This module has taught me a lot about the essential communication skills and writing skills that I will need to have in order to do well and be successful in the future. Blogging every now and then let me practice my writing skills and also promote interaction between friends through giving and replying their feedbacks.

I have learnt to be more sensitive to other communication ques other than facial expressions when chatting with my friends. This helps me in a way to understand how others are feeling and also helps to prevent quarrels or fights. It leads to better relationship over time as well.

I took this module mainly because I wanted to learn to write better resume and cover letter. I am graduating this semester so this module is beneficial for me as I will have to write resume and cover letter in the process of finding a job.

Time flies and this module is coming to an end soon, I would like to thanks everyone for making this module so enjoyable. I really have a great time taking this module this semester.

#6

My name is Jason Lee and I am currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Applied Mathematics at NUS. This field has helped me to develop analytical and logical thinking skills. I believe that these skills are important when I encounter any problem in future that requires critical decision. I have also been the NUS Cue Sports Sub Club’s Chairperson and also the teamNUS Cue Sport’s Captain during my 1st and 2nd year of study. I have gained good communication and leadership skills from these experiences which I believed that have made me become a more matured and independent person. My motto in life is, “Work hard, Play hard” and my goal is to start business of my own that is related to my hobby, pool.

#5

The research project was a major component of this module. I have spent hours doing this project with my group members. The experience of doing this project with my group members comprising of Alvin and Huiling was definitely a very positive one. Our leader, Alvin, was very fair in dedicating equal amount of workload for the project to everyone. Our teamwork was great as everyone does their part and contributes tremendously to the project.
We have encountered minor issues too along the journey of doing the project. We have a tough time deciding when to meet for the project as our timetable was very different. Therefore it was hard to find a suitable timing for the discussion. Nevertheless, Huiling as a secretary wrote down all our timetable and set a date and time for our discussion. It was hard to decide the venue as well since each of us live in different parts of Singapore. School is often our meeting place for discussion.
I started to know more about Alvin and Huiling while doing this project. We have definitely built interpersonal relationship with each other. Each of us was very understanding especially the period when we were all having our midterm exams. I have time off from the project to study and prepare for our exams while they continue doing the project. I do my part in return when they are having their midterm exams as well.
Overall, the experience of doing this research project was really positive! Thanks to Alvin and Huiling! =)

#4

Basically I have seen a number of intercultural incidents. I will briefly talk about 3 of them. The first one is an incident between my Chinese friend and an American tourist. We were in town and was approached by this tourist who need some directions. He has some sort of slang that is so hard to understand what he was trying to ask. My friend ended having to apologies and repeatedly ask more about what he was trying to get to. This tourist was patient enough to repeat his question ample times and each time trying his best to make it clear and concise so that my friend could understand
I went to watch this movie titled "mad about English". This movie was about people in Beijing trying to learn English as they anticipated a large of foreign visitors during the Olympics games. The taxi company employed teacher to teach the taxi drivers how to communicate with foreigners using English. The movie show how one of the main character who is a taxi driver making use of what he has learned to greet and chat with his passengers in English. Every time when he doesn’t understand what the foreigner is trying to put across to him, he will reply, “Okay okay”.
Last summer holidays I was in Jakarta, Indonesia on a holiday’s trip to visit my friend. I planned to have a haircut at a hair salon in the hotel shopping center. I saw the pricelist which was in English so I assume that they will understand English. I walked into the hair salon and asked for a haircut and hair treatment to come along. I ended up having to use hands sign to let them know that I wanted a haircut and I wanted a hair treatment as well but they do not understand. I ended bringing that hair dresser to the pricelist and pointing to the hair treatment words and prices.
In most of this cases, I think we need to be more patient and empathetic so that peolpe can understand more easily.

#3

Recently there is a spat about how disgraceful public toilets are in Singapore. An article on this issue was also published in the Strait Times. Cleaners were complaining about how toilets are being ‘abused’ by the public. It is a common but unfortunate sight in public toilets to see porcelain bowls plastered with wet toilet paper. Floors and toilet seats were spattered with urine, and used sanitary towels sat atop the lidded bins provided precisely to keep them out of sight. Soiled floors around the urinals could be seen in the toilets for ‘gents’. Smoking in the toilets is banned, but it still happens. Aside from leaving behind the odour of smoke, culprits also stub out their cigarettes on toilet roll dispensers, leaving them pocked with scorch marks and ash-littered. People here clearly have lack of toilet etiquette. They feel that it's not their toilet, so they don't feel like the onus is on them to keep it clean.
The Restroom Association of Singapore has declared its target of making seven in 10 public toilets here clean by 2010 through public education. Its president Tan Puay Hoon said that though well-designed and decorated toilets have definitely become cleaner but toilet habits here need an attitude overhaul.
How can we keep our toilets clean and green? Discuss about whether charging a minimal fee for toilet usage will deter people from keeping it clean. Often people feel that they pay for the usage of the toilet, so it is not their responsibility to keep it clean. Or maybe public education is needed to emphasis on good toilet habits. A survey would be necessary to find out more about whether the people feel that it is their responsibility to keep the toilet clean. And also will they minimal fee deter them from keeping the toilet clean.

#2

Two years ago, I was appointed as the chairperson of the NUS Cue Sports Sub Club. My responsibilities involve deciding about training venues and dates, organizing of competitions, committee meeting, etc. Of course the most important part of my job is to give everyone in my committee a fair share of workload. There was some misunderstanding that happened during this one year when I was in-charge of the club.
Matriculation fair was the first event that I had to handle. Cue Sports was given a booth to set up at the Matriculation Fair to promote the CCA to the freshmen and get them to sign up for it. I will have to decide on the setting up of the booth and dedicate equal amount of commitment to each committee as manpower is needed to be station at the booth. The task of dedicating manpower was a difficult one. Some of my committees voiced that they will not be free during that period as they are having some camps, overseas trips, etc during our meeting. Therefore, I only dedicated the task to those who are able to help out. I ended having to be at the booth for all the four days which the Matriculation Fair was held. My good friend who was in the committee had to come along to help me out as the rest was only able to help out like half a day out of the four days. My good friend ended up complaining to me that the rest of the committee is too slack. I assured him that I will make sure that the rest of the committee will do their part once the training sessions begin. But when the training sessions begin, the same group of people did not help out as they have lessons which clashes with the training session. They ended up quarreling over it in our yahoo groups’ forums. At that point, I did not know what to do to help.What will you do???

#1

Let’s consider our day to day activities. Imagine going to the supermarket on a Sunday morning, communication is needed when we are paying for the groceries, looking for the fruits that we want, etc. Another example will be going for a haircut at your favourite hair saloon. Communication is needed as you need to be able to convey what type of haircut you want to have to the hair stylist.

Now take a look at communication in our workplace. Our boss often has to task us with some projects and we have to meet his requests and requirements. Therefore our boss has to communicate with us to ensure that we understood his requests. In short, Effective communication in workplace will bring about an increase in our performance and efficiency. In our workplace, our boss will usually ask for our opinion or ideas on certain issues. So we need to be able share it with them. But no matter how brilliant and invaluable your idea, it is worthless unless you can share it with others. For this reason, effective communication is crucial.

Another aspect of communication will be in business. We need effective communication to enhance our communication, provides us a better chance to convince and negotiate deals. This will improve our working capacity and make us a better manager.

Relationship is another aspect which I feel that effective communication is important to determine its success. We can’t have a relationship without communicating with that someone. Our thoughts has to be expressed correctly and convey the way we wanted it across to that someone so that there will be no any misunderstanding which will results in fights or anger.

Thus Effective communication is very important as it plays a majority part in our life!!!