Critical reflection

 Module Reflection

Through the module, it is clear that I have taken a step towards achieving the goals which I have set for myself in this module. The goals being efficiency and engagement in terms of communication. These goals were set with the idea of using the communication skills as an educator. 

Reflecting on my journey in this module, I can confidently say that I was conscious of my approach to achieving these goals. A key platform where I practice my communication was actually during team discussions. I made a conscious effort to keep my question or conversation brief and concise, making sure that it was also engaging for my teammates. As I usually take the lead in directing the flow of the conversation, I refrain myself from speaking too much so as to allow for my teammates to have more space to share their ideas or questions. The result of efficient communication was the reduction in time spent in team meetings/discussion which made us more productive. It also made communication clearer as information that was not relevant were kept at a minimum. 

Reflecting on the module also made me observe that efficient communication might not be always beneficial. Being efficient with my communication came at a cost. It made me less engaging in my conversation as the information was always direct and lacked personality. Through multiple team meetings, I was able to find the balance for efficient communication and engaging communication. 

Project Reflection

Two key projects that I have found particularly impactful to my journey was the Reader’s Response and the Oral presentation. The former tested my writing skills, which I struggled in, and the latter opened my eyes to a perspective of presentation which I previously overlooked. 

Reader’s response was particularly challenging for me as I struggled with writing. I struggled to translate my ideas into a technically written report which I found less troubling to do so in an oral presentation. Professor Blackstone’s lessons on the usage of gAI came in useful as I was able to enhance my writing. We were taught to use gAI for formulating ideas and even for proofreading our work, which gave depth to my writing. It was a tool unheard of during my time in Polytechnic and I am grateful for being equipped with such useful software. 

Oral presentation as mentioned was something I was confident in. But this confidence made me overlook the importance of planning and coordinating with my teammates. My confidence in presentation stems from my strength in giving impromptu speeches. It was a skill that gave me an edge over my peers but also caused me to account for my teammates. Prior to the actual presentation, I was made aware of the lack of coordination within my team through the mock presentation. We were unable to smoothly pass the presentation to the next presenter, nor were we confident of our points. It proved that our team needed practice and feedback from one another. As we rehearsed together, we became more confident with our presentation and were also made aware of each other’s pointers. Awareness of each team member's part was helpful to offload information which is repetitive or even help us establish certain pointers by further elaboration at a different section of the presentation. 

Overall, the module was beneficial in helping us learn useful communication skills and techniques. Through projects, we were able to build meaningful relationships and learnt interpersonal skills to improve our teamwork. The module is set as a foundational experience which we can apply not just to our course modules but also into our future endeavors. While I believe that I have learnt many things within this module, what I have gained most was the connection I have built with my friends.