Final Reflection

  At the start of this module, I have set some goals for myself in what I would want to achieve and take away at the end of the module. I am looking to improve my use of words and sentence structuring for oral and written communication and less processing time during Q&A. It often takes me some time to respond when answering the question. These are some goals that I set for myself, and I am glad to say that I have achieved what I expected but was looking forward to more oral communication skills, as stated, like debating, which was introduced to us in a class by professor. Nonetheless, the module has set me in a better spot in communication, which engineering students often lack. I have seen a significant improvement in my use of words and sentence structuring in my oral and written communication through the exposure I had in class and the help of my project teammates. I am always finding ways to improve my weakness in communication through the objective remark given by my peers through evaluation or feedback from the blog. Whereas for the ability to respond to questions asked during Q&A, I tried to improve it by spotting questions beforehand to react quickly in such a situation. I have not found the best way to deal with these issues, but I am sure that understanding the particular topic could set me in a better spot while taking the question.       

 

Throughout the module duration of Effective Communication, I have had multiple takeaways from my oral and written communication. The Paul Elder framework introduced to me during the lesson improved my ability in critical thinking. By following the framework closely, I can be more clear and concise when writing my summary or paraphrasing sentences and spot the right topic for my thesis statement for my report writing. While learning new conventions in the class, I managed to unlearn the wrong method of citation, which wasn't a line with the APA standards. I have understood the concept of sentence fragments and unnecessary capitalization of alphabets used in reports and will not make the same mistake again. Another takeaway would be identifying and using credible sources in my technical writing, as I can provide in-depth information to the reader. This module has also exposed us to an elevated pitch for our technical project through zoom and face to face environment. I have learned to make a pitch enjoyable and direct while being clear and organized to keep the identified audience interested. The concept of feasibility, viability and desirability was taught before our mock presentation. These set us in a better position and knowing what a good presentation is and what needs to be focused on for the pitch.  

 

A blog used for submission allows me to receive feedback from my professor and peers, enhancing my learning experience. At the same time, I can also read and give feedback to my peers. In return, it has greatly benefited me in learning from other mistakes while giving objective reviews. I should continue to use the knowledge learned in this module for all the presentations and report writing in the future to improve my communication skills better and prepare me for the working environment. I would also need to improve my confidence in speaking and not rely on script and PowerPoint slides too much during a formal presentation. Proper hand gestures and maintaining eye contact are often neglected when I am nervous, and I need to overcome this to perfect my presentation skills.