Critical Reflection

I have loved and benefited from the Effective Communication program throughout the first trimester. It's been beneficial to expand my knowledge and comprehension of each of the various aspects of Effective Communication. My strength is teamwork, while my shortcomings include public speaking abilities and not being a good listener, according to the introductory email I wrote. I've always used the frameworks and recommendations provided in the instructional courses to help my thinking process and how to speak effectively when it comes to developing communication and critical thinking abilities. This module has been enjoyable for me since it forces me to learn outside of my comfort zone, which helps me to better my deficiencies. Professor Brad pushes us by allowing us to actively participate in class and giving us opportunity to present to different audiences in each class. This helps us improve our presentation abilities and confidence when speaking in front of an audience. Before offering my opinion, I've learned to be sensitive and listen to others. Although the skills have improved, they are still not at the level I would like them to be. Critical thinking is required for our assignments during class, and it assists us in understanding the Paul-Elder framework and applying it to our works. This demonstrates that the skills taught in this lesson are applicable to our work. The module has allowed me to go further into specific areas of interest to me, such as how to improve my communication and listening skills. Working with others in class has been fun and has allowed me to improve my communication abilities, as well as other skills like listening, empathy, and public speaking. We supplied each other with essential motivation and encouragement. As professionals, I believe they have taught me a lot by sharing their ideas and thoughts on a variety of topics, allowing me to see things from other perspectives and motivating me to grow as a thinker. These abilities have significantly improved as a result of this module. This is a tremendous accomplishment for me because I would have struggled to do so without Professor Brad's assistance and the impact of the Effective Communication curriculum.

I've also learned that in order to be a good communicator, I must continue to practice and implement the strategies given in this class on a regular basis. This experience has taught me how to apply effective communication skills in my everyday life and how they can benefit myself and others. As Jim Rohn says, "Communication works for those who work at it." I'll continue to use it in the future. It is an extremely useful ability that can assist me in my daily life.

We started contemplating challenges we could answer in real life with the use of sensors when we were first allocated to our teams. The first topic we chose was to track the occupancy load of each MRT carriage. However, after spending a few weeks investigating this topic, we came to the conclusion that it was not appropriate for our report and presentation because SMRT did not provide much information on it. We chose the topic of reducing flash floods in Singapore using sensors such as ultrasonic flow meters and submersible water pumps after discussing our ideas. During the brainstorming phase, we had to consider if the sensors we were planning to use would function with Singapore's drainage system. This method honed our team-building skills by requiring us to collaborate in order to come up with solutions and determine which is best for the system. To guarantee that our reasonings evaluated our talks, we employed Paul Elder's Element of Thought. In terms of presentation skills, we were taught how to give a successful presentation in class through peer teaching, and we were given the opportunity to practice the skills learned through Zoom. Professor Brad taught me an example of how to let the next person to talk. "I'll pass my time now to James," for example, is a typical blunder. "James will now present regarding the sensors employed," the presenter should state instead. This is a useful skill because I've seen many students make the same error in previous modules when presenting. I'm delighted I discovered how important it is, and it helps us improve our presentation skills. Throughout this program, I've learnt a lot about myself and others. I've discovered my communication and presentation deficiencies as a result of peer feedback. By being receptive to feedback, I am able to develop my communication and presenting abilities and work on them on a continuous basis. Others have taught me numerous lessons, such as how to make an excellent presentation and how to operate in a team and avoid disagreements. These are important abilities that I am picking up from my classmates. This inspires me to be an effective communicator like them and motivates me to achieve my goals because I see my peers succeeding, and it fosters a growth attitude in me so that I can learn from others.

It demonstrates that when excellent communication skills are used in projects, the workflow is made easier. This is crucial to me because it emphasizes the significance of these abilities. I discovered that my work ethic is inferior to that of my project colleagues, which motivated me to do more and give more to the project. The presentation recommendations were particularly useful during the final presentation, as we were able to use them to make the presentation more effective for the stakeholders.

The beneficial outcomes I learnt in this module, such as presentation skills, written skills, critical thinking abilities, and collaborative skills, are easily transferable to other modules and the future workplace. Effective communication skills make it easier to handle difficulties by being tactful and working together as a team. As a result, the abilities I've gained in this module will help me be a better communicator with others.