Reflection on Learning

ES2007S has improved my life in various aspects. =) Fundamentally, I have learnt the importance of two-way communication for efficient exchange of ideas. In other words, communicating effectively is not only about speaking coherently; it is also about listening attentively. These would lead to more meaningful interactions. Listening attentively is not completed without the understanding of others’ thoughts. Therefore, being open to ideas and criticism is part and parcel of effective communication. This module allows me to apply these skills in real-life situations during lesson and project meetings.

Specifically, the interactions with Brad and peers have helped in honing my ability to articulate my thoughts. Moreover, writing is more manageable and enjoyable than it used to be. In the past, I was very intimidated by people who are able to converse in English very well. Although it is still a fact that my command of English is not strong, I am now no longer so insecure about my communication skills anymore. With the higher self-assurance in my communication skills, I am a much confident person now.

In addition, my personal values, character and traits were explored in the interesting session of discovering self for job search. In the past, due to the indecisive and dependent nature of my character, I often looked upon others’ desires as guidelines for my own wants. However, I am now much aware of my own set of goals and priorities. I am now more able to visualize myself as a unique individual. This is further emphasized by the requirement to write my personal statement.

Our project group has came up with the proposal on the implementation of compulsory Web of Science and Endnote learning for first year science undergraduates. NUS Science Library and the Centre for Development of Teaching & Learning have shown great interest in our research and ideas. We were even requested to get back to them upon completion of our project. I am very glad that our ideas are being acknowledged.

Peer teachings, presentations, surveys and interviews, blog posts, proposal and etc. These are all my “babies” that I am proud to say I have put in great efforts! The learning experience from ES2007S is really very fruitful and this blog post is just a small summary of it. “To be a better person, I have to gain more self-confidence especially in the area of effective communication. This would definitely make me feel more satisfied and happy in life. =)” (Quoted from my first blog post.) I am really very contented that my ultimate objective is well-accomplished!

It is really a great pleasure knowing everyone! Thanks for all the feedbacks and suggestions given by Brad and the class! ES2007S is a module that cannot be missed! =)

Reflection on Oral Presentation =)

The experience I gained from this presentation has indeed impacted my life! This may sound exaggerating, but it is indeed how I feel. =) I have always been very nervous when presenting in front of a group of people. Therefore, having been through this oral presentation with PatCaLie has instill a greater confidence level in my presentation and communication skills.

Reflection: Before the Oral Presentation

This is the first time whereby I created my slides with more images than words to bring across my point. In the past, I depend greatly on my slides for the bullet points. This time round I choose to create my oral presentation to emphasize on my speech rather than my slides. Indeed, this is a much appropriate approach to convey ideas to the audience. Of course, it is no doubt that the slides are essential helpers in my presentation.

However, I admit that my group’s presentation is slightly repetitive in certain parts of the presentation. The night before the presentation, we realize that, we did omit some parts. However, we are quite indecisive on which areas to shorten as every point seems to be supportive of each other. We should have prepared less content and allowed more buffer time instead.

As mentioned by Patrick, rehearsals are extremely important. The first rehearsal is the most difficult time for me. It is due to the fact that thinking through your words and verbally articulating your words are not equivalent. For the first try, I was so anxious that the transition between slides was very awkward. And, I skipped a lot of points that I intended to mention in a rush manner. I even laughed out a few times due to my nervousness. This improved as we rehearsed a few more rounds. In addition, the presence of friends, actually help to improve on the clarity of the explanation of my key ideas. The sequence of the slides was changed to allow better flow of the whole presentation.

Reflection: During the Oral Presentation

On the exact day of presentation, I was constantly trying to recap the key points when the first group was presenting. But, it was quite confusing to listen and to think about something else. Hence, I kept reminding myself to relax and concentrate on the first group’s presentation.

When I started the introduction of my group, I suddenly remembered the feedbacks for the previous peer teaching; hence I raised my volume abruptly. I am still wondering if anyone realizes I did that. I feel that my pronunciation of certain words were not sufficiently clear. In addition, I added a lot of “s” behind words unnecessarily. Moreover, the word “actually” was used quite often. And, time management could be improved. =)

I did maintain comfortable eye contact with the audience. This is a great improvement for me, as I tend to get nervous upon direct eye contact. Moreover, I think I did not stand in a stiff manner, and this actually helps to calm my mood during the oral presentation. The ability to catch the audience’s attention and interest is an important point to take note in any presentation. In my group presentation, we engaged some selected student representatives to keep the presentation light-hearted and not too boring. I used varied tones to aid in this too. =)

Thanks for the supportive nods and smiles from everyone during the oral presentation! Of course, special thanks to my group members, Brad and everyone for the help to improve in any areas of the project and oral presentation! =)

Intercultural Differences =)

Last year, I went to Japan for a holiday with my family. Despite being a short trip, several encounters emphasized the existence of intercultural differences between Singapore and Japan.

It is a norm in Singapore to observe couples, friends and family members standing side by side on escalators. However, this is not the case in Japan. Only those who are on the move are seen on the right side of escalators. This scene is illustrated by Photo No.1. I was amazed at this thoughtful aspect of the Japan culture.

[Photo No.1]

Moreover, on public transport, almost no one was seen talking on the phone. In contrast, this is a rare scene in Singapore. This is in consistent with the Japanese mobile plans which emphasized on low charges for short message services as well as larger allowance of characters per message. Similarly, our mobile plans are also quite reflective of our culture. Mobile plan highlighted more on free incoming and outgoing calls rather than free messages. Even though I knew of this characteristic beforehand, it was still shocking for me to experience the absolute compliance of Japanese to this custom.

Japan is indeed very service-orientated. Employees welcome customers very warmly upon arrival of the store. This is in conjunction with the continuous bowing and nodding. In addition, most workers expressed their gratitude umpteen times regardless of the amount of stuff one buys. There was this retail assistant in a store that bow so low that I could not see his features clearly. After some research, I even learnt that bowing culture in Japan is much more than it seems.


All in all, Japanese strongly value group before self. They see themselves as part of a larger group rather than individuals. This has a very large impact on their behaviors, norms and customs. This meticulously thoughtfulness of Japan culture is indeed unique and different from that of Singapore. In my opinion, employees whom provide great services view themselves as part of a larger operational family. This therefore drives them to have an extraordinary positive working attitude.

In the first week upon return to Singapore, I was easily irritated when I rushed my way through the escalator. Furthermore, I could not stop myself from bowing spontaneously to the retail assistants in Singapore. Although these differences have not result in major complications, I do admit I have to make tiny adjustments here and there to feel fully comfortable in their culture. I believe this is also the case for Japanese coming to Singapore. With these, I learnt the importance of both understanding and compromising in preventing any possible miscommunications.

Personal Statement =) (Edited)

I am currently a final year undergraduate in National University of Singapore (NUS), majoring in Life Sciences. I have gained better understanding of the complex system of humans. Moreover, laboratory experiences have enhanced my observational, analytical skills. Doing research projects have also taught me to be more flexible in terms of time commitments as well as work approaches.

Moreover, active involvement in co-curriculum activities has made me realized the importance of teamwork. As the publicity and marketing head of the annual event of NUS Voices, Emerge 2007, I realized that effective communication is the basis of strong bonding in a team. Each department should not solely function as an independent group. Instead, we should all cooperate and coordinate the actions together towards the same goal. Dealing with the problems encountered during the event, i developed good organizational and interpersonal skills.

My family is a very essential part of my life. Even though my family’s financial status is below average, we have pulled through reasonably well. The financial difficulties have shaped my character to one that is highly motivated and determined. I am generally optimistic and I trust that hard work would be eventually paid off. Hence, if I choose to do something, I would put in my greatest effort and commitment.

I strongly believe in “Less is more.” The lesser one desires, the happier one would be. Therefore, I cherish the quality relationships with my loved ones. This is in conjunction with the pleasure I find in helping others. One meaningful voluntary experience would be the visit to the Lion’s Home for the Aged. Accompanied by my junior college’s choir members, we went to perform and interact with the elderly. These simple tasks we did brought great happiness to the elderly.

I am positive in embarking on a life-long journey of learning. This goes hand in hand with my intention of working in a challenging environment that involves both independence and teamwork.

Good news, Bad news!

Cute comic strip to share with everyone! =)

Task: Application Letter

Job title: Clinical Research Coordinator

Job scope

•Support the University Orthopaedics, Hand & Reconstructive Microsurgery Cluster in executing healthcare-performance related activities

•Work closely with our doctors to facilitate care for our patients in the respective clinical pathways

•Track the performance of these clinical pathways

Requirements

•Strong communication (verbal & written) and interpersonal skills

•Proficient in Microsoft Office applications for data analysis and presentations

•Possess degree in Bio-science, Nursing or clinical-related disciplines

•Experience in clinical setting is preferred but not a must

•Fresh graduates will also be considered

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Block 456 Ang Mo Kio
Ave 10 #18-1590
Singapore 560456

September 2, 2009
Human Resource Department
Excellent HR Pte Ltd
10 Anson Road #20-03
International Plaza
Singapore 079903

Dear Sir/Mdm,

Application for Clinical Research Coordinator, Job Reference No: JDBS143942001

I am writing in response to your advertisement for the above post which appeared in JobsDB.com on 29th August, 2009.

I am currently in my final year of pursuing an Honours degree in Life Sciences, specializing in Biomedical Sciences. I am particularly interested in experiencing the challenges in the clinical setting. I have been actively involved in co-curricular activities (CCA) throughout the course of my junior college and university. Having to strike a balance between schoolwork and CCA, I have acquired time-management and organizational skills. Most importantly, I enjoy working with people and therefore an appropriate candidate for this post which calls for close working relationships with doctors and patients.

I believe that the non-core modules, “Introduction to Psychology” and “Effective Communication” are additional bonus for this post. These courses have equipped me with good communication and interpersonal skills. In addition, the life science projects have made me realize the roles of patience and dedication in research.

The recent large-scale study regarding scoliosis done by the University Spine Centre has provided more insights on the human musculoskeletal system. I would really like an opportunity to contribute to the enhancement of the healthcare standard for the patients. Enclosed is my CV. If you have any further enquires, do not hesitate to contact me at 83686716, or email me at u0602060@nus.edu.sg. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Thank you for your consideration.

Yours sincerely,


___________
Rebecca Loh

Enclosure

What about interpersonal conflict?

Opposing perceptions is one of the most important contributing factors to conflicts arising in interpersonal relationships. Learning to manage and resolve conflicts can aid in maintaining good relationships. A good trick in preventing conflicts is to amplify the act of understanding. However, it is easier said than done. Most people often deal with issues according to their own values and thoughts. Such behaviors lack sensitivity towards others' feeling. Therefore, it is always good to keep an open mind to prevent conflicts from arising.

A conflict that remained unsolved till now is my mother’s experience in her workplace. My mother and her colleagues have been in the same team for few years. Things started to become more complicated when she has recently been promoted to the team supervisor.

Typically, whenever another team transferred work to my mother’s team, her colleagues would pass the work to her despite knowing how to handle these procedures. Sometimes, they even commented that my mother should be doing more work since she receives a higher pay as compared to them. However, they failed to understand that being a supervisor has much more additional responsibilities on top of her usual workload. In addition, certain procedures require supervisor’s access which cannot be done by the team members.

Besides, her colleagues compare their workload with one another and express unhappiness frequently whenever there are slight differences. They even compared and commented on different teams’ supervisors.

These have added much stress to my mother’s job. She often complained that the increase in stress is not compensated by the increment in salary of less than two hundred dollars. Occasionally, she even has to skip lunch breaks to cope with the overloading of work. Most importantly, these conflicts at work have strained her relationships with her colleagues. She does not know how to cope with the comments and actions of her colleagues.

I told my mom that everyone has their own strengths, and a team should therefore work hand in hand in completing the overall workload of the team. I even encouraged her that she should be more confident with her own distribution of work and not get affected by the responses from her colleagues. However, the situation has not improved significantly; I do hope that there are additional solutions to these clashes at work. =)

Effective Communication for Me

Effective communication is part and parcel of life. In one of the Taiwan variety shows, I came across some interesting experiences of lone backpackers. Due to language barrier, they were not able to engage in meaningful conversations, resulting in inadequate communication. They mentioned that communicating via any possible channels with family and friends is a daily necessity. Not exchanging any ideas with anyone for one single day makes them feel uneasy and bottled up. These illustrated the simple yet significant role of interacting effectively.

In actual fact, I am someone who is very insecure about communicating. One of the many reasons responsible for this is the lack of self-confidence. In addition, I have a weak command of language, especially English. As a science student, I always admire those who are able to speak with charisma and confidence with ease. Therefore, I am determined to brush up my communications skills after taking up this module. From my first two lessons of ES2007S, I learned something very applicable to my way of communicating: effective two-way communication. Communication is not solely about articulating clearly and expressing efficiently; it is also about active listening. In my opinion, this is actually the essence of connecting with people.

I realize that I often do not listen to others with a clear mind. Usually, I start to compose paragraphs of random thoughts or counter arguments in my head while listening. This is not being an active listener. Therefore, I tend to misunderstand what others meant and vice versa. During my Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme in Science (UROPS) in my previous semester, I frequently felt demoralized due to the breakdown in communications between me and my mentors. As this is my first time researching in a laboratory (not mentioning the guided practical sessions in school), I am not well equipped with the skills and knowledge required. However, my mentors assumed that the knowledge that they possess is not new to me at all. Having different levels of understandings on the topics discussed, this repeatedly leads them into thinking that I am ignorant. As a result, I am more tensed up while conversing with them. Thus, I could not get sufficient cues that make me sense that they are listening to me. Also, due to the lack of assurance, I habitually use ambiguous words like “maybe”, “I think” and “could be”. Broken English further worsens the situation. As a result, they often misunderstand my messages causing me to feel uncomfortable with them. Interpersonal relationships are built on communicating effectively. I am someone who feels the need to connect with people around me and therefore effective communication is very vital to me.

Being a fourth year student in university, I am feeling rather unclear about the directions of my career upon graduation. I want to have a job that is able to help people in one way or another. One of the possible routes would be to still embark on a journey of research in life science. Another route would be to become a teacher. One other possible option would be a speech therapist. The thing that I fear most for all these jobs is the need for presentations in some course of the career. I am afraid that people would not listen to me. When I told my elder sister casually about my wish of being a speech therapist, she was quite shocked. This actually makes me feel quite disappointed with myself. I could not speak well myself, how could I help others to speak well? But, it is precisely that I understand how they feel that I want to help them. Hence, effective communication is more than relevant to me. I must learn how to present my thoughts more clearly, more well-constructed and at the very least, understandable by others.

To be a better person, I have to gain more self-confidence especially in the area of effective communication. This would definitely make me feel more satisfied and happy in life. =)

Testing Testing

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