cOMMUNICATION sKILLS
1. Listen and comprehend effectively.
The Adult Learning and Leadership course required us to conduct an interview with an adult learner and write a paper about what we learned from talking with them. During the interview I had to listen very carefully because the perspective I was receiving was a viewpoint I was unfamiliar with and my ability to actively listen was important so I would be able to translate it to paper and also help me understand what adult learners think and feel while in school.
2. Demonstrate ability to communicate assertively.
I believe in having a great working relationship with all my staff members, but as their supervisor it is important that they know when it is time to take care of business. In my staff meetings over the last two years I have had to delegate responsibilities, clarify questions, and reinforce job performance. My office serves as the place where I find myself most assertive when delivering messages because it is viewed as a place of business.
3. Write effectively for various audiences
In the Education and Community class we had to participate in a community project in which we had to write a report, but also write a paper on it that would be graded by our peers. I put major emphasis on the writing of this paper because classmates who were not in Memphis would be reading this so my message had to be clear for the different backgrounds of people reading it. I was sure to polish details so no one had any questions that the paper itself could not answer if I was articulate in my writing.
4. Exchange information using various forms of technology
During my first semester of graduate school I took the course called "Overview of Higher Education." In this class we had to work in groups to create a PowerPoint presentation and lead the class discussion for a week. My classmates and I used our cell phones, ecourseware, and email to communicate with each other to complete the project. We also had to use Microsoft Office in order to create our presentation as well. Using the different forms of technology really helped with our communication because an email or ecourseware correspondence meant the issue wasn't as drastic, and if it was we would call or text each other to get the information we needed.