Critical Reflection

Many people consider writing simple, mainly because they have never done any serious writing themselves. Some may compare it to arithmetic and science, but anyone who has attended a writing class in their previous course of study knows that it is not exactly a walk in the park. Having gone through similar modules in polytechnic, I attended this module with the notion that it would be simple and underestimated how intense this module would be, not just in writing but also in communication. This experience, in particular, has successfully provided me with the proper fundamentals to write a report effectively. I have also made substantial progress in my critical thinking skills, which have aided me in writing and presenting. Many people are familiar with analytical thinking but not writing. Through this module, learning about proper punctuation placement, avoiding run-on sentences for reports, and using parallel structures for presentation slides was enlightening as these are the components that can make our reports and slides coherent. 

At the start of the trimester, I was relieved that we had access to various platforms to conduct our research after the librarian's briefing on research tools. I never truly understood the gravity of doing good research for a report in the past. I was under the impression that Google was the only platform to source relevant materials for our project research. The extensive lesson on the availability of multiple search engines gave me the impetus to write with conviction. I realized that I could leverage the resources to write a credible and compelling report. 

Critical thinking is an essential skill that has to be cultivated consistently for a person to excel in their pursuits. This module has shown me that it is a person's onus to question or reflect on their knowledge and information presented to them. Professor Brad utilized instructional units 2 and 3 to introduce the Paul-Elder Framework and Dewey's reflective thought and action model to expand our perspective and approach towards critical thinking. My professor and peers guided me on optimizing the Paul-Elder Framework, which involves a three-step process of intellectual standards, elements of reasoning, and intellectual traits. This framework for critical thinking has since been inculcated in my report writing and project presentions. I have adopted a more analytical technique in writing and presenting by applying these concepts, which is critical as I advance through my university education and eventually into the working life. 

In the second half of the module, we were introduced to technical writing in instructional units 8 and 9. This introduction was necessary as we were required to write a technical report on an engineering solution for an engineering problem. With the impetus to improve my writing, I was optimistic about writing a good report for my team. The project began with the brainstorming process, which enabled us to form our problem statement and proposed solution. These fundamental steps were essential as they laid the foundation for our overall masterpiece. Throughout the project, I learned to adapt to the piling workload and be impartial when a member is not doing their part. When a team member is not performing, it is crucial to exercise empathy. I understood specific issues my team members were concealing, which affected their overall productivity. Despite the setback of losing a member one day before my team's final presentation, Tin San and I were still resilient in the face of adversity.  We could complete our project on time despite the lack of manpower. Furthermore, I was intrigued upon knowing that we had to write an executive summary and letter of transmittal. As these areas were neglected in previous effective communication modules, this evoked a high level of interest for me in learning these components. Learning how to write the executive report and transmittal letter was valuable as I will be required to write them when I proceed to the working life. 

One area that I would want to improve on is to be able to write a good problem statement. I often find it challenging to formulate a good problem statement due to my inability to keep a sentence concise. Writing a report is definitely something I will continuously work on over the next few years. Improvement is gradual, and I do not believe in pressuring myself to learn and progress in a short period. Being the first module I attended, this module gave me a good impression of classroom lessons at university. Over the course of 13 weeks, I have grown beyond measure, and I am glad to have been part of this class. This growth would not have been possible without the help of Professor Brad. Thus, I would like to finish this reflection by extending my gratitude towards Professor Brad for giving my classmates and me a special and unique effective communication class.