Critical reflection

 

Module learning 

It has been 13 weeks since the start of this effective communication module. I would say that this module has exceeded my expectations in terms of the soft skills I acquired. I may not be proficient in them yet but I feel I am in a better direction than before. Before attending this module, I have taken similar modules in my polytechnic days. However, the emphasis on what we learnt was a bit different, maybe because that was an introductory level while university is a higher level. I do not remember myself learning so much on critical thinking and the different frameworks ie. Paul elder framework that helps me in expressing my thoughts. I felt that there were a lot of instances where I was able to apply critical thinking especially through peer feedbacks. I like the idea of having peer feedback as it allows me to know what I’m lacking. Some people might not like the idea of criticism but I love it ! I take them positively and I encourage everyone to do so too. With the constant feedback in this module, I am able to work on the areas I’m weak in almost immediately and make sure I reduce those mistakes in the next assignment. The 7Cs which are clear, correct, complete, concrete, concise, considered, courteous, are useful for the evaluation of both the works of my peers and mine. Of course, there are still weaknesses here and there like the use of fragment sentences which is a very bad habit of mine. The crafting of technical report was also a challenging task since there was a lot of research to do and I will have to work on this. However, I am glad that I was able to go through this module early in year 1 and it will be beneficial for me in the remaining years of my university life as I will have more of such reports to complete.

Moving forward, I will continue to apply these frameworks that I have learnt in this module to other applications where possible. It was an enjoyable journey in this module and thanks for everything, Professor Brad ! 

Project learning 

This research project was a good opportunity to apply what I have learnt in this module to good use. The pandemic has changed the way we learn and we have adapted with it. For instance, the way we do presentations have changed. More often than not, presentations took place online rather than face to face. That is something I am not used to as it is harder to get my audience’s response and to know whether I am on the right track. In this project, I was tasked to do a mock presentation and a formal presentation. My mock presentation took place on zoom while the formal one was face to face. However, the online presentation comes with a twist. I was not allowed to use any slides or infographics to aid me in giving my project pitch. Phew, that was a hard one. After all, it was a style that I am not used to and it is always hard to adapt to a new one. As I went to try it out, I realized that there is no one fixed way to present. In fact, it stops me from relying on my slides too much. I actually went on to use my experience to give my formal presentation and I find myself more smoother in the expression of my content. Another thing that I like about the presentation was the feedback given by my peers. I always like the idea of having peer feedback because the things they see might not be noticeable by myself. Hence, with the feedback given I’m able to improve myself further. After all, learning is all about improving oneself. 

Moving forward, I feel that trying out a new method is always good and we should not be afraid of it. More importantly, we should present ourself confidently. In addition, peer feedback 

should be encouraged if possible.