At the
start of the course, we were asked to reflect on the importance of
communications skills for engineers and to state what we want to achieve by the
end of the module. My goals were to improve my presentation skills as well as
my writing. I definite took a lot of learning points from the class. We were organised
into various groups almost every alternate week to simulate the typical work environment
as much as possible. This is due to the fact that the modern-day work
environment is a constantly changing one. At first, we were uncomfortable
having to each quickly summarise from many different sources only to share it
in key points or bite-sized information to each other. After a few lessons, we
were already put into situations where we have to talk to each other and
discuss. Along came the peer reviews and blog comments which help to give
different perspectives as to how we can improve our writing which include
citations. All these interactions helped me garner my confidence in talking to my
newly acquainted peers. We wrote drafts for our summary and reports every week while
receiving timely feedback from professor Brad Blackstone and classmates.
Throughout the module experience, I tried to talk more than I have ever did in
my life. Regarding presentations, although I feel I did quite badly, I do see
myself improving. The most memorable learning points were how to create better
presentation slides, where to position myself and how to pass the limelight to the
other presenter.
For our
team project, I was picked by my teammates to be the leader for the team. I was
hesitant to take the responsibility, but later agreed to take the role. Our focus
for our project was sustainability. We took a different approach to finding our
problem. We finalised our decision and chose to focus on food sustainability on
the area of cultured meat being a food alternative that needs to be introduced
more in Singapore specifically SIT. Throughout the project duration, we had to
keep changing our drafts. Listening to each other was essential in the process
to come into any agreement. We gave each other feedback for our presentations
and exchanged viewpoints. The pressure to meet the set deadlines and standard
forced us into doing what is urgent first. The project learning experience made
me realise how we have to be open to criticism in order to improve. Each of our
team members write differently. To change something in our shared report document
and slides, we must constantly communicate with everyone well. I learned how
sometimes I tend to lose focus while listening to soft talk and get stressed quickly.
Thanks to this project learning experience, I feel better prepared to meet new
people, initiate conversations and present and write ideas better.
At the
presentation showcase, I watched an excellent presentation by Team Recyclables who
are my classmates, Angelina, Joe, Ying Jia and Mikaela. Their solution was a
combination of two ideas which I feel was innovative. They delivered the
presentation way better than their practice presentation at class. I recall my
team and Team Recyclables practised and gave feedback for one another in an
empty classroom after school. They keep their slides well organised and effective,
using interesting pictures and a quote to spice things up. They engaged the
audience well and made sure to slow things down so that we audience can
understand better. The way they passed the limelight to each other was
something taught by Professor Brad which focuses on the content instead of the
person. It made a big difference. In order to make the presentation more
impactful, they can add a video of their solution and then explaining it.
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