Competency M

Preparation and Evidence

Initially, I thought Competency M focused on collaborative work, yet the more I read the definition provided by SJSU, the more I realized I had misinterpreted the meaning. I had engaged in intrapersonal communication which is "the process of information transfer which goes on within an individual" (Aliu & Eneh, 2011, p. 3) before presenting the information, in this case, this post. Communication is a skill I practice daily; however, pinpointing a class that taught me communication values poses difficulties because I feel that each course taught me valuable skills in regards to communication. Communication is encouraged in our discussion forums, blog posts, and collaborative projects, it is inescapable. Then there are real-life encounters that test our communication skills. These reflections make me aware of why communication is significant in the field of information science.

As much as I would like to focus on my interpersonal communication skills with patrons at my library, for the scope of this entry, I will concentrate on my oral and written communication skills as a student at SJSU by selecting samples that demonstrate my competency in communication.

Throughout my enrollment at SJSU, professors encouraged students to participate in a discussion forum using canvas. The discussions posts are a reflection of weekly readings and course activities that allow us to exercise what we have learned and construct opinions about topics. Students are recommended to engage with other students posts by forming questions and providing comments. Professor Rebmann from INFO 275 Library and Services in Diverse Communities had a different approach for the discussion forum that satisfies Competency M. The Discussion Forum Digest is a document that references multiple topics related to cultural competence, written by diverse students in our group on the discussion forum, which evidently demonstrates our collaborative efforts in a final document that conveys our written communication skills.

For the Discussion Forum Digest, our group had to select one or more entries from each discussion post because there were six people in our group. The group met online to discuss the entries and make final selections. We each chose the discussion post that provided an accurate representation of our understanding and knowledge of the subject, and our writing. I chose Discussion Post #5 as my entry because I examine the course reading, pull from personal events that relate to the topic and provide suggestions for possible solutions to increase cultural representation in libraries. Discussion Post #5 focused on the absence of ethnic representation in board books which could ultimately instill a lack of self-confidence in children. I explained how newer generations lose cultural identity as they attempt to assimilate and represent the American culture while belonging to multiple ethnic groups. This explanation provided evidence that I gathered from personal experiences, i.e., cousins refusing to learn Spanish to assimilate into American culture. I concluded my discussion by indicating that if children television programming could create characters that represent cultural diversity and teach us about language diversity, then why couldn't we embed similar initiatives to library programs. In a few paragraphs, I was able to communicate many factors which are crucial in delivering information. Aliu and Eneh (2011) mention that communication is not about the quantity but the quality. In a discussion forum, you need to be concise and accurate with the information you deliver, and I believe this post is a reflection of excellent written communication skills because I address key elements from the lecture, draw from personal resources, and draft opinions regarding the subject that can contribute to project planning. The accurate representation of my voice is what persuaded me to use this entry for the assignment.

After we selected the entries, we focused on assigning tasks. The Discussion Forum Digest needed to include a brief analysis of the discussion topic and an explanation as to why we chose the posts that would represent that section. I was assigned to provide a summary and analysis for Discussion Post #3. For this section, I described how the post we selected provides an accurate reflection of the course reading. The focus for Discussion Post #3 was virtual exhibitions, and the author suggests that the combination of technology, information architecture, and historical or cultural data are essential components for creating a virtual presentation. Tanicia's idea for a virtual exhibition followed this model, as it proposed to focus on the foods and cultural wear of diverse Latino demographics, gather sources from primary and secondary factors, showcase the final product via computers and tablets, and making it accessible in multiple languages while accommodating other communities such as the hearing impaired.

The Discussion Forum Digest satisfies Competency M because it demonstrates how the group is able to articulate and showcase each other's work in writing. The discussion posts themselves are a representation of our communication skills, but meshing them together and challenging us to channel the different voices represented in our class demonstrates how we were able to engage in intrapersonal and interpersonal communication skills to satisfy our group's collaborative goals. The analysis we had to provide for the accompanying post had to be precise in delivering concise information. I believe the final product demonstrates how well our group communicated to organize the document.

Review of the Discussion Posts:

• Discussion Post #1 provides summaries to our introduction.
• Discussion Post #2 focuses on community scans and asset mapping to serve as tools that can assist with serving diverse populations to provide services that are suitable to their needs. Discussion Post #3 is a sample of a virtual exhibition created by one of the group members designed to showcase a specific cultural group while implementing multiple interdisciplinary approaches.
• Discussion Post #4 is a forum that addresses issues with a study conducted by Strickland and Bonnet, where concluding variables do not capture the scope of the study.
• Discussion Post #5 addresses the need for including culturally diverse board books in children collections.

Growing up, I had problems with public speaking. When I was in pre-school, I remember never responding to my name as the teacher performed a roll call. In first grade, I had trouble leading the class through the numbers chart, a task we took turns doing daily. In college, I recall feeling an out-of-body experience in an acting class as I stood in front of the stage, frozen, unable to deliver my lines as I battled with my thoughts, and before I knew it, the words were coming out of my mouth. As the years went by, I progressed, and those closest to me know that I can be very chatty. However, for an introvert as myself, I cannot deny that comfort has a lot to do with it. Working in customer services has helped me practice my oral skills, and I find myself feeling more confident tackling tough situations.

For oral communication competence, I have selected two oral presentations. The duration of these oral presentations is five minutes long. I used Jing and Prezi to create these videos so there may be minor flaws in audio and imagery; however, these presentations are crucial for demonstrating the evolution in my speech patterns and my ability to communicate information. Prior to this graduate program, I had never tinkered with audio and video presentations, so these experiences were new for me.

I designed my first oral presentation in Professor Loertscher's INFO 250 Instructional Design course. The oral presentation is a final reflection that conveys crucial elements for our Personal Learning Network. In this presentation, I discuss how I am eager to work with educators and librarians in my profession. To achieve those goals, I communicate with co-workers and friends and read articles from ALA to learn how to approach collaborative efforts. I also explain the types of tools I use for educational and creative purposes, and how social media sites are the leading agents for communicating with professionals.

For my first presentation, I believe I did well; however, I couldn't help but notice that I use the expression um quite often throughout the video. In my opinion, this action is equivalent to taking a break because it allows me to gather my thoughts to form and construct sentences before I speak. Many may see this as a weakness and lack of communication skills, and I agree. I recall struggling to make this video. I kept practicing and practicing, and when I was finally ready, the computer fan went off, which is the noise you hear in the background. In the section where I describe the types of tools I use, I noticed I paused quite often between words. I cannot seem to remember why I took long to pronounce the proceeding words, and it bothers me to hear those awkward moments of silence. Despite all these flaws, I can't help but appreciate the things I said about communication. I may struggle with public speaking, but I do well in group communication. The Personal Learning Network provided various examples of times when I collaborated with classmates, teachers, and librarians; I also provided details of a time when I hosted a library program. My communication skills have improved throughout the years, and I'm no longer the girl that once felt fear to respond to roll call.

The second oral presentation comes from Professor Hagar's INFO 281 Seminar in Contemporary Issues, Topic: Crisis/Disaster Health Informatics. The Role of Social Media During Terrorist Attacks is an oral presentation that focuses on the social media involvement of diverse communities during the terrorist attacks that occurred in France in the year 2015. The research I performed for this assignment was very intriguing because social media was not a factor I engaged with daily at the time, so to learn that social media offered opportunities to alert people about their safety with friends was quite interesting. I remember thinking it was an extraordinary feature that addressed safety concerns while informing us about global news. The assignment focused on examining social media as a news platform. In reviewing the material, I learned that social media is an active agent of communication and information. Online communities gather during times of need, and by using hashtags, they relay information. Online users behave as information specialists, and by using modern-day communicative technology tools, they act as the intermediate that connects the search-user to the information. Another aspect of using social media is that government officials monitor these platforms to learn about the communities affected, and make decisions on how they will present information regarding the attacks after examining peoples reactions. All of these factors relate to written communication and interpersonal communication. Social media posts are limited to a number of characters and this forces users to post concise information.

Referring back to the oral presentation itself, I noticed an improvement. I used um less and did not pause in between words. In the section where I discuss the differences between the Ankara and Brussels attack, I noticed that the information flowed much more organically and it sounded like I was having a discussion. The information I provide also shares my opinions, which are actions people engage in as they have a verbal conversation. Perhaps it was the familiarity using Jing and Prezi that provided comfort, whatever the case, the increase in confidence is noticeable.

Future Application

When it comes to down to communication, I have a love-and-hate type of relationship. I love talking for small intervals of time and interpreting information to people, especially speaking in multiple languages. What I dislike is having to repeat information or find ways to convey information differently so that people could understand me better. Nonetheless, we are not here to discuss why I do or do not like talking.

Working in customer service provides me with an immense amount of help to improve my communication skills. My position as a Library Aide allows me to resolve discrepancies between patrons and their accounts, answer reference questions and help people find information, or explain to people how to use modern day technologies. Becoming a passport agent pushed me even further, forcing me to take calls from people inquiring about a passport. I am forced to talk even when I do not want to, and it has helped me a lot. When I answer passport questions, I make sure I provide patrons with accurate data to ensure they come prepared for their appointments. In the beginning, people would show up very unprepared, and this taught me that I needed to be much more specific with details.

Patrons that demonstrate frustration are my favorite because all it takes is patience to make them realize what errors they have made and how to amend them. I always hear them out before sharing my opinions or explaining what they have done wrong. Allowing them to vent helps ease and relax their mood. For example, a few months ago, I helped out a woman that was very angry because the website would not allow her to edit her address. Every time I tried to say or ask anything, she would cut me off, so I waited. Before I could do anything on the computer, her session had timed out, thus causing her more frustration. After she logged back in, I asked her to walk me through the steps and show me how she tried to edit the address. The website provided a drop-down menu that allowed you to select your address, but you couldn't type it. The problem was simple. The woman needed to scroll through all the options provided. Her behavior changed once I fixed the problem, and all it took was patience and appropriate communication skills. Let them vent I say, then walk them through their errors and provide explanations. I tend to chuckle afterward which relaxes them more. This technique is one that I will continue to use throughout my career because it works for me.

Something I look forward to is designing and hosting library programs, and I know this requires excellent communication skills. The YA Librarian lets me collaborate with her often, and she provides me with the opportunity to exercise my oral communication skills. When I hosted my first program, I felt slightly nervous, but when I saw the number of attendees, it instilled confidence. Hosting the program taught me that I needed to change the way I communicate with younger audiences. Part of me did not realize that I had expected them to know what I was talking about, so when they started asking questions, I knew I had to make changes for the next program. These observations and events are learning experiences that make me aware of ways I can improve my communication skills.