Sunday 18 November 2012


Post #6

The biggest take away I have from this module would be something apparent in all aspects/assignments of the course: blogging, projects, reports, cv etc. This development is the trait of being in control whether it is in writing, presenting or speaking.

As I have mentioned previously, one will never feel completely prepared but we can choose to not let that negativity plague our work. Apparent in the first 2 blog posts and comments on others’, cv and preliminary portions of the project, how I crafted them was as such: list out as many points as possible, fit them together into sentences, and spending hours cutting them to fit the word count. This way, the points were controlling my writing rather than me exercising control over the writing.

The sheer quantity of points derived from trying to cover as much ground as possible often impeded my control over a task, compromising conciseness, clarity and coherence.

What was surprising about this realisation was that this was a take away applicable on a personal level as well considering it originated from a communication level. For much of the semester (if not my life) I have been trying to do everything as much as possible with regards to work. Likewise, it would be just as challenging to maintain control by trying to cover excessive grounds. So indeed less is more and what I have learned is to have a clear focus when writing or speaking, present the information in a concise manner and ultimately exercising control over the content.

8 comments:

  1. Hi Renick !

    I like the topic that you have chosen for this post. Indeed, it is really important to control what we say and what we write. Personally I had a lot of problems at the beginning with my blog post. I had to spend a lot of time to shorten my first drafts. Additionally, everyone has noticed that when I speak I tend to add some useless information. That is why I can say that I understand your initial problem.

    Nevertheless, when I see this post and your performance during the last presentation, I think that I can assert that you manage to control your writing and your speaking.
    Congratulations.

    All the best for the future.

    Maxime.

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  2. Hi Maxime,

    Thanks for your comment. Sometimes additional information may seem useless to others but the fact that we bring it up may indicate that we are trying to bring something of significance across. So to add on, perhaps part of being in control would include being able to draw their attention in a way to paint the same picture existing in our minds through bringing out the importance in a concise and convincing framework.

    Good luck in your endeavours as well

    Renick

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  3. Hi Renick,

    You talk about the overall management of ourselves we had to take up for this module. I can totally relate to that. As much as we had fun in class, we had different tracks of assignments going on at the same time and it was essential to ensure quality for all!

    I remember preparing for my speech and trying to fit in everything I wanted to say in the way I should say it. Like EUnice mentions, it was a great challenge to stick to word limits and get the message across to the reader!

    Thank you for being a great person to work with. See you around..

    Cheers,
    Dhanya

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  4. Hi Dhanya,

    Thank you for your comment. It's agreeable that the numerous assignments was a factor. In trying to do each and every one as if it were the only assignment for the module, it is bound to be inefficient.

    The same goes for the speech as well. It was something I experienced too. It was all about prioritizing the content and allocating the necessary efforts to each and every one of it.

    All the best!

    Renick

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  5. Hi Renick!

    What I am going to comment here is possibly not quite related to this post you made. However as it already our last post, I guess it is okay for me to comment what you have impressed me in the whole module. I noticed that in class you have generously given out a lot encouragements to our dear Korean friends: Yujin and Bongjin. Even in the project, you have chosen a topic that not really related to normal people, but the disabled. your caring heart has touched me.I believe that with such nice personalities, you are going to be a wonderful doctor!

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  6. Hi Zhuang Wei!

    Oh gosh! What nice words you have expressed here, I'm really touched and humbled! Thank you for your compliments. I'm really glad to have met you and worked with you for the hr stuff too, you have a great larger than life personality and I'm absolutely certain that you will fair well in your future endeavours. Don't give up on whatever your passion is and don't mind even if you missed applications. A year of delay is a small price in exchange for a lifetime of joy. I'll probably apply for 2014 intake so maybe we could try to enter late together ;)

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  7. Dear Renick, This is really an exceptional post. You focus on a very specific aspect of the course learning, that skill for maintaining control, and you flush out the "realization" of its importance from a number of angles. I especially like this sentence: "The sheer quantity of points derived from trying to cover as much ground as possible often impeded my control over a task, compromising conciseness, clarity and coherence."

    That "sheer quantity" is one of the demons we have to constantly deal with in life. Personally, I've found that I can only keep an accurate focus on a limited number of areas and be successful (this may be one reason why playing music has now nearly disappeared from my life--I couldn't "be that" and be everything else required of me at this time).

    Your post succeeds because it brings this clutch issue to the foreground and it explores it with great economy and accuracy. This short essays also shows very good progression in development from some of your earlier writing. I really appreciate your effort.

    It's been great working with you this term, Renick (and bumping into you here and there). All the best as you continue your journey! Let's keep in touch.

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  8. Dear Brad,

    Thank you for you compliments and above all wisdom disseminated throughout the semester.

    As I have mentioned, what warranted this point brought up was it being a learning point evident in my personal life as well. It was obvious to peers around me that I had experienced a crashed couple of weeks this semester where my productivity was less than optimal and it didnt seem like I could catch up from lost time with my current methodology and approach to work at that time.

    A major point of realization what was wrong that got me back on track was reflection on your advice and lesson on being in control of the writing (blog post #2 discussion in class) rather than letting the written material dictate one's progress. Also striking a cord with me was your brief but impactful sentence from week 3 or 4: "To become good at guitar, you don't watch as many videos as you can, you play it." which while being a musical anecdote, was something I have been missing out on in term of academia.

    I surely am constantly experiencing the same conflicts and "demons" you have described. Obviously I am deeply conflicted in my passion for music like you have been. Further, music is just one of my passions among many others I have yet to bring forth to make known to the class (Initially I was intending to make a (bi-)weekly post on each and everyone of them in cycles but failed to do so due to time constraint - these include: parkour, dancing, acting).

    Thanks for your unflagging dispense of wisdom, experience and advice. I would definitely hope to keep in touch with you and continue learning more of life's lessons.

    All the best!

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