Blog Post #4: Final Reflection on Learning

Initially, when Jolene introduced ES2007 to me, I was quite deterred from taking it due to its relatively heavy workload. Nevertheless, I eventually took up this module because I felt that it could provide me with additional skills that would be useful for the workplace. I am glad that my hunch was right as this module really helped develop my communication, interpersonal and oral presentation skills.

Before ES2007, I was relatively awkward with oral presentations. Most of the time, I was not familiar with the topic I was presenting on and thus, just read off the slides or cue cards during my presentations. As a result, I probably sounded unconvincing and even boring. From this module, I learnt that presenting should be done in an engaging and interactive manner. Intonation, voice projection, appropriate hand gestures and most importantly, eye-contact should be established to convince the audience of the presentation.

Additionally, the basis of writing effective job resumes and application letters were also covered in this module. This is relevant to me since I initially possessed little of such knowledge. Thus, it was very useful for me to learn the 7C’s of writing which would hopefully, help me in future job applications. The mock interviews we had in class also allowed me to pick up useful tips on how to ace a job interview. Before this module, I was not confident on areas such as where to place my hands, how I should sit and how I should answer the questions during interviews. The tips we learnt in class not only helped to improve my knowledge on such areas, but also introduced to me the use of NVCs during such interviews.

All in all, I really enjoyed taking ES2007 as it really provided me with skills that are not only applicable to the workplace but also for day-to-day communication. Each lesson was engaging and filled with many insightful class discussions. I liked that our class size was relatively small as this allowed us to interact easily and to get to know each other better. Thank you Dr Radhika for sharing with us your knowledge and experiences in professional communication, and to my classmates for making this a memorable module to take. I hope to see all of you again in the near future! (: