Critical reflection

The two goals I had set for myself at the start of this module were to improve my public speaking skills and to communicate my opinions verbally in an effective manner. Throughout the duration of this module, with the help of resource lists, I was able to improve my public speaking skills during the in-class activities such as intergroup pitching and the research topic presentations. In terms of public speaking, I learnt that the keys to seek the undivided attention of any audience were through the means of storytelling and being confident. I realised that being confident comes with having plenty of rehearsals prior. I managed to really hone my public speaking skills the more I practiced. However, I still could improve in the aspect of storytelling to further sharpen my public speaking skills as I believe it could further engage the audience effectively. During class activities, I believe that I managed to get my points and opinions across effectively whenever called upon. However, I realised that I often lacked the initiative to speak up when I had opinions in mind. Going forward, I hope to get out of my comfort zone more by being initiative and to speak up without being called upon.

The fulfilling moments, during the research project assignment, were teamwork and writing skills. I definitely enjoyed the process from start to end as I witnessed our report come together slowly and realised each member’s strengths in play during this time. For someone who prefers to work alone, I came to realise just how important the aspect of teamwork was. I got to learn and reflect on the different perspectives that my group members had to offer and it provided me with a more efficient learning curve. With regards to writing skills, I also learnt how to write a report according to the APA style with the help of resource links provided. This has transitioned me to start using elements such as in-text citations in my reports of other modules.

This module has equipped me to be a professional in communication. I have also come to learn that I have to be more trusting in the process of team work-related works, especially since I’ll be involved in such works in the future of my civil engineering career. Learning is best when done socially compared to individually. By doing so, I could learn of many different perspectives and ideas and grow as a result. As the proverb goes, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” To go far is indeed the goal of mine.

Comments

  1. Brad BlackstoneApril 3, 2020 at 9:37 PM

    Thanks very much, Thoufeek, for this detailed critical reflection. You provide clear supporting info as you review your work during the term, especially in terms of your developing presentation skills and your appreciation of teamwork.

    It's appropriate that you mention public speaking, especially since that was an area you had set as a goal for improvement and where your devcelopment was clear. The fact that you probably gave one of the strongest final presentations in the class shows how far you took your development. Now the natural segue from that is for you to do just as you intend: to step up your willingness to offer opinions in class discussions without having to be prompted. (We certainly had some good examples of that sort of behavior in our tutorial group!)

    I'm also impressed by the learning you mention in terms of teamwork. Your team really seemed to ramp up its work as the term progressed, and I was impressed by both the effort at research and the stellar presenting. I now look forward to reading the final report.

    All in all, this post reflects well on your engagement in the module throughout the term. Best wishes as you continue your learning journey!

    Brad

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    Replies
    1. Thoufeek AnsariApril 4, 2020 at 11:46 PM

      Hi Professor Brad,

      Appreciate you taking time to read and comment on my critical reflection. This module has been a good development for my communication skills as I got to hone and improve on some elements of communication. As you mentioned, it is only fitting that i continue to further develop myself to maximise my learning potential.

      It has been a great pleasure being in your class. Thank you.

      Regards,
      Thoufeek Ansari

      Delete

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