Reflection on Module & CPD Showcase

Reflection on the Module 

It was a bitter-sweet feeling to know that this module has come to an end. This 13 weeks  learning journey has been one of the most enjoyable and fulfilling one. One aspect I like most about this module is its flexibility whereby we are able to select a topic of our team’s interest and having full control of the concept/theme for production of the video. This had allowed the team to be more creative and the interest for our selected topic has spurred us to explore deeper. Also, I enjoyed the lessons very much because of the learning environment. I felt that the “lessons” were more like open discussion sessions which encouraged me to participate and speak up more. In fact, it was the only class I was unafraid to speak up or share my opinions because professor Blackstone will always acknowledge my answers even if they were incorrect. From there, I gradually have gained more confidence in terms of presenting and communicating with my peers. 

Reflection of CPD showcase 2019 

It was a honour for my team “Happy Tree” to be selected to present at the CPD showcase. When I received the email from professor Blackstone, the first emotion I felt was anxiety. Presenting was never my forte and to present in front of industry partners, professors and the entire cohort was definitely a huge challenge for me. Initially, i was resistant and terrified at the idea however, I have come to realise that the ability to present in front of a crowd is an important skill to master especially when I enter the workforce and I ought to conquer my fear. With that, I decided to take on the challenge. 

For this project, our team has decided to explore the topic about the service problems in Singapore spas. Fortunately, one of our team mate, Swathi has worked in the spa industry previously and we were able to discover more insights through her connections. For the presentation, I was the first presenter to illustrate the current problems faced in Singapore spas as well as history and background information of Singapore spas. 

On the showcase day, our team was third in line to present. It was nerve racking while waiting for our turn. To add on to my nervousness, I noticed that numerous students looked restless and slightly distracted after sitting through an hour of presentation. With that in mind, I thought of trying to engage my audience by probing questions during my presentation. Fortunately, I realised they have instantly become more lively and enthusiastic, this instantly boost my confidence to continue presenting. Overall, I felt that I had conveyed my message and was able to keep my composure even though I was extremely nervous. 

After the presentation, I was constantly reflecting on my performance and wondering if I had conveyed my message effectively to the audience. To me, winning the competition was not my utmost priority but it would be a great recognition and encouragement, what matters to me most was whether I have performed up to expectations. When my team was announced winning the second place, I was extremely shocked as I thought the other teams were outstanding and the chance of my team being in the top 3 was thin. Nevertheless, It was one of the best feeling to know that our hard work and effort had paid off. 

Overall the CPD showcase was an eye-opening experience for me as I get to observe many outstanding teams and was able to learn from their strengths. While watching other teams present, I have also identified my weaknesses, one of which is the lack of enthusiasm and failure to captivate the audience fully during the opening of the presentation. As the first presenter, it is important for me to create the right atmosphere, pace and spur the audience’s interest on the topic. I had failed to do so as I was overwhelmed the second I stood in front of the crowd. With this in mind, I will make an effort to engage my audience and continue to improve my presentation skills. 

Last but not least, I will like to thank my team mates Tricia, Swathi, Christine for all their effort and dedication to the project. Also, thank you so much professor Blackstone, your constant encouragement and recognition has made a significant impact on me, i hope my team and I made you proud.