Module Reflection

When I saw the module "Effective Communications", I thought to myself “What is the point of this module? I can already communicate effectively with my peers.” However, when professor Brad started going through the content, I realized that I did not know much. There are so many aspects of communicating that are often overlooked. From the words that we speak to our body language to how we type in our emails, there was so much that I was doing wrong. Having eye contact and proper posture can make a big difference in how the audience perceives us in a presentation. I felt that constant peer reviewing and peer feedback make us critique each other’s work and this helps us spot mistakes in our own work which is a skill that is very underdeveloped. I feel that I was very weak in reviewing my work and making improvements in them, but with the rubrics and guidelines given to us, I felt that it was easier to make improvements. This module has taught me how to communicate with my peers in a professional manner, from the language used to the tones used.

For our final project, we were given the task of improving upon a current technology or to invent a device that is beneficial to anyone. I thought that it would be difficult as I felt that most devices that I use are already efficient. However, my classmates came up with a method to improve the shipping industry which was a topic that didn't even cross my mind. The thought that shipping is a multi-billion industry and it still is inefficient baffles me. But upon further research, I realized that there are methods to improve efficiency in this industry. The group project was difficult to start with my lack of background information. So to understand the shipping industry, I started reading up on shipping and how shipping efficiency. I think that I ended up reading about 20 articles on shipping which is 20 more than I would normally read up on. This project opened my eyes to this whole industry. There was also a presentation aspect for this project which I felt was the easier component as public speaking is not a fear of mine. With the pointers and tips taught during the class, I was sure that I would do well for it as long as I was familiar with my content. During the mock presentation, I made a couple of mistakes which I noticed the moment they left my mouth and I felt so disappointed with myself. I hated the thought of making mistakes when they are simple and avoidable and this spurred me on to practice many more times for the final presentation.

In conclusion, I believe that this module is essential for students regardless of course. The skills learned are applicable in daily lives, not just in a professional environment. I feel that my communication skills have been improved when I apply what I have been taught. Professor Brad's teaching method is also appreciated as he does not spoon-feed us all the content. He gives us a reading to do and asks us what are our inputs and what have we learned from the readings.