Critical Reflection
In this critical reflection post, I will be blogging about the Critical Thinking and Communication module that I had the pleasure of being a part of. My thoughts in this post will guide you through these vast new realities of my learning for both the module and the project associated with it.
At the beginning of the module, I set goals in my "Self-Introduction Letter" post. Those goals mention the desire to articulate my thoughts clearly, communicate effectively, and improve my command of English. The module's name, Critical Thinking and Communication is assumed to imply an embodiment of the soul of critical thinking and communication. That assumption is correct. As the weeks progressed, the module covered Dweck's Mindset, Paul-Elder Framework, the 7 C’s of Communication from the World of Work Project, Dewey's Model of Reflective Thought and Action, and Critical Reflection Process from Natasha Kenny's blog. The module also advocated the importance of summarizing, paraphrasing, parallelism, and APA 7th edition citation convention. Through integrating the information and knowledge acquired from the stated with the various tasks and assignments, most of which can be seen from my several blog posts. I can confidently say that I have significantly improved my ability to articulate my thoughts, my command of English, and my ability to communicate effectively. I discovered the importance of critical thinking and effective communication, especially when one's schedule is tight and there are time constraints. It is essential to effectively communicate to bring the point across to relevant parties such that they can easily understand it. This module has drastically impacted my life, so much so that I frequently apply the knowledge outside of the module, and that includes analysis of sources, being observant, open-minded, and adapting to different personalities of people and situations, asking thoughtful and effective questions during conversations or meetings, and throughout numerous projects.
On the note of projects, this brings us to the next portion of this post, which includes a critical reflection on the project in the module. A report included in the project called for my team and me to investigate an existing robotics design technology, the Astrobee, and identify flaws and propose design modifications to correct the flaws. The module heavily impacted my writing skills in the project through the application of research analysis, critical thinking, being open-minded, summarizing, paraphrasing, parallelism, and adhering to citation conventions. Those points were used as a checklist for how information was gathered, extracted, and utilized in the report. Initially, learning how to use the checklist was not easy. It challenged my thinking and methods of the past, and I had to break out of the habits. However tough it may have been, the knowledge guided me to be a better version of myself. Through the use of the checklist, the team was able to critically analyze a need in Astrobee, and through thorough discussion, the team came up with a concept of a possible solution. There was a stark difference in the effectiveness and productivity of meetings, discussions, and the progression of the report when the team or I didn't apply the concepts taught in the module. This was especially emphasized when the proposed design solution was found to require just as much analysis and research to ascertain its value, feasibility and viability. This contrast provided me with valuable insights into how much more there is to unlearn, learn, and relearn. Change is a constant, as ironic as it seems, and if you do not adapt to change and transform, then you become the constant and everything else changes.
My time in the module is now coming to an end, and I know I have achieved far more than what I set out to achieve. What are your thoughts after reading this post, does it inspire a need for change in yourself? Let me know down in the comment section below 😊.
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