“Regardless of differences, we strive shoulder to shoulder... Teamwork can be summed up in five short words – We believe in each other.”
So much has transpired since the commencement of this module, and looking back, I must say that my entire ES2007S experience has been one invigorating and memorable journey towards self-realization and actualization. As I cogitate the lessons learnt throughout the course of this module, I cannot help but feel somewhat saddened that the journey has ended. Not only have I learnt a wide-stretching set of pertinent life-skills, I have also found, in everyone of my tutorial class, an intimate sense of friendship and camaraderie.
The group project was one of the biggest highlights of this module. The project, by itself, was a culmination of numerous skills learnt throughout the course and put into vital use. In addition, the group project provided an avenue to which fellow classmates are able to try their hands at attempting effective communication. Notwithstanding a tad heavy in workload, the group proposal and presentation was a holistic approach to test every student’s ability to communicate effectively in writing, as part of a team, and in front of a target audience.
Collaboration on the proposal of the project was as much an interesting experience as a challenging task. During meetings, many ideas were generated as a collective effort by the group to brainstorm for a problem statement and a course of action. The entire process involved formal meetings with group members, on top of an elaborate research procedure comprising surveys and literature reviews. Our group decided to compartmentalize the proposal, in an effort to reduce the need for frequent meetings which can become problematic given our hectic schedules. I must say that this strategy proved rather effective and efficient. However, for me this move can be rather bold and risky as it rides on the premise that work is able to be produced both with quality and punctuality. In spite of this, our team came out strong, delivering a proposal that, in my view, was with both intense conviction and persuasion.
The wiki is a tool that proves to have immense potential for effective collaboration. The platform allows students to post their latest updates on their works, and subject them to discussions and revisions. This reduces the need for an excessive number of group meetings. However, the wiki platform can be rather unreliable, in the sense that it is still very unstable and has many bug issues to rectify. In addition, formatting can be quite a chore, and there is a limited array of designs of which the user can customize and employ. Nonetheless, it still has the potential to be an effective communicative tool.
In all, the group project was a task that involved immense commitment and dedication in order to be a successful endeavor. The project requires a high level of immaculate teamwork, where the term ‘communication’ is ubiquitous throughout the entire process. The structure which our group worked upon spoke of a high degree of trust each member of the team has to have for one another. No one project is 100% smooth-sailing, and this group project is no exception. There were instances where punctuality became an issue. Of course, we had to take into consideration each others’ busy schedules. Nevertheless, the group project was still largely a success for all of us.
In my view, I would never take a pass at such an opportunity to work as part of a team in order to deliver a piece of work. Working in groups is, and always will be, part of school, work, and even at home. The notion of teamwork is one that transcends industries, race, and even nationalities. In an attempt to master the rubrics of working as part of a singular unit, I feel that it is vital that I take every opportunity given to me with both passion and a sense of commitment.
Finally, I wish to thank everyone who has been a part of my learning experience in ES2007S. I wish to thank my entire tutorial class for their overwhelming participation, making every lesson a pleasure to be in. I also would like to take this opportunity to give a huge shoutout to our tutor Dr Radhika Jaidev for being such a caring and encouraging tutor. Your lessons have been most enriching and enjoyable, and I thank you for that. The course has provided me, on top of a wide-ranging set of vital skills, an immense boost in confidence, in both speaking and listening effectively. I am honored to have taken ES2007S.
Many thanks, to all members of ES2007S
Jeremy Koh