Hello, my name is Jennifer Escalona, and I'm writing this blog as part of my Introduction to Communications class. So far, I have learned so much from my professor and the other students in the class. It doesn't happen very often, but I'm enjoying this class and have learned a lot in such a short amount of time. In the last few classes that I have attended, we had to do a group presentation. The class was divided into three groups, and we were all required to discuss certain topics from the textbook that had been assigned in class. I was in group 2 and got the opportunity to work with some very nice people. Everyone pitched in to support each other in every way they could; it genuinely felt like a team. All the groups delivered wonderful presentations and provided me with a lot of information on topics I was unfamiliar with. This group project has allowed me to meet and learn from these incredible people. Not only did the project teach me a lot, but it also taught me a lot about myself and how I think about things differently now as a result of it. Furthermore, I'd like to jump right into my thoughts on all of the presentations.
I'd like to begin with the first group; their presentation was amazing, especially considering they only had a few days to finish and prepare for it. Their topic was Intercultural Communications, and I made a point of paying great attention to all the details and issues they covered. I learned a lot about the things they talked about, such as culture, values, beliefs, etc. Even though they had very limited time, the presentation was very detailed and included a lot of information regarding the topics discussed. One of the things I took away from their presentation was that we all come from different places and cultures, and we are all unique and that while people who are different from each other sometimes judge one another, I believe that we should all come together regardless of race, gender, culture, values, or beliefs. Once more, group 1 did an outstanding job and completed everything in a short amount of time, which speaks volumes about their work ethic.
Then it was my group's turn to present, and although I couldn't be in class with my classmates to present alongside them due to personal complications, I wanted to be as comprehensive and precise as possible with my slides so that everyone could understand what I was saying. Everyone in the group was helpful and understanding, which made working in a group a lot easier. Even though I like to work alone, I felt quite comfortable with the people with whom I was collaborating. The topic for our presentation was Communicating in Groups, which is basically about how healthy groups develop properly defined and ethical goals, are interdependent, are unified, work to establish and conform to standards, hold members accountable for group norms, and achieve synergy. As I looked through the presentation, I was impressed at how creative the people in my group are, and I tried my hardest to make my slides as interesting and neat as possible. Everyone was given three or four words from Chapter 9, and my words were heterogeneous group, homogeneous group, and workgroup team goal. To be honest, I had no clue what those topics were about before this presentation. The goal of the group projects is to learn new topics, collaborate with new people, and hopefully gain confidence in public speaking. I can honestly say that working on this project taught me a great deal.
Finally, it was time for Group 3 to give their presentation. They performed a fantastic job, and they had a lot more time to perfect their group work. Group Leadership and Problem Solving was the topic they were given. From the information to the videos to the speakers themselves, everything about the presentation was excellent. I learned a few things from their presentation, such as the fact that things don't always work out without communication. Communication with your team is essential for a successful working environment. I gained a better understanding of what it takes to be a leader. With the correct amount of drive and hard work, anyone can be a leader, in my opinion. Leaders are the backbone of a group and are in control of the majority of the job. Aside from that, everyone in the class did an outstanding job and gave it their all. This is all new to me, and I'm still trying to catch up with everyone else. Regardless, this class is really interesting, and the professor interacts with all of us as if we were all friends, which is refreshing to see considering some teachers don't seem to bother with their students. In the next weeks, I hope to have many more enjoyable and engaging sessions with Professor Sinkoff.