Module Learning
Looking
back to when I first arrived in Singapore, I was a timid person with no
confidence to approach anyone. Since I grew up in Malaysia, my English is often
referred to as ‘Manglish’, which is a combination of various languages and
English. Approaching strangers is a big challenge for me as I tend to remain in
my comfort zone. Hence, my goal for this module is to speak fluently and
confidently when conversing with others. To achieve it, I took the leap of
faith and stepped out of my personal social circle to approach new classmates.
Through
this module, I feel that the biggest takeaway for me is my ability to
communicate with others in English confidently. I am not afraid to reveal my
communication flaws, such as incorrect pronunciation, to others. For example, I felt nervous when I was about
to consult my professor on my assignment issues. It had triggered my “panic
symptom” which exhibits uncontrollable coughing. However, during the last consultation
for my technical report, I approached my professor calmly regarding my
concerns.
Project Learning
Presentation Preparation (Pitch & Slides)
One of
the major assignment will be the oral presentation. I have learned how to
create an elevator pitch that keeps the audience’s attention during the
presentation. The elevator pitch must be concise and concrete so the audience
can understand the content. This writing skill is crucial as only memorable and
thought-provoking content can pique the interest of the audience.
Another preparation technique that I gain from oral presentation preparation is the strategy to
construct professional presentation slides. As I studied in the Pearson Edexcel
A-Level board that focuses more on the examination system, this will be my
first time creating presentation slides. However, with my professor’s advice, I
have realized that professional presentation slides will consist of concise
content, realistic images, and high-quality graphics. Therefore, we changed our
presentation slides shown in figure1. The changed presentation slides are more
attractive to the audience as they looked more professional. This experience
has shown me how to create professional presentation slides in the future if I
want to propose an idea to my customers or superiors.
Presentation (Skill)
The most important part of a presentation is how to pitch your ideas to the audience. Pitching ideas is the segment that I find the most challenging because I am not a confident speaker. Fortunately, Professor Blackstone has given us some guidance with public speaking skills through his lecture. I have found that a successful presentation involves maintaining broad eye contact with the audience, a firm stance when speaking, and presenting at a suitable pace. To improve my presentation skill, I began practicing in front of the mirror and with my friends. As a result, I am glad that I performed well in my presentation. This had proven that practicing will enable a presenter to convince their customer confidently. Blackstone has given us some guidance with public speaking skills through his lecture. I have found that a successful presentation involves maintaining broad eye contact with the audience, a firm stance when speaking, and presenting at a suitable pace. To improve my presentation skill, I began practicing in front of the mirror and with my friends. As a result, I am glad that I performed well in my presentation. During this presentation evaluation, I discovered that practicing increases a presenter's confidence and leads to a successful presentation. As a civil engineering student, I believe that presentation skills are critical for a project meeting. A project leader must consist of the presentation skills to deliver his ideas to his man. I will keep working on my public speaking skills to avoid stutter when I propose my ideas to my superiors or customers in the future.
Conclusion
To
conclude, I have understood that effective communication is a technique with
patients. It requires a significant amount of time to prepare, practice, and
maintain it as a habit. Going through this module, I was able to grasp the
techniques of delivering my ideas professionally. Slowly but surely, I will
notice my improvements in communication skills. My progress is due not only to
my hard work but also to Professor Blackstone's guidance. Hence, I do like
to express my gratitude to him for his assistance along the way.
