good" or "bad" writing. I hope different educators might consider how generational writing expectations differ and how they can adapt their instruction to meet students where they are. I'd love if different generations saw themselves represented and began thinking more critically about the tools they use to write. Furthermore, and how each generation can become aware of the tactics they use and how it represents the world we live in today. In addition to educators, I also considered how this video could help individuals in different workplaces who often deal with intergenerational communication challenges. This video shows how each generation has different writing techniques within things like email etiquette or resume writing styles. My research showed how deeply ingrained our writing habits are in the tools we grew up using, and I believe this insight is not useful but actionable for teams striving to improve communication across generations.

    One piece of feedback that really stuck with me came from Lyndsey during my Unit 2 blog feedback. She stated, "For next time: I'd like to see you unpack/engage with your quotes even more—think about how you could use technology to really make your sources pop!"

    This comment definitely shaped how I approached the use of sources in my video. For Unit 3, I made the conscious effort to not just repeat the quotes but to animate them—literally. Another improvement I made based on feedback was adding more of my own voice— literally and figuratively. In earlier drafts of my project, I had a tendency to lean too much on research and not enough on personal reflection. In this video, I made sure my narration included thoughtful transitions, humor, and occasional rhetorical questions to engage the viewer directly. This made the piece feel more conversational and accessible while still grounded in academic insight.

    Overall, this project has helped me see how deeply interconnected form and content are—especially in the digital world. Writing a paper about generational writing styles was a thing, but turning it into a digital video forced me to practice what I preached. I had to make my own writing and arguments adapt to the medium, just as Boomers had to adjust to email and Gen Z had to learn when texting isn't appropriate.

    This experience also taught me about the power of remixing. The research didn't change, but the way I presented it did — and that made all the difference. I saw firsthand how packaging can either invite someone in or push them away. A dense essay might only reach a professor, but a sleek video could be shared with classmates, family members, or even on social media. In fact, I even shared my video with a few peers outside of class, and their positive reactions reaffirmed that I had successfully created something informative and engaging.

    This whole course has pushed me to think beyond the "academic essay" and into real-world elements—like clickable timelines or interviews with people from each generation. But for now I'm proud that I created something that could give people facts and entertain them at the same time. Whether someone watches it in a classroom or on their lunch break, I hope it gets them thinking about how we all write—and how writing continues to evolve with us. Looking ahead, I plan to keep using tools like Canva to present information.