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Blog post #6 – Final reflection

I chose to attend ES2007S solely because I wanted to improve my English. Now I know that it gave me much MORE than that. To me ES2007S is more than simply a module offered at NUS. It is a module with a very talented tutor, Ms. Lim, who are able to engage all students, carry a wonderful mood, and make even editing of survey questions seem interesting. It is classmates from different backgrounds and with many valuable skills, ideas and thoughts that all contribute to a dynamic learning environment. It is activities that lightens up my day, and make me realise how important active listening is, how to be an active listener, how to be a convincing speaker, how to write a proper cover letter and much much much more.

During this semester, ES2007S has stimulated and provoked me to think more deeply about what communication is. About what culture is. About what values is. What my goals in life are. What my strengths are. What my weaknesses are. And I am still thinking – I always will be. Fortunately ES2007S, my tutor Ms. Lim and my great great classmates have given me a broader perspective and some insightful details about how they see these issues, and for this I am very grateful.

When I think back I hesitantly admit to my self that I was nervous both before and during our first tutorial in ES2007S, and maybe even during the second, third and fourth tutorials as well. I do this hesitantly, because I am not normally nervous about anything. When I read the detailed description of the content of the module, the assignments there would be and saw the many things on the schedule and combined that with going to a class where I knew no one and would be so different from anybody else – I became insecure. Oppositely, I don’t remember if I have ever been as secure about myself and felt so knowledgeable as I did after walking out of the classroom this Thursday after our final tutorial in ES2007S. I had such a great feeling after that class. Was it because I have learned so much? Was it because I now know most of the things I realized I didn’t know in the beginning of the semester? Was it because I sincerely appreciate to have come to know my enthusiastic, inspiring, positive, engaged, creative and intelligent classmates? Was it because of the process whereby I first realised how much I did not know about communication, business letters, Asian cultures, and 7 C’s, and now feel that I how learned so much about it? I think it a combination of all.

I feel lucky to have worked this close with so many students from different cultural backgrounds, and I really appreciate the big part you, my classmates and Ms. Lim, have played in the development of my communication skills and interpersonal skills this semester. Thank you.

Imagine being a Superhero

Blog post #5 – personal evaluation of oral presentation

Before a presentation I always think: “An oral presentation is quite easy because you can always talk your way out of it”. Or that’s what I have thought of oral presentations as far back as I remember and until this Monday. But it is not always just a piece of cake to pull of an oral presentation perfectly. I experienced first hand this Monday how an oral presentation can be difficult. This is my reflection of my own oral presentation.

The preparation started when I wrote my speech and slides before the classes when we should do the peer review of them, and I edited them according to the very helpful feedback I got from Ms. Lim and my classmates. I met with my group to rehearse, go through possible questions for the Q and A session, and to discuss attire for the presentation. This was very beneficial and after that I felt ready enough for the presentation

Preparing for the presentation I tried to think positively of how it would go. I told myself to smile and pretend that I am a superhero. I did this because I know that boosting my confidence makes me less nervous.

It may sound ironically, but I think I performed best during the part of the presentation when I wasn’t speaking. I put a great effort into smiling, nodding and paying attention to my team members when they spoke. As my own part of the presentation came closer, my mouth started drying and I became increasingly aware that I didn’t memorize my entire speech. I told my self to step up and do the best I could, and that I should smile.

I smiled, thanked Alicia when she gave me the word, and thanked everybody for being there. I remembered to mention my teammates and refered to what they had said earlier in the presentation. Actually everything went by so fast that I am not sure if I remember all of it. But I am pretty sure that I smiled a bit throughout the presentation and was able to bring the message across. I was a bit insecure because I didn’t remember my entire speech, but I tried to make sense out of my sentences anyway. When Zhing waived as a sign that we had spend 18 minutes already I realized that I didn’t have time for everything so I decided to end what I was in the middle of saying and I passed the word back to Alicia. Afterwards I thought that I shouldn’t have let the time affect my speech the way it did, but at that moment I was so caught up by the situation that I couldn’t think as clear as normally.

I really hope that I delivered the speech as smiling and convincing as I meant to 🙂

Evaluating Intercultural Behavior

Post # 4

A person’s cultural background affects how one behaves. People from different cultures behave differently, and this can affect intercultural communication by creating some difficulties. I experience some of these complexities during my exchange here in Singapore.

When I attend my classes in Singapore the cultural differences are not revealed by the way the classes are conducted (except for the difference in language and accent). During lectures, the lecturer talks about a certain subject while the students are seated listening in the lecture theatre. Most lecturers ask if the students have any questions and once in a while they propose a question to start a small debate in the lecture theatre. This is very similar to the way that lectures are conducted in Copenhagen. The cultural differences are only revealed by the small details of the scenario; the students sometimes react by saying “oooouugh”, “waauuuw” or a similar sound out loud – and in chorus – this would never happen in a lecture theatre in Copenhagen.

Classphoto with my Pathology class

Likewise, when I attend tutorials everything seem very similar to tutorials at Copenhagen University. At least I thought so in the beginning. But while observing and trying to notice everything during classes, it appears to me that the cultural differences are indeed present all the time. I have found the classes difficult to follow (which is very unusual for me), but I have realized that it can be because of the small cultural differences. The language related differences; the abbreviations and the slightly different vocabulary. These differences imply that I really have to concentrate to understand everything that is said, and that there are actually some of the things that I don’t quite understand because I don’t know the abbreviation used or because I don’t know the term used.

Moreover, the Singaporeans are generally very polite compared to Danes. This is a quality that I really appreciate and that I hope I will acquire during my stay in Singapore. Now I have to concentrate and remind myself to use all of the right polite words – for example, we don’t have a word like please in Danish, so this is a word that I have to remind myself to use when I speak English.  I wish and believe that by the end of my exchange it will be perfectly natural for me to be as polite as the Singaporeans.

With all of this said, I feel that I learn something new about the Singaporean culture every day, and that I adjust more and more to the Singaporean culture. I am very certain that everything is easier now than it was when I first came to Singapore. I am sure that living in a different culture is the best way to learn about that culture. I think I will have a very good understanding of Singapore at the end of this semester, and at that time I think I will have none or only a few difficulties related to intercultural behavior.

Application letter

Post #3

Hi Everybody,

I have had some technical issues with my front this weekend, hence the late posting. The front was supposed to be different, but I hope you can see through this.

_________________________________________________

Annika Forsingdal

Skovdiget 54

2880 Bagsværd

Denmark

31st August 2010

Ms. Anne Vognsen

Biotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC)

Copenhagen Biocenter

Ole Måløes Vej 1

2200 København N

Denmark

Dear Ms. Anne Vognsen,

Re: Bric Master Thesis Programme:http://momed.ku.dk/master_programme/

Responding to your online notice: Master Thesis Programme at BRIC (http://momed.ku.dk/master_programme/), I send you my application with my resume attached.

The master thesis programme caught my interest because my friends and fellow students who did their master thesis at BRIC were so impressed about the organization. One of the strengths of your organization is that it is an academic organization and hence it favors the needs of graduate students who rely on an academic environment where they can be challenged, advised and helped, and therefore I would be very pleased to do my master thesis at BRIC.

Studying Molecular Biomedicine at University of Copenhagen I am getting the best possible background to fulfill a master student position in an organization like yours. Molecular Biomedicine is directly focused on research within molecular biology and medicine. During my study I have done a lot of experimental work and as a result I have developed excellent skills in basic lab procedures such as PCR, cloning, two-hybrid, northern, western and southern blotting, ELISA an SDS-PAGE.

Working at the Danish Medicines Agency I have developed many skills and competences that could be very beneficial for my project at BRIC. Because of my excellent completion of my independent work assignments and my caring, polite, diplomatic and professional character as well as my good communication skills my boss made me review and refine the work of the other student workers, and consult them with constructive feed-back.

Attending National University of Singapore (NUS) during the fall semester of 2010 as an exchange student will prepare me to work in a multicultural organization like BRIC. I attend pathology, Applied Pharmacokinetics and Toxicokinetics, Systems Neurobiology, Food and Health, and Professional communication. Hence when I come back I will have thorough knowledge about the diseases that we are trying to treat, the treatments already available and the biology and pathology of the nervous system in particular, and I will have improved my professional communication skills in an international environment. All of this, in addition with my lab experience makes my academic profile perfect for work in an international experimental organization like BRIC.

Thank you for the time you took reading my application. I would be grateful if you invite me to an interview, I will be available for interviews when I am back in Copenhagen in January and onwards. At the moment you can contact me on +65 83 47 97 01, and from January 2011 on +45 50 47 37 95.

Yours Sincerely,

Annika Forsingdal

annikaforsingdal@m1.stud.ku.dk

afo@dkma.dk

+65 83 47 97 01

+45 50 47 37 95 

To fire a friend – literally

  Resolving Interpersonal Conflict (Post #2)

Lauren Conrad from the tv-show "The Hills", at People's Revolution.

When you try to make personal relationships professional it can sometimes result in an interpersonal conflict. The story I’m about to tell you is an example of such a conflict caused by individual differences in seriousness at the workplace and level of ambitions. This story also exemplifies how a conflict that appears to be between two persons can have more parties involved.

Lauren has an internship at People’s Revolution, a branding and marketing firm. The founder of the company is Kelly Cutrone, and she is Laurens boss. Kelly Cutrone is the toughest boss you can imagine. She is very straight forward, demands a lot from her employees, and DO NOT tolerate mistakes of any kind. Lauren has high ambitions of a career within the fashion industry and is very serious about her job. Therefore she is one of Kelly’s most trusted and appreciated employees.

Stephanie, Laurens friend, asks Lauren if she can get her a job at People’s revolution. Lauren is not sure if it’s a good idea because she’s afraid that Stephanie will be too forgetful and make mistakes. Despite this, Lauren decides to see if she can help Stephanie because she wants to be a good friend.

Lauren goes to Kelly’s office and asks her if she can hire Stephanie. Kelly doesn’t think Stephanie is good enough, but agrees to hire her anyways. Kelly makes it very clear that Stephanie will be Laurens responsibility and that Lauren will have to fire her if it appears that Stephanie is not good enough.

When Stephanie starts working at People’s Revolution she spends more time texting and gossiping than she spends working. Lauren tries to make her work more and be serious about the job, but without any success. In the end Lauren has to fire Stephanie.

Besides the individual differences between the two girls concerning ambitions and seriousness at their workplace, a cause to this conflict could be the intensions of Kelly Cutrone. This link is about Kelly Cutrone’s reaction and thoughts concerning the situation: http://blog.blogtalkradio.com/actors/kelly-cutrone-lauren-conrad-hired-sisinlaw-stephanie-pratt-fire/

How do you think this conflict should be solved? And who has the responsibility to solve it?

Annika

The Importance of Effective Communication

Post #1: Content of Professional Communication (ES2007S) and why important communication is important to me. 

Professional Communication (ES2007S)

Effective communication is a crucial part of modern life in our globalized world. It is central both in social settings and in professional settings because it enables us to interact with others, express ourselves, understand each other, share ideas, learn, teach, solve problems – personal issues as well as work related problems, and the list goes on. Since communication is this central I want to dedicate a part of my undergraduate studies to communication, even though it is not a part of my scientific field. I am doing this by attending the module ES2007S Professional Communication.

The purpose of ES2007S Professional Communication is to make us students more effective communicators. The module will equip us with the skills that we need to communicate effectively in social and professional settings. The focus of the module, as the title imply, will be on work related aspects of communication and thereby it will prepare us to our lives after we graduate from the university. To make us effective communicators we will cover different aspects of written and oral communication. One of them is this e-portfolio, a blog that will describe my continuous learning process during this module.

Why effective communication skills are important to me

In all science it is crucial to effectively communicate background, theories, methods, discussions, and most importantly results and conclusions. Indeed this also counts for my field. The main way to do this is in medicinal research is by publishing the results in scientific journals.

If a scientific paper is well written the message will be easier for the receiver to understand. This is easier to accomplish if the structure of the paper is clear, the sentences concise, the explanations complete, the problem concrete, and the data and citations correct. I would like to prepare myself for this important aspect of my future profession and I expect this module to help me do so.

Furthermore, publishing is not the only way researchers communicate professionally. Oral presentations, emails, phone calls and group meetings are likewise essential parts of the job. As this module includes a wide range of communication channels I clearly imagine that it will enable me to use all these types of communication effectively.

I certainly have great expectations to this module and I look forward to share my learning process with you.

Annika