Final Reflection on Learning

Alas, the semester has come to an end and all of the lectures have finally ended. Among all the modules that I have taken this semester, I have to admit that ES2007S is probably the most useful module.

ES2007S is different from many other modules offered by the faculty, which tend to require students to remember a whole lot of information and regurgitate them out during the examination. In ES2007S, the information delivered to the students is not hard facts, but practical knowledge and skills that can be applied across all levels e.g. effective communication skills, ways to write a good cover letter and resume, etc.

I have learnt a lot through this entire module, and perhaps the greatest takeaway for me was the writing of the resume and cover letter. Prior to attending this course, I had absolutely no idea that there were in fact different ways to present one’s resume! But after the lesson on cover letters and resumes, I realize that I was greatly mistaken and that there are in fact different styles of writing one’s resume depending on what one chooses to focus on. While coming up with the resume and cover letter, it also provided me an opportunity to think and reflect upon my own “unique selling points” that I want to build upon so as to give myself an added edge in this highly competitive 21^st century.

In addition to that, the course has also taught me how to be a better presenter. The feedback given to me throughout all the presentations made in class had led me to realize what some of my weaknesses and strengths were as a presenter. These presentation skills that I have took away from the module is very useful and will definitely come in handy when I’m working in the future.  

To end off, ES2007S is a module unlike many others in NUS, for it chooses to focus on practical skills that can be carried into the working world even after one graduates. It is no doubt the MOST USEFUL module I have taken in NUS thus far, and I have absolutely no regrets taking it. Many thanks to all those who have helped me out in this module in one way or another, and lastly a BIG THANKS to Dr. Jaidev for your effort and guidance throughout the course!

Reflection on Oral Presentation

On 31^st October, Monday marked the last of the oral presentations that I am required to do for the module. Overall, I felt that my team did a great job in presenting our ideas to the class, but there were still some areas which we were lacking in that ought to be improved.

In terms of the preparation, I felt that the team has definitely placed a lot of effort on it. As everyone has written on different portions of the proposal, the team made it a point to ensure that the parts that we were handling for the presentation is completely different from the portions that we have written for the proposal. This is to ensure that all of us would get a thorough understanding on all parts of the proposal, making us better prepared for the question and answer section of the presentation.

The team has also met up before the actual presentation to carry out a rehearsal. This was extremely important as it helps the members of the team to familiarize themselves with the slides, as well as providing a time for the team to comment and evaluate on individual members’ presentation skills.

As for the delivery for my part of the presentation, I thought that I did fine in terms of delivery and content. However, one flaw of mine was the pace – I was speaking too fast. The pace at which I speak has been a troubling issue to me since a long time ago, and I admit that I do have some troubles with overcoming this problem. A more conscious effort on my part to slow down my pace is necessary for my presentation skills to become better.

Concerning the slides, the team has decided to make use of Prezi as the platform for our presentation. Prezi is a great interface for presentation as not only is it more uncommonly used (as most would choose to use Microsoft Powerpoint), it also provides good visual effects with the zooming function. The team is able to effectively emphasize on our points by zooming in on the key ideas, which helps to better effectively persuade the audience.

To end off, it has been enjoyable working with the team and I think that all of us should give ourselves a pat on our shoulders for the job well done! :D