M. Communication
M. demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for group work, collaborations and professional level presentations.
Introduction
Anthony Robinns writes that “to effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others” (ThinkExist, 2012). This statement assists me in defining my communication skills both on and off the job.
I believe this competency to mean that I understand that I need to be able to communicate to many different sets of populations, both in written form, such as emails or blogs, and in oral form, such as presentations. If I am unable to do so I cannot perform my job as an information professional correctly, which is to serve the needs of my patrons or clients.
I define this competency to mean that I can speak to any number of groups doing such things as a presentation or a book talk. I also define this competency to mean that not only do I have the ability to speak in a professional level and capacity, but I can provide written communication in the same manner. I also define this competency to mean that, that not only can I present professional information both orally and written, but I understand group dynamics and how to effectively communicate within a group.
Communication in any form is a part of human society. Therefore this competency is vital to my profession. The patrons and/or users with whom we interact, depend on us to communicate information correctly and in a way that they can understand. Information professionals strive to provide accurate and relevant information and if a professional is unable to do this, he or she has not provided a quality service (ALA, 2012). Not only are excellent oral and written communication skills vital to our profession, but having those skills in conjunction with group work is as well. Understanding how to communicate effectively within a group is another important aspect of being an information professional. Collaboration and communication provide a better product in the end that better serves the patron/user.
This competency is important as I enter the profession because I need to be able to demonstrate that I can write, speak, and communicate effectively in a group as well as an individual. This is important for several reasons. One, if I am employed as a reference librarian, I need to be able to communicate with patrons who ask questions. Additionally, I need to be able to answer any questions I may be asked via email. Two, if I am employed as an archivist, I need to be able to answer questions via email about the collections that are in the archive, in addition to being able to speak about them both individually or in a group setting. Lastly, if I am employed as some other information professional, I need to be able to work in a group to communicate effectively to implement a plan of action or similar ways I have outlined above. If I cannot do these things then, as a person in a field that uses communication to provide services to the rest of society, I am not doing my job effectively and am not doing the organization any good.
Starting in the last two years of my undergraduate career, I have been in training, so to speak, to provide good communication both orally and in written form. During my senior year, I took linguistics as part of my anthropology training, which gave me a better understanding of how different people communicate and use languages. During my time at SJSU, all of my classes have stressed good written communication skills both individually and as part of a group. Also at SJSU, I have had several group projects where good communication was vital in order to complete the project. I also have been “in training” since I started work. I have had jobs in several industries that required me to communicate effectively, specifically when speaking. In these jobs I have had to learn how to speak in a way that not only is clear but that the listener understands what I am saying and that they obtain the information they need.
The following paragraphs provide three pieces of evidence to prove my competency in communication. They come from a variety of places such as preservation, music librarianship, web 2.0, and archives.
Evidence
The first piece of evidence for competency in communication is a paper I wrote for LIBR 220, Music Librarianship, on the musical RENT. The paper was divided into two parts. The first part examined the story behind the musical, its production, and its aftermath, while the second part examined the show’s impact on individuals and society. I chose this piece specifically to illustrate my communication of the impact of this show. I was able to depict RENT’s influence on the theatre community, other communities at large, my life, and the lives of many other people.
The second piece of evidence for competency M is a blog I have started for 220-13, Reader’s Advisory. In this blog, I write about the books I have read for this class. Additionally, I rate them using a systematic rating system. I chose this piece of evidence because it not only conveys a proficiency in writing but it also shows that I can communicate in a relatable manner using current technology. This blog can be found at Lost in the Stacks.
The final piece of evidence is a presentation that I gave for a group project for LIBR 284, Archives Meets Web 2.0. This presentation was a collaborative effort involving many emails and meetings, to discuss the development of our project. The assignment was to create a time capsule of 2.0 artifacts. Our group chose to do public figures and our pieces reflected how they interacted with the public and vice versa. Our presentation came at the end of class when we had to discuss what we did and why. Due to the nature of our project and scheduling, we decided to pre-record our presentation. Each group member made a PowerPoint presentation with recorded speech. I then took each member’s contribution and combined them into one PowerPoint. Next, I converted the presentation into a video and uploaded it to vimeo.com. I have included it here for two reasons. The first reason is to show my ability in giving a presentation, and the second is to provide evidence of communication within a group setting. The presentation can be found at the group wiki. Part one of my part of the presentation starts at 2:41 and ends at 3:21. Part two of my part of the presentation begins at 13:20 and ends at 14:12
Conclusion
Communication is an important component to society. Without it, our way of looking at the world changes. It is through these paragraphs and pieces of evidence that I have shown myself competent in communication, both oral and written, in an individual setting as well as a group setting. I hope to further gain new communication skills, including becoming proficient in Spanish to help different patrons in the future.
References
American Library Association (ALA). (2012). Code of ethics of the American Library Association. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org
/advocacy/proethics/codeofethics/codeethics.
ThinkExist. (2012). Communication quotes. Retrieved from http://thinkexist.com/quotations/communication/.
Introduction
Anthony Robinns writes that “to effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others” (ThinkExist, 2012). This statement assists me in defining my communication skills both on and off the job.
I believe this competency to mean that I understand that I need to be able to communicate to many different sets of populations, both in written form, such as emails or blogs, and in oral form, such as presentations. If I am unable to do so I cannot perform my job as an information professional correctly, which is to serve the needs of my patrons or clients.
I define this competency to mean that I can speak to any number of groups doing such things as a presentation or a book talk. I also define this competency to mean that not only do I have the ability to speak in a professional level and capacity, but I can provide written communication in the same manner. I also define this competency to mean that, that not only can I present professional information both orally and written, but I understand group dynamics and how to effectively communicate within a group.
Communication in any form is a part of human society. Therefore this competency is vital to my profession. The patrons and/or users with whom we interact, depend on us to communicate information correctly and in a way that they can understand. Information professionals strive to provide accurate and relevant information and if a professional is unable to do this, he or she has not provided a quality service (ALA, 2012). Not only are excellent oral and written communication skills vital to our profession, but having those skills in conjunction with group work is as well. Understanding how to communicate effectively within a group is another important aspect of being an information professional. Collaboration and communication provide a better product in the end that better serves the patron/user.
This competency is important as I enter the profession because I need to be able to demonstrate that I can write, speak, and communicate effectively in a group as well as an individual. This is important for several reasons. One, if I am employed as a reference librarian, I need to be able to communicate with patrons who ask questions. Additionally, I need to be able to answer any questions I may be asked via email. Two, if I am employed as an archivist, I need to be able to answer questions via email about the collections that are in the archive, in addition to being able to speak about them both individually or in a group setting. Lastly, if I am employed as some other information professional, I need to be able to work in a group to communicate effectively to implement a plan of action or similar ways I have outlined above. If I cannot do these things then, as a person in a field that uses communication to provide services to the rest of society, I am not doing my job effectively and am not doing the organization any good.
Starting in the last two years of my undergraduate career, I have been in training, so to speak, to provide good communication both orally and in written form. During my senior year, I took linguistics as part of my anthropology training, which gave me a better understanding of how different people communicate and use languages. During my time at SJSU, all of my classes have stressed good written communication skills both individually and as part of a group. Also at SJSU, I have had several group projects where good communication was vital in order to complete the project. I also have been “in training” since I started work. I have had jobs in several industries that required me to communicate effectively, specifically when speaking. In these jobs I have had to learn how to speak in a way that not only is clear but that the listener understands what I am saying and that they obtain the information they need.
The following paragraphs provide three pieces of evidence to prove my competency in communication. They come from a variety of places such as preservation, music librarianship, web 2.0, and archives.
Evidence
The first piece of evidence for competency in communication is a paper I wrote for LIBR 220, Music Librarianship, on the musical RENT. The paper was divided into two parts. The first part examined the story behind the musical, its production, and its aftermath, while the second part examined the show’s impact on individuals and society. I chose this piece specifically to illustrate my communication of the impact of this show. I was able to depict RENT’s influence on the theatre community, other communities at large, my life, and the lives of many other people.
The second piece of evidence for competency M is a blog I have started for 220-13, Reader’s Advisory. In this blog, I write about the books I have read for this class. Additionally, I rate them using a systematic rating system. I chose this piece of evidence because it not only conveys a proficiency in writing but it also shows that I can communicate in a relatable manner using current technology. This blog can be found at Lost in the Stacks.
The final piece of evidence is a presentation that I gave for a group project for LIBR 284, Archives Meets Web 2.0. This presentation was a collaborative effort involving many emails and meetings, to discuss the development of our project. The assignment was to create a time capsule of 2.0 artifacts. Our group chose to do public figures and our pieces reflected how they interacted with the public and vice versa. Our presentation came at the end of class when we had to discuss what we did and why. Due to the nature of our project and scheduling, we decided to pre-record our presentation. Each group member made a PowerPoint presentation with recorded speech. I then took each member’s contribution and combined them into one PowerPoint. Next, I converted the presentation into a video and uploaded it to vimeo.com. I have included it here for two reasons. The first reason is to show my ability in giving a presentation, and the second is to provide evidence of communication within a group setting. The presentation can be found at the group wiki. Part one of my part of the presentation starts at 2:41 and ends at 3:21. Part two of my part of the presentation begins at 13:20 and ends at 14:12
Conclusion
Communication is an important component to society. Without it, our way of looking at the world changes. It is through these paragraphs and pieces of evidence that I have shown myself competent in communication, both oral and written, in an individual setting as well as a group setting. I hope to further gain new communication skills, including becoming proficient in Spanish to help different patrons in the future.
References
American Library Association (ALA). (2012). Code of ethics of the American Library Association. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org
/advocacy/proethics/codeofethics/codeethics.
ThinkExist. (2012). Communication quotes. Retrieved from http://thinkexist.com/quotations/communication/.
burch_katrina_libr_220_paper.docx | |
File Size: | 45 kb |
File Type: | docx |
burch_katrina_preservation_259_paper.docx | |
File Size: | 63 kb |
File Type: | docx |