Critical Reflection

Module learning

At the start of the module, my classmates and I were tasked to set goals we wish to achieve by the end of the module. I started to reflect on my past experiences where there had been breakdowns in communication and identified where my weaknesses lay. I realised that I had a bad habit of hesitating before I speak and this translated poorly to my presentations. Another weakness of mine includes my fluency in the English language, which can be attributed to speaking ‘singlish’ on a daily basis. Hence, I decided that by the end of the module, I want to gain a better command of the English language and become a more confident speaker.

During the module, we were given several opportunities to present. Along the way, I started to develop more confidence and felt like I was in my element. This can be accredited to how the module is structured as it accommodates and caters to students’ learning. The first presentation I delivered was to an audience of three and following that, the difficulty of each subsequent assignment increased progressively throughout the module. It found this to be beneficial to my learning as my classmates and professor would give constructive feedback after each presentation, which really helped facilitate my learning. 

During the module, we were also tasked with several written assignments. Just like the oral assignments, these  reports became increasingly difficult as the weeks went by. The first item we were tasked with was to summarise a quote and as we progressed, the word limit increased and the scope of the assignments became broader. After doing several assignments, I came to a realisation that I was not as meticulous as I thought I was. Subsequently, I started paying more attention to every word that I wrote while trying to minimise grammatical errors and became more cautious in ensuring that the content flows smoothly. 

I believe that after going through the module, I became a better presenter and writer. Just like any other skill, practice makes perfect. Overall, I’ve learnt to be more conscious and aware of the mistakes that I tend to make in subsequent reports I write and presentations I deliver while remembering the lessons and key takeaways of the module. 

Project learning

Throughout the course we were tasked with several team-based assignments. However, the assignment on the technical report has to be the most memorable. When we were assigned to our teams, I was nervous as I was in a group with teammates that I had not spoken to prior to the project, despite being in the same class for the past 5 months. This was different from other group projects that I was part of, where I worked with familiar people. After a couple of meetings, we warmed up to each other and it became easier to discuss the various aspects of the project. However, just like any other project, there were differences in ideas and opinions. I had to learn when to be insistent and advocate for my ideas as well as when to take a step back and take everyone’s viewpoints into consideration. Despite several debates with my team members, we learned how to accommodate and give in to one another. From this experience, I learnt that I can be blunt at times and that might not be the best way to deliver the message and get my point across. 

I am also highly appreciative of how enthusiastic my teammates were when it came to the project. Being undergraduates, our schedules are tightly packed and with numerous upcoming submissions and exams, even setting aside an hour for discussion can be overwhelming. I think it is important that my teammates and I all make an effort to help each other stay on top of assignments and I’m very thankful for their contributions in completing this project.

The key takeaway from this experience is learning how to balance being objective and when to be empathetic to other’s feelings. This is crucial as it would affect team morale and it will reflect in the quality of work we produce.

I would like to conclude by extending my appreciation to Professor Blackstone and my fellow classmates for making the lessons enjoyable yet fruitful.