In particular, I learnt that 'audience matters'. Teaching children using wordy handouts printed in black ink was not going to get their attention, big books with large letters and colorful pictures were. In the past, I used to like using sophisticated words and explaining ideas in great detail, never really noticing my audiences getting bored of listening. It was actually a waste of time and effort, and I could come across as a boring person. It was only through ES2007S lessons that I learnt the value of being sensitive to one's audience. For example, I learnt that writing about issues relevant to my peers in the blog posts had a greater potential to light up their interest, through Brad's continual emphasis on the effectiveness of doing so. I also became more aware of people's attention spans, that they would get bored after awhile and whatever was being communicated to them would probably not get through. This was something I knew in the past but never really cared so much about. I applied what I had learnt during my peer teaching with EB, elevator test, interview, oral presentation, and even when I responded in class! To be consciously aware of the audience is to observe their body language as you are speaking. Are they smiling at you? Are they nodding quickly or steadily? Are they looking at their watches? All these bring across certain messages. During my interactions with my audiences, I would register their reactions and respond accordingly. The best thing is, this art can be applied not only in class, but everywhere else, and I have already found it useful in my daily life!
Therefore, the end of this semester is the beginning of better experiences in communication to come, in school, at work, and everywhere else.
Hi Jerick,
ReplyDeleteI think I underestimated the importance of the audience as well. However, throughout the semester, I've slowly learnt that we have to tailor-make our material to the audience so that they're better able to understand the content.
It's interesting to note that our skills can be applied in so many other areas of life and that it's not just limited to formal presentations. I suppose that's one of the greatest take-aways from this module.
From everyone's reflections, this semester certainly has seen us learn a lot of practical skills that can be applied in so many areas of our lives. As you put it, "the end of this semester is the beginning of better experiences..."
All the best to your future endeavors!
Thanks, you too! =) Remember, we're going to propose our idea to OED during the holidays!
DeleteHi Jerick,
ReplyDeleteIt's been great knowing you. I seem to associate you with the word "kind". You are a very calm and cheerful person. I liked the way you show respect and interest whenever anyone is presenting. This is a very commendable effort.
In particular, I am glad to see that you wrote in your final post that you are very concious of your audience's body language. At least I know that my nodding and smiling as an audience aided you in your presentation. haha.
Lastly, all the best for your future. Take good care my friend :)
Yiqun,
DeleteThanks =) I'll say the same for you too. You reflect the kindness you talked about. You always encourage people by affirming them of their strengths instead of harping on what they should improve. This virtue is really lacking in our society, probably because everyone in our social circle is so result-oriented. People feel appreciated when we commend them on their strengths. This is something I can learn from you, not to mention Brad.
All the best to you too, friend! =)
Jerick
Hi Jerick
ReplyDeleteNice picture! Haha. It is great that you have learnt the necessity of being a good communicator in all aspects of our lives, and being aware of the feedback given by our audience, whether it is just to our friend, family member, or in future presentations, being vigilant and looking out for any non verbal feedback will help us to have a better idea of what the audience is thinking.
I am glad to have the opportunity to have worked with you on the project. Thank you for being proactive and initiating discussions and meetings. Really appreciate it! I wish you all the best in all that you do! See you around school next sem (:
Priscilla
Yes I know right! Who's the person 3rd from the right?! So ____!! (Fill in with whatever you want)
DeleteThanks =) I appreciate your proactiveness too. I heaved a huge sigh of relief a couple of times, when you volunteered to do the compiling and minutes.
I'll see you again soon, since we are going to propose our project to OED during the holidays!
Jerick
Thank you, Jerick, for this very fine, heart-felt reflection on the course. I've now read about 2o posts, and I can honestly say I value your conciseness and the ability to say so much in a mere three paragraphs. You introduce your focus on the thought that "audience matters" in an appropriate manner, explaining that audience can be one or many, in any communication situation. You then elaborate, honestly comparing your former approach with what you have garnered from the ES2007S experience. You also allude to how useful this "learning" was for you in class but more importantly in "real life."
ReplyDeleteYour use of the example of teaching small kids is excellent. I know that you have mentioned your own teaching/missionary work before in class. Obviously, in any teaching situation, the nature of the audience is absolutely vital. It gladdens me to know that you can put something from our course to use immediately.
Thank you for all your hard work and good cheer this term, Jerick. It's been my great pleasure to watch you embrace the various content topics and exercises of ES2007S and to grow within the experience.
Best wishes for a fulfilling future!
Thanks Brad! You certainly played the main role in my learning =) I'm so glad to have chosen this course. This is going to sound funny but honestly, it crossed my mind before that you oozed communication skills. Every gesture, word and emphasis was well-measured and effective. Exaggeration? Haha, to some extent yes, but you sure did demonstrate many of the skills you taught in class.
DeleteAnyway, I hope the many praises your students have for you will not cause your head to swell, because it is when people become proud that a huge part their learning stalls. Being humble allows us to continuously learn from our mistakes and learn from others' strengths.
Thanks for affirming me on the conciseness of my post too. I remember telling you at the start of this course that I struggle with being concise. You and a few 'significant others' helped me to see the value of simplicity and driving home just two or three main points.
I will really cherish the skills I learnt from this course, and a decade down the road, I'm sure that this will be one of the courses I can still remember!
Have a great time teaching future classes too!
Jerick
Hi Jerick,
ReplyDeleteIt's been great knowing you this semester. I like your friendliness and frank nature. Your presentational style has certainly improved over the semester, as observed in your final OP! You have a very relaxed way of speaking, which is easy to relate to. Also, you are a very confident speaker in general. I agree with you, sensitivity to audience is something that all of us have become more aware of, after this module. I am sure that you wil continuously improve your communication skills past this semester!
All the best for your future endeavours! =)
Thanks Priya! I like your friendliness and encouraging nature too! I certainly hope that you will benefit from what you have learnt through this course in future =) I also hope that in turn, the people you communicate with will benefit too!
DeleteAll the best in future,
Jerick
Hi Jerick,
ReplyDelete"To be consciously aware of the audience is to observe their body language as you are speaking. Are they smiling at you? Are they nodding quickly or steadily? Are they looking at their watches? All these bring across certain messages. During my interactions with my audiences, I would register their reactions and respond accordingly."
I think this statement is really good. But before we think too much of it, we must sometimes understand that audiences aren't always giving their most natural body language. They are giving a combination of natural (unconscious) and forced (conscious) appearances. For instance a really tired student is consciously trying to 'appear' like he is interested and excited, while at the same time, he might be looking at his watch (unconsciously) with no relation whatsoever with the fact that the presenter and his presentation sucks! He just happened to be checking the time, period! There always exist natural and unnatural within the audience, the presenter himself as well, and everybody human being outside the presentation doing what they are doing everyday, by extension.
The point is to see that you can never be too certain about 'messages' that you think is being emitted from your audiences, and audiences the same about you the presenter. It is perfectly fine to observe body language and think that you need to respond or even react to them, no issue, but don't give too much respect for that, only just enough will do. Just know what is expected of you from God and have that attitude, and treat your communication lessons as tools, not truths! Only God and his statutes are your truths. If during a presentation somebody suddenly fidgets with his iphone and smiles at it, are you suppose to feel insecure and try to respond to make changes out of a sudden? There is a kind of confusion and struggle at this point, because does God want you to change tack try a different voice pitch to get back the person's attention as a result of your insecurity about your own presentation, or does God want you to derive your confidence from Him only and you shouldn't be feeling anything insecure at all and carry on with the presentation at the same pitch? Do you see this confusion? Whichever way you choose you don't sin, neither will God be dishonored, because you are simply presenting with your best effort possible with respect to your knowledge and abilities, and that is the most important thing.
Ultimately I'm showing you that the communication course is not a Christian/biblical course, it is a worldly/secular course with a worldly/secular view! And it has the power to take you away from God by virtue of the fact that you will want to start to think that you can rely on your newly acquired communication skills to engage people rather than God and his Word. Understand that a university degree and all your education thus far in schools and wherever do not ever help you understand the way God acts, thinks, behaves; in fact, it takes you further away from God because you develop your own ability to think, act and behave as a result of all this education and socialization. Understand that the peasants from rural countrysides of the world, lowly educated and very poor, have the BEST IDEA OF WHO,WHAT,HOW,WHY,WHEN,WHERE GOD IS!!!
Why is that? Look to Scripture to find the answer: ".....for when I am weak, then I am strong." 2nd Corinth 12:10
In any case, you learned well all throughout the season, and a great comfort to know that always, but remember to be a Godly master over those lessons, and every else you have studied in your young life.
Cheers and best of luck later on!
Hi Mark, heard from Brad that you're his past student. Thanks for your encouragement and affirmation. I like it that you are serious in your faith in God (just rmb to treat our classmates with love).
DeleteI agree that education in school does not have enough focus on God and morals, and I will do well to be a good steward of the talents and resources God has given me, using them responsibly and lovingly.
I also agree that those in rural communities are not fed with the lies the masses in cities have been buffeted with (though they have their source of temptations too). I believe they do not have a better idea of God though, because many of them are not educated enough to study the Bible, or even have the Bible translated into their native tongue, or mature Christian pastors to teach them the word. We can pray for them, and also our fellow Singaporeans. =)
Thanks Mark, you have been a caring brother-in-Christ to me, even though you do not know me in person. I really really really appreciate that, and look forward to when we meet in heaven! =) =)
Hi Jerick,
ReplyDeleteYeah that is also right of what you said, that peasants in rural set-ups do not quite have a better idea of the character of God due to poor education, but with instances where rural peasants do know God, and in their native tongue, and not as deep and profound as a Christian lawyer or a doctor, they can also have a better idea of God, precisely because the devil uses the profound knowledge of the word of God to turn the well educated Christian against God. So you'd have observed a general pattern in my statements here. 1) Knowledge is a double edged sword, and 2) by virtue of 1) that education is also a double edged sword. Education/knowledge both help the well educated understand the character of God, at the same time, sabotages it!
Therefore the lack of education/knowledge both help the rural peasants understand the character of God, as the same time, sabotages it. You and I are both right to say 2 different opinions, but that is as normal as night and day, hot and cold.
Then it becomes a matter of determining which one is better. But in God's world, no one is better than another, no circumstance is better than another. The 9/11 catastrophe is not more worst an event than the one of somebody getting married. Everything happens for a reason, a Godly one, even if we can't see what's so good or holy with airplanes crashing into a tower building. God creates a circumstance from before all time/earth, and the situation of 9/11 will be viewed by us as 'created', something that was long ago prophesied. Similarly God already created that some people were going to peasants and some doctors and lawyers, all with their own advantages and disadvantages, the peasants with poor education and the lawyers with great law school education, and with each group God wants them to work with their own circumstances/gifts/non-gifts to worship and glorify him, nothing else. It doesn't matter that peasant can't read a single English word in the bible, but doesn't mean he cannot do better in understand the character of God than the lawyer. In fact it always is the case that the peasant with his simple view of God bestowed by some missionary message from a faraway land is more than enough to make him do 'better' than the education lawyer. Because the peasant is able to take a simple message facilitated by a simple environment and really outdo himself with its application; of perhaps, unconditional love for instance! Lawyer receives alot of ungodly sensory stimulation in the city and is bombarded with a lot of changes in those, including many different people he meets and sees, very easily loses focus and concentration. Quite possible.
!Cheers!
Hi Mark,
DeleteI definitely agree with you, and have observed Christians falling away upon encountering the profoundness in the Bible. On the other hand, countless peasants are much more loving and sensitive to the needy than city-dwelling Christians. Thanks for writing =) All the best in future!
God bless,
Jerick