In the completion of assignments, we practised how to summarize professionally and perform tasks like introduction letters, reader responses, etc. which gradually allowed us to be more familiar with English through actual applications.
We were also taught how to present with the aid of slides and how to use videos and pictures to reduce the number of words, thus improving clarity in our presentation. Techniques such as good eye contact, posture, voice and pace were also covered. Professor Blackstone delivered the syllabus content clearly and provided us with useful online links for additional reference.
During the class, he put in a lot of effort and took the time to go through with everyone individually on certain assignments, allowing us to identify our mistakes and clarify any doubts on the spot. He also went the extra mile to highlight common errors made by the class or students in general to prevent us from repeating the same errors.
One key highlight of the module was the opportunity to do a team-based research project on developing engineering solutions to an identified technical problem. Through this project, I grasped the importance of teamwork and the need to communicate effectively within a group. Although there were occasional disagreements between groupmates during team discussions, I have learnt how to be considerate and tactful when liaising with one another. In addition, I also learnt to consider the opinions of others and how to write minutes for our team meetings in the correct format, which I believe will be important in the workplace in the future.
We also had the opportunity to gain the necessary skills in order to write a professional proposal report and letter of transmittal as part of the output of the project. While rewording from relevant sources for our proposed solutions in the report, this allowed us to appreciate the value of progressing as a team when teammates who were stronger in English supported those that were less confident in their English.
At the end of the module, I also attended the presentation showcase which allowed me to see groups from different classes presenting their ideas in a unique manner. The presentation showcase had a professional setting to it with 2 emcees, 3 judges, and a large audience. Every team that presented that day was well-prepared with attractive slides. Despite having a few of the members feeling nervous, each individual managed to come out of their comfort zone. A team that stood out for me is Bricknology, the team that had an interesting idea of using mycelium bricks that are formed from organic waste and the mycelium of fungus to construct a building. They were also awarded the best team in the showcase. As they happened to be in the same class as me, I was able to witness huge improvements in every single member of the team from the last round they presented in class. They seemed to be more confident when presenting and had good eye contact, voice projection, body posture and clear slides with little words. Their pace was also good, making the presentation easy to understand and engaging. I could see that they had put in a lot of effort into this showcase and the assignment. I see this as an inspiration and would like to learn from their strengths - not only from the Bricknology team but also from all the other teams who presented at the showcase.
Overall, this module has allowed me to build up my confidence in written and spoken English. I was also able to make many good friends in this class because of the number of interactions we had from the class activities. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Professor Blackstone for all his effort in teaching this module to the class.
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