Communication

As a student of the Ivy Tech Honors College and while completing the LIBA279 Honors Capstone Course, we were tasked with creating a Learning Portfolio and reflecting upon artifacts that pertained to specific Honors Program Outcomes.

Below is one of those reflections.

Thank you for your time.

- Michael

Honors Program Outcome 3:

Demonstrate effective written and oral communication to a wide range of audiences.

Reflection

When I think about communication, both written and oral, I feel at ease. I consider myself fortunate that these skills have always come somewhat easily to me throughout my life. While I admit that in earlier in life writing was not something I placed much value in, once I entered the workforce it became readily apparent that a lot of what many jobs consists of is writing. As for oral communication, I have been practicing that skill since childhood. As a young and carefree child I tended to be the class clown which involved telling jokes. As a teenager I dove headfirst into theatre and from Dodo Bird in Alice and Wonderland to Horton the Elephant or the crotchety old Mr. Potter in It’s A Wonderful Life I often found myself deliver lines to an audience. In the military I spent years conducting training sessions or teaching “hip pocket” classes to make sure my fellow Marines and I were keeping up with the relevant knowledge. At several different jobs I have held positions that require both employee and customer interaction. I can say that everyday writing and speaking comes naturally. Now moving into the realm of academia this skillset is just as important, and I have found that I still have plenty to learn. But I am up to the challenge.

Considering the Influences

Effective writing is only accomplished if the author is aware of his or her limitations. I am a subject matter expert on all things “me,” but it is important that I lean on the expertise of others who have come before me so that I might use their knowledge as a springboard. Effective writing also involves weaving effective research into the text without losing your own voice. An assignment for Social Psychology required us to write about a subject which we felt was important not only to the subject of social psychology but important in our own lives. This assignment was unique because rather than regurgitating thoughts from the textbook, I was required to form my own ideas and opinions that I could then back with research. I chose the topic of intellectual diversity and after the assignment I had found that I was truly passionate about expanding my viewpoints to ensure a diverse frame of mind. Reflecting on moments such as these has pushed me to create a cohesive and sensible mentality to follow throughout my learning experience.

Receiving Communications

So, you can speak well and write coherently, but can you listen? Sometimes it is easy to forget that an equally important part of communication is how we receive input. While taking Abnormal Psychology Honors I was asked to select a film that focuses on mental health and analyze it for accuracy in depiction. Media consumes a considerable portion of most people’s lives, so it made sense that I should take the time to truly understand the communication I was receiving. This assignment taught me to be critical of the information I take in, even in the realm of entertainment, as that can impact how I view other people and the world.

It Isn’t Always Scary

Writing reports, giving scripted speeches, and composing emails all fall under the category of communication, but it is important to remember that we can also have fun with it. While taking Fundamentals of Public Speaking Honors I was able to complete one of the most fun and rewarding assignments I have ever done. The professor asked us to record a sales pitch using the prescribed methods in our textbook but to make it fun. For every other assignment I wrote an outline and recorded then deleted then recorded then deleted until I thought I had an acceptable product. But this was different! I had a cool concept in my head, hit record, and just had fun. The end result was silly and funny but still captured all the necessary aspects of a traditional sales pitch. And I got to work zombies into a project, which is always a positive. The takeaway from this assignment was that communication does not always have to be dry or scary. Communication is how we express ourselves to the world, so why not have some fun with it as well?

Real Life Application

Another amazing opportunity presented itself while serving as a member of the Ivy Tech Subcommittee for Hunger and Homelessness when I was able to conduct an interview with a student about her experiences. This example highlights using these skills in real life rather than the classroom. It allowed me to use the skills I have learned to help share a powerful message. It gave me the opportunity to practice effective listening and it tied together some of the learning points highlighted above. Most importantly this experience reinforced my belief that through effective communication, whether written or oral, we can help to educate others and bring awareness to issues that might otherwise go unnoticed.