Critical Reflection

Oxford Dictionary defines reflection as “a serious thought or consideration. An idea about something, especially one that is written down and expressed.” So, as I sat down and began reflecting on this 13 weeks of journey, various valuable lessons emerged in my mind. Throughout this module, I have acquired several skills that have allowed me to communicate effectively.

 

To begin with, the self-introduction letter has taught me the art of the 7Cs. To be Clear, Concise, Concrete, Correct, Coherent, Complete and Courteous. These were the basic principles that have stuck with me throughout the whole module. Not only did I apply it to my essay, report, and presentation for this module. I have confidence that I will continue to utilize it for the rest of my modules, IWSP, and my working life.

 

Next, just like SIT’s motto, students are encouraged to learn, unlearn, and relearn. In my opinion, the summary reader response was the perfect assignment to achieve that. Firstly, I unlearned how to cite using Harvard style from my Polytechnic days before learning to cite effectively using the APA style. Secondly, I relearned paraphrasing and summarising that was taught in secondary school while learning to paraphrase and summarise appropriately. I believe this skill set is essential in constructing a technical report which is important for an engineer.

 

On top of that, the technical report project has benefitted me in many ways. For instance, I was able to apply the knowledge and skills learnt to report writing. Working together as a team also aided me in polishing my communication skills as I had the opportunity to work with different people. Furthermore, I was the team leader of my group. To convey the messages promptly to my team members, effective communication is critical. One key takeaway from this project would be to maintain an open mind to the diversity of ideas from everyone.

 

Lastly, my presentation skills have seen great improvements since the start of the module. I recalled rushing through and shuttering when tasked to read out paragraphs in front of the class. However, during the final presentation, pacing my sentences properly was listed as a positive feedback. I believe this was due to the help of Professor Brad and the class’ feedbacks that I was constantly making progress. Additionally, I was thankful for my team members, Cayden and Raudhah for their efforts in the report and the support we have provided for each other.

 

On a side note, during every small task in class, we were assigned to different classmates for discussions. I felt that this was effective as I had the opportunity to learn about my classmates and their work pattern. Moreover, teamwork and communication were also put to test. From the numerous discussions, I learnt that I am generally a team player as I had no issue working with any of the classmates.

 

Recalling the goals that I have set for myself at the start of the module, I aimed to gain more confidence to present in larger crowds and be engaging with the audience. At this moment in time, I can gladly say that I have achieved that goal by referencing the peer review feedbacks that was given to me for my final presentation. It was comforting to know that I have become a confident and engaging speaker through this module.

 

To end off, I would like to share a quote about effective communication. “Communication is about being effective, not always about being proper.” A quote by Bo Benett. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Professor Brad for creating an interactive and discursive learning environment. This has allowed me to discover the areas I am lacking in and make advancements along the way. I strongly believe that the knowledge and skillset acquired will allow me to be a stronger communicator. Thank you for this fruitful journey.