Critical Reflection

I started this module without much interest as I felt that I went through 6 similar modules in Polytechnic and this is going to be the same thing all over again. However, my assumptions were wrong and this module is definitely not the same. This module widen my horizon on reporting writing and presentation.  At the start of this module, my goals for this module was to improve my English skills. Throughout the 13 weeks, I felt more confident with presenting and conversing in English. I was able to learn not just presenting skills but writing skills as well. 

During my years in Polytechnic, presentations were very different. The slides made by me then were way different from the style I am using now. Back in the days, I would just fill my entire slides with words and a couple of small images. I seldom memorise my script and most of the time, I would just read through my phone or directly from the slides. I did not make much effort to improve my presentation skills as everyone around me was doing the same thing. However, after taking up this module, I understood the importance of presentations.

I learned that slides should contain less words and more images. The focus of the audience should be on the presenter and not the slides. The slides aid the presentation but it should not steal the spotlight from the presenter. I also learned the importance of memorising the script. With the script memorised, I would be able to present confidently and clearly to the audience. 

I felt that my writing skills improved greatly as well. Through my 3 years in poly, I have always used the Harvard citation style. APA citation was brand new to me. I learned about the simplicity of APA citation and how easy it is to use. I also learned different ways to do referencing and citing in paragraph. I used to only input the in text citation after the sentence. However, I now know that i can do referencing and citation from the start of the sentence with "According to ...". I felt that I have unlearn and relearn numerous things with this module.

The Paul Elder framework and the 7 Cs of communication that I learned in this module is something I felt that can be utilised for all my other modules in SIT. It taught me how to communicate with the audience in a manner that is easy to understand. The 3 lens of innovation, desirability, feasibility and viability, guided me how to identify problem and come up with innovative solution for the problem. These skills set are very useful for not just for this modules but also for other modules that require literature reviews and report writing.

Even though I felt that I have learned a lot from this module, I felt that there is still room for improvement. Through the peer reviews and evaluations, I was able to identify my weaknesses such as constant use of fillers in presentations as well as ineffective use of space. I hope that as I continue my study in SIT, I will get better and eventually become a good presenter who can present confidently and clearly to the audience.

My first trimester in SIT is about to come to an end. It was very fun and useful to have this module taught in the first trimester as I felt that it improved my foundation on reporting writing and presentation. I truly enjoyed this module. To Prof Brad who is reading this, thank you very much for making this module so interesting and engaging. It is truly a pleasure to be taught by you. I hope to be able to present a different side of me if you were to become the professor for my IWSP presentation. 😄 Thank you!