Critical Reflection

 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.