Final Reflections

Before I start to write on my reflection, I would like to thank Mr. Blackstone and all my dearest classmates, as I have learnt a lot from all of you.

Time flies and this module have finally coming to an end. Before taking this module, I was wondering whether I should opt for it and would it be too difficult for me to manage. Fortunately, I have gone through it and benefited much from it. I don't regret taking this module, although it was quite taxing.

For me, this module was so real, just like a process starting from job application to professional oral presentation that I would have encountered in the working arena. From the day we were told to write the job application letter and resume, I felt as if I was really going to work. This feeling became stronger during the mock interview as the situation was so real and the questions asked were so professional. During then, it made me realized the importance of professional communication, in order to impress the potential employer and secure a job. Besides that, working as a group for the major project also exposed me to the future working environment, where good interpersonal and communication skills are needed. Lastly, the oral presentation, which is the most unforgettable part of this module, made me realized the importance of confidence and some non-verbal skills in professional communication. Thus, I feel that this module is quite helpful as it has given me some exposure to the challenges that I may encounter in a potential working place.

Blogging and peer teaching have also helped me a lot in developing some communication skills. For example, through peer teaching, I realized the importance of engaging the audience during a presentation. As I am a discreet person, I do not voice my opinions much. However, this module had given me a good chance to improve myself in this area, since I was required to give my comments and share my views. I feel that I could interact better now. I think this is the most significant benefit that I have gained from this module.

To end this, may all of you always be happy and well.

Reflection on Oral Presentation

Firstly I would like to thank all of the members in my group, Divya , Shi Ting and Germaine for all your hard work. We made it and finally it is over.I believe that our effort in preparing the presentation is worth it as it was a good presentation.

For my part I think that I have improved. As compared to the peer teaching, I was more confident. First of all, I was better in projecting my voice than the peer teaching. Besides that, I think that my body language improved during this presentation. I also managed to maintain better eye contact with the audience in this presentation than the peer teaching. I would like to express my gratitude to my group mates again who helped me to improve in all of these through our long sessions of practicing one day before the actual presentation.

However, although I am satisfied with my performance, there are still many things that require improvement. One of it would be my language command. As I am not a native English speaker, I found some difficulties in the pronunciation of certain words. Furthermore, I tend to feel nervous when I start to converse in English. Another problem of mine is that I tend to refer to my cue cards. Although I was quite well-prepared and knew my presentation content well enough, I still referred to my cue cards to give me some sense of security. All of these are things I need to work on so that I can communicate more effectively during oral presentations.

Lastly, I have learnt a lot from the module ES2007S Professional Communication, especially in oral presentation skills. I would like to show my appreciation to Mr. Blackstone for his guidance and comments which have helped me improve. Lastly I would like to thank all my classmates from Group 7 as I really learnt a lot from you all.

Proposal Draft 1-Background

Singapore fares extremely well in international surveys of national education standards in Mathematics and Science (Marc, 2007). Besides that, Singapore was in the top 3 of the 1999 and 2003 TIMSS survey (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, 2004). Due to these acclaimed recognitions, Singapore has remained one of the more popular choices for foreign students to pursue an education. Hence the education sector has always been an area of emphasis where constant improvements are sought after in seeking to bring about a higher quality education.

Despite the high standards of Singapore’s education, complaints still arise on graduates’ lack of communication skills when they graduate and start to work. These communication problems in the workplace was brought to light by a research conducted in 2000 by the NUS Centre of Development for Teaching and Learning (CDTL) that showed that employers find employees lacking in communication and interpersonal skills (Employers' Survey, 2000). One of the sectors that is highly implicated by these communication problems is the education sector.

One of the wake-up calls that alerts us to the presence of a problem in terms of teachers’ communications skills would be the increasing number of complaints filed against school teachers. For example, miscommunications can occur at various levels such as students misunderstanding their teacher’s comments, parents complaining about teachers without fully understanding the situation, teachers misinterpreting the intentions of parents etc.

A recent report on a particular History teacher in HCIS (Hwa Chong Instituiton) receiving complaints on how he yelled at students for making small mistakes has shed some light on the problem of communications in the education sector. From this report, there seemed to be an apparent mix of interpretations of this teacher’s actions where parents felt unsatisfied with his actions while most students on the other hand did not read much into this teacher’s actions and even indicated that his yelling acted as a motivation to keep them focused (Yip, 2010).

Besides that, an interview conducted with a senior teacher (ST) from Marsiling Secondary school further highlighted the presence of this problem as well as possible causes for its occurrence. We understood from the interview that despite the communications skills course provided in NIE, not much focus is given to interpersonal relations. The teachers mostly go through a 6 module crash course right on the job when they enter teaching of which one of the modules is on interpersonal relations. However, the ST explained to us that through her years of experience, she has observed that this is an ineffective way of teaching interpersonal relation skills as the duration is too short and the intensity of the course is too high for the teachers to grasp and retain much of what is being taught. This also applies to what is taking place at NIE. Her view was that interpersonal skills take time to learn and master. Therefore, if we want to produce educators who are effective communicators, we need to start early, that is preferably in NUS itself.

Overall, it is obvious that the lack of the interpersonal skills among school teachers is a prominent one and should be solved as soon as possible so that it will not negatively impact Singapore’s education standards which will subsequently hinder our efforts to attract more foreign students and in providing a world-class education.

As the most established university in Singapore, NUS is responsible for producing future leaders, equipped with the necessary skills for the working arena. From the NUS’s president message, NUS has done her job greatly in “creating, imparting, and applying knowledge” (Shih, 2008) to her students. It is clear that NUS graduates are well-equipped with all the academic knowledge important for them to perform in their job. Hence, many people have always regarded NUS as the best university in Singapore. However, this title is being challenged as SMU (Singapore Management University) is rapidly gaining reputation because of their implementation of modern teaching methodology which stresses the importance of communication and which also sets aside 50% of the grade for project work and class participation. Thus, SMU students are far more confident than their peers at the two older national universities. This success is also beginning to translate in the job market where the students from NUS (the grand old university of Singapore) have recently (2007) begun to complain that they feel disadvantaged during job interviews when competing against their peers from SMU (Marc, 2007). Thus, it is important that we do not remain complacent and take actions to embrace the changing needs of the workforce and prepare our NUS graduates accordingly.

This is an even bigger problem in faculties like the Faculty of Science (FOS) because too much focus is put solely on academic knowledge. Unlike students from the School of Business where compulsory communication modules in the business context are offered, communications modules in FOS are not compulsory. Besides that, unlike students from Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences where assessment is based largely upon class participation, presentation as well as the term paper, students from FOS have relatively lesser opportunities to present themselves. This is because the assessment is mainly exam-paper based. Hence, communications problems, namely interpersonal skills due to the lack of professional social interaction become a major problem for Science students who subsequently mostly enter MOE.

Evaluating Intercultural Behavior -Cultures and Colours

Our lives and colors are deeply intertwined and inseparable. There is a common knowledge that people of different cultures have attached different meaning and significance to various colors. By observing and learning the use of colors in the various cultures, we can understand one another's beliefs, needs and feelings better, while conveying our own.

Below is a scenario that I have observed concerning the differences in the usage of colors in Chinese and Malay cultures:

In Chinese society, red is the traditional color that symbolizes prosperity and auspiciousness. Hence, for joyous occasions, such as weddings and Chinese New Year, we could see red as the main choice of color for decoration. Besides joyous occasion, red is also a color that Chinese prefer in their daily life.

Living in a small town in Malaysia, blackout is very common and candles are indispensable in such times. My family owns a provision shop and one of our goods for sale are candles. To cater to the needs of our customers who are Malays and Chinese, we have to sell both white and red candles. White candles are for the Malays, while red candles are for the Chinese. Traditional Chinese people would not want to use any white candles, as they believe that white candles are inauspicious, since they are usually lighted in Chinese funerals. On the other hand, the Malays would refuse to buy any red candles, even if there are no white candles available for sale. I was told by a Malay that red is a ferocious color to them and it symbolizes “Syaitan”(Satan) or evil, while white symbolize purity. Thus, they would not use any red candle and like to buy white candles. My parents must have known this.

From the small scenario above, it is clear that different cultures have different perception towards colors.

Application Letter Critique-draft 2

XX XXXX XXX,
Blk XX-X-X
Prince George’s Park Singapore 118425
Telephone: (+65) XXXXXXXX
Email: u0XXXXXX@nus.edu.sg

2nd February 2010

NGEE ANN POLYTECHNIC
Human Resource Office,
6th Storey, Blok 1,535 Clementi Road,
Singapore 599489.

Dear Human Resource Officer,

APPLICATION FOR THE POSITION OF TECHNICAL SUPPORT OFFICER (REF:LSCT/TSO)


I am writing to apply for the position of Technical support officer (Ref: LSCT/TSO) that was advertised through Jobstreet.com on 30th January 2010. As you will note from my enclosed resume, I am currently a student of National University of Singapore (NUS) majoring in Life Sciences and will be graduating in June 2010.

Throughout my years in NUS, I have read through modules that are highly related to the areas that are being researched by your institution. Besides that, through the laboratory sessions in my undergraduate years, I am equipped with most of the necessary skills that are required in a research lab, such as handling cell cultures, experimental animals and so on. Thus I believe that I have the relevant skills and knowledge required for this post.

I believe it is crucial for a technical support officer to be organized and meticulous to obtain accurate results for the research, which are the qualities I possess. My past experiences as the treasurer of the Tennis Club during my days in secondary school helped me to develop such qualities. Besides that, I have the ability to work both independently and in a team. This is further demonstrated by my past experiences as the committee member of the class when I was in secondary school. This is essential for a technical support officer as one is required to work independently in a laboratory and able to cooperate well with others to solve problems encountered. Furthermore, I have developed the value of responsibility through my years of being a school prefect. I believe such qualities are valued highly in this job.

In addition, I have demonstrated excellent people skills as well as strong analytical skills. I believe my education, skills and experiences fit your requirements, and I am confident my skills would be an asset to your institution.

I would be pleased with the salary that fits the market price, which ranges from $2000 - $2500.

I am available for interview at your convenience anytime and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours faithfully,


XX XXXX XXX

Application Letter Critique-Draft 1

XX XXXX XXX,
Blk xx-x-x
Prince George’s Park Singapore 118425
Telephone: (+65) xxxxxxxx
Email: u08xxxxx@nus.edu.sg

2nd February 2010

NGEE ANN POLYTECHNIC
Human Resource Office,
6th Storey, Blok 1,535 Clementi Road,
Singapore 599489.

Dear Human Resource Officer,

APPLICATION FOR THE POSITION OF TECHNICAL SUPPORT OFFICER (REF:LSCT/TSO)


I am writing to apply for the position of Technical support officer (Ref: LSCT/TSO) that was advertised through Jobstreet.com on 30th January 2010. As you will note from my enclosed resume, I am currently a student of National University of Singapore (NUS) majoring in Life Sciences and will be graduating in June 2010.

Throughout my years in NUS, I have read through modules that are highly related to
the areas that are being researched by your institution. Besides that, through Laboratory sessions in my undergraduate years, I possess most of the necessary skills that are needed in a research lab. For instances, handling cell cultures, experimental animals and etc. Thus I believe that I possess the skills is required by this job.

As we know that Laboratory jobs require an organized and meticulous person, my position as the treasurer of the Tennis club when I was in my secondary school had helped me to gain these qualities. Besides that, I could work well either independently or in a team. Furthermore, I have developed the value of responsibility through my years of being the school prefects. All these are important values that I found that needed in this job.

I have demonstrated excellent people skills in addition to strong analytical skills. I believe my education, skills and experiences fit your requirements, and I am confident my skills would be an asset to your institution.

I am available to meet with you at a time that's convenient to you. Please contact me to set up a time. I look forward to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,


XX XXXX XXX

Application Letter Critique- Job Description

Position-Technical Support Officer(Ref:LSCT/TSO)
Organisation: Ngee Ann Polytechnic

Responsiblities:
You will involved in research in the areas relating to molecular biology, cell culture and virology.The work involve in working with baculoviruses and you must also be willing to undertake work with experimental animals. This will be a 2-year contract position.

Requirements:
*A degree or a diploma in the area of life sciences
*Research experience in molecular biology, cell culture techniques and/or the handling of experimentalanimals will be an advantage.

Please indicate the corresponding reference numbe, your current and expected salaries, as well as why you are well suited for the position in your application.

Resolving Interpersonal Conflicts-The Four Immeasurables

Below is the lord Buddha teaching to his son;

“Rahula,

Practise loving kindness to overcome anger. Loving kindness has the capacity to bring happiness to others without demanding anything in return.

Practise compassion to overcome cruelty. Compassion has the ability to remove the suffering of others without anything in return.

Practise selfless joy to overcome hatred. Selfless joy arises when one rejoices over the happiness of others and wishes the well-being and success of others.

Practise equanimity to overcome prejudice. Equanimity is the way of looking things with an open and calm mind. This is because that is. Do not do to others what you will not do to yourself. Do not reject one thing only to chase after another.

I call these the four immeasurables. Practise them and you will become a refreshing source of vitality and happiness for others.”

(The passage above was extracted from the book “Old Path White Clouds” by Thich Nhat Hahn.)

I would not feel such remorse if I have learnt this teaching earlier.

Below is a true story that happened some years back between me and my friend, L

L and I were best friends during our school days. I would do anything for him. As L was not from a well-to-do family, he would always borrow money from me. As he was my best friend, I would lend it to him without much hesitation. Things got worst as we grew older. From the usual four Ringgit each week, he started asking for more than ten ringgit. This change turned into a burden for me being a student, so I told him one day that I was not able to lend him so much money regularly. I was given a rude shock – like a slap on my face – as he started swearing at me using Hokkien. After that episode, starting from that day, he ignored me as if I were a stranger. I got furious with him and all I cared about was to get my sweet revenge. I started to spread dreadful rumours about him to our friends, expecting him to apologise to me for what he did. Instead, he did the otherwise. He started to do the same to me, ending our friendship and turning our relationship into severe enmity.

Several years has passed since the incident. Now, I feel shame and sorrow whenever I recall the fight.


If this were to happen now, I am very confident that I would be able to solve it with a more effective way: Applying the four immeasurables which is loving kindness, compassion, selfless joy and equanimity in dealing with these conflicts.

IF this were to happen now:

I would use loving kindness to overcome my anger towards him. Without the anger I would be able to think more wisely and maybe I would act differently. With compassion, my cruelty towards him would be overcome and thus I would not spread dreadful rumours about him. Thus our relationship can still be maintained. With selfless joy, hatred could be overcome and thus I would forgive him and things will turn out differently. With equanimity, prejudices would be overcome and I would be able to judge things more wisely.

Although conflicts are unavoidable, this practice could help to minimize the effect of the conflict and thus a precious relationship could be maintained.

After applying this teaching in my life, the relationships between me and the people around me have improved. This made me believe that it helps in resolving interpersonal conflicts.

Do you think I can mend this friendship? If you were in my position, what would you do to turn the relationship around?

Effective Communication Skills - Common Interest as a tool!!!

“I DON’T HAVE FRIENDS”...

This was what I always said when I was in high school, though in fact I did have a lot of good friends. However, without knowing the reasons I would always feel lonely and sad as if I were the layer of oil on water which could not mix well with all of my friends.

Why can’t I mix well with them? Why do I always feel that I am an outcast? These types of questions were always in my mind until I read an article about effective communication. This article made me realize that my problem lies in my COMMUNICATION skills.

Therefore, from that day onwards I tried to change and develop some effective communication skills according to what I had read from that article.

From that article, I learnt that games can be a good way to overcome social discomfort and shyness which are the main obstacles to effective communications. Thus I learned to play a traditional Chinese game ,Mahjong which is also my friends’ favorite games. After learning and playing Mahjong I found that I am more ready to interact with my friends. Through this method, the relationship between me and my friends have been enhanced as I can communicate better with them without feeling shy and discomfort. Eventually we have had more topics to talk about and this made me happier.

Thus, after this I gain a conclusion that developing EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS are important in our daily life as life is all about relationships. Struggling with relationship be it with friends, family, schoolmates, etc can be something tiring. Hence by learning effective communication skills, life would be easier as relationship between people can be something interesting if we know how to communicate effectively.

Hence, when I saw the description of this module through the CORS website I was actually quite happy as I know this would be a good chance for me to learn more about effective communication skills. Since I am from a Chinese speaking family, I am also quite worried. Speaking fluently and confidently in English in fact is a difficult task for me but this is the reality that I have to face and overcome. Therefore I really hope that through this module I can communicate effectively with everyone around me and I can speak in English fluently and confidently.