It was not so long ago I was struggling to find words for my first blog post. Now, having had the privilege of attending this module on professional communication, I have developed and honed my ability to communicate in a clear and concise manner. Looking back at my first post, I realize that I have achieved what I set out to and a bit more as well. Skills like choosing the best medium for communication interested me the most. Different situations require different mediums, and miscommunications can easily arise if words were not chosen carefully through emails or letters. When addressing senior members of the team, it is always best to write a formal letter followed by a face-to-face to show our respect for his/her experience.
The portion on culture awareness was the most relevant now that globalization puts us in constant contact with other cultures. I never knew there were so many unwritten rules of communication that we had to observe when interacting with people from another culture. The fact that the thumbs up hand sign were considered vulgar in Iran really taught me to pay attention to cultures from around the world.
I felt that the resume and interview skills were the most important takeaways from the module since these were the practical skill that could determine our future. Ultimately I have learnt that any interview takes with it a huge slice of luck, so it is best not to read too much into all the rejections but focus on the positives from all the interviews.
I am grateful for the opportunity to do a research project, and to really have my presentation skills tested. The way engine modules are conducted, there is rarely any interaction between classmates, much less any presentation skills. I would not have known better to start my presentation with an attention grabber (I personally thought my old mother joke was good, but I guess my delivery fell really flat!) or that I need to be more enthusiastic when addressing the audience. Looking back, if I was given the powers of Hiro Nakamura, I would go back to the day before we were to submit our surveys and do a proper one. I did not know that the whole project would rest so much on the creation of that insignificant piece of paper with 5 questions.
Overall, this module has been fun and enriching, albeit a bit too taxing. Thank you all for such a wonderful time.
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5 comments:
Hey derek,
It good that you have enjoyed the module and learnt lots of stuff from the module. I agree with you that the delivery skills and presentation skills are very relevant to us and will help us in future.
Also, don't be too critical of yourself. I personally I felt that your delivery during the presentation was rather good. The video was funny and showed your acting skills also. Good job!
Hi Derek,
I too, realise that there are many take-home points from this module. Like what I have mentioned in my final blog post, these “intangibles” like choice of communication medium and cultural awareness are surprisingly important and a lack of knowledge on these might potentially cause communication breakdown. It is through taking these module that we have gained the insight to recognize their importance to communication. Likewise, I also value the resume and interview skills and also the research project, as they have given us the opportunity to see practically how communication skills are put to use. I think you are also right to say that many other modules have given students minimal amount of interaction time and for that I am glad that ES2007S is not like those other modules.
Hey Derek (aka sexy),
I personally find those classes on intercultural communication very interesting too. It is amazing to know culture that we speak of loosely is nothing more than a social construct. I used to have the impression that culture is something that is deeply etched in a distinct group of people. Yet, culture turns out to be just a range of learned behavior pattern that is constantly changing. Therefore, I believe it is indeed important to make a conscious effort to learn and be updated of other cultures to avoid conflicts and misunderstanding from arising due to cultural differences.
Hi Derek,
Just like you, I did not know the existence of communication rules before taking this course. Although it is not an offence under the law for not following such rules, they would greatly enhance interpersonal communication in the workplace when one can apply them appropriately. Similarly, I did not have the chance to give formal presentation for any of the Lifescience courses. Hence, it was nerve-wrecking as I did not know what to expect. Having gained this valuable experience and communication skills from the course, ES2007 had certainly enriched me. Thus, it was worthwhile to spend the effort in completing the various assignments. Furthermore, you had been a great help in accomplishing our report, except for being too engrossed and distracted in spreading rumor.
Good luck for your exam and your acting career.
Madeline
Hi Derek,
We really had learnt alot of valuable skills from this course, in terms of both writing, communicating and giving a good presentation.
I am also glad that i can gain some "tips" when going for interview, what to do and what not to do. I also feel that luck do play a part when we were selected for interview.
There are still long way for us to learn and gain more insights. I always believe in this: Practice makes Perfect.
Cheers!
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