Core Skill Artifacts
The materials presented here are from my general education classes. These foundational classes introduced me to the "core skills" of written and oral communication, intercultural competence, technology, analysis and interpretation, and problem solving. All students are expected to be proficient at these six skills, regardless of program. This makes sense when one considers how vital these skills are in everyday life.
Not only do these skills help me personally and academically, they will also help me professionally. As a communication major, I need strong writing and speaking skills to convey my message clearly. Further, because many areas of communication rely heavily on technology, it's important that I understand the latest trends in mass media, such as Twitter and SnapChat. My time on the high school newspaper, traveling abroad, and at South Piedmont has taught me that no matter where I go or what I do, the capacity to work with others, interpret messages properly, and solve issues will help ensure my success.
The core of good communication is strong writing and speaking skills. Writing and speaking are involved in almost every facet of modern communication, whether it's online, in print, or even on TV. Think of all the cable news channels that have both a live broadcast and scrolling headlines at the bottom! This is just one example of how the core skills of writing and speaking compliment each other wonderfully and help make the other four core skills possible. For example, to effectively work in teams, people need to be able to write directions or points clearly, or to discuss them productively.
If I had to choose my strongest areas, writing and speaking would be at the top, followed by problem solving and intercultural awareness. This is because they closely relate to my experiences and interests. Technology and analysis are subjects I struggle a little more with, but I think the examples provided below show that I'm starting to get the hang of them!
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Written Communication Rubric 3.1
The learner will organize and express ideas clearly through written communication in a manner appropriate for the intended audience.
For the writing core skill, I set two SMART goals. The first goal was to get better at research and documentation. The second goal was to write more concise essays and articles. ENG 111, 113, and 231 were the main classes that focused on these skills. For this artifact, I chose a short story essay I wrote in ENG 113. The assignment was a five- to seven-page research essay on any of the short stories in our textbook. A minimum of five sources and MLA format was required.
As I read back over this piece, I’m proud of the way I was able to avoid too much summary of the story. My instructor, Mr. Williams, constantly challenged us to analyze a story rather than summarize it. He would say, “I can read it myself, so I don’t need you to tell me what happens.” He told us that analyzing meant focusing on a particular issue and then examining the “why” and “how.” That made sense to me, but I still struggled. I kept telling the story instead of analyzing it. I got better with each draft, however. I would read my work out loud and could hear when I was summarizing and not making an arguable point. After three drafts, I had what you see here.
In editing my essay over multiple drafts, I was able to sharpen the message. I learned that to make a piece of writing concise, I have to write everything out, then keep chopping away at the draft, like a sculptor working on a block of marble. I also learned that it’s better to do research before writing an essay. I found some material that contradicted what I believed, so had I already written my paper, I would have been in a mess. Finally, I learned that MLA isn’t that hard once you figure out the formula. All in all, I’d say I not only met my goals for this skill, I surpassed it! Even more, I know the skills I learned here will help me as a journalist, where facts have to be checked and rechecked, and the writing has to be short, sweet, and to the point.
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Oral Communication Rubric 3.2
The learner will organize and express ideas clearly through oral communication in a manner appropriate for the intended audience.
Though I consider myself an outgoing person, I have to admit that speaking in front of crowds is something that scares me a bit. When it came time to think of some SMART goals for the oral communication core skill, I knew the first one would be overcoming this fear! My second goal would be to “clean up” my speech. I know I’m bad about saying “uh” and “um” or losing my train of thought. Since many of my classes had speech components, I was able to practice this often. COM 110, COM 140, HUM 130 all required detailed speeches, but it was COM 231 that led to my finest public speech, which I’ve posted here. The assignment was a five- to ten-minute speech that included source material to support our claims. We had to give the speech in front of an audience of our peers, parents, and other guests.
Since one of my goals involved fear, I thought the topic of night terrors and, more importantly, what to do about them would help me see that fear can be overcome, no matter what kind of fear it is. Because I was talking about something personal—I had night terrors as a kid—I had to work to remove myself from the experiences and look at the lecture as a way to help people. Once I did that, I found talking about the subject was much easier. I also wanted to make sure I provided good tips and tricks for overcoming night terrors, so I did a lot of research and spent a lot of time on my outline. Finally, I practiced, practiced, practiced!
Because of all this hard work, I was confident in my message when it came time to deliver it in front of an audience. Though the butterflies were still there, I was able to overcome them. Though I stumbled a little bit near the end, I’m proud of myself for collecting my thoughts and continuing with the speech. I notice I still have a few “uh’s” and “um’s” but nowhere near as bad as when I speak informally. If nothing else, I proved to myself that I can speak professionally and can overcome any fears about doing these things. When I become a journalist, I know I’ll need these skills when conducting an interview. No one likes talking to an unprepared reporter!
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Intercultural Competence 3.3
The learner will develop awareness, knowledge, and behaviors necessary for intercultural competence: to positively influence personal identity and personal choices, to enhance communication in cross cultural contexts, and to enrich understanding of how culture influences interactions with individuals, groups, and organizations.
I first realized the need for intercultural sensitivity when serving others on international mission trips. In recent years, opportunities for mission service in foreign countries led me to Mexico, Chile, and Haiti. In each of these countries, I was exposed to diverse people, foods, religions, living conditions, and social interactions. These real-life experiences inspired me to pursue courses at South Piedmont to further explore other cultures. I have come to realize that understanding different cultures will aid my perception and interpretation of world events, improve my interaction with people different from myself, and position me to write with greater understanding and tolerance of others. To further develop my intercultural competence, I set two goals. To increase my understanding of major religious beliefs and to apply my new learnings in an explicit situation to demonstrate my sensitivity to the other. COM 140, HUM 120, HUM 130, HUM 180, POL 220 were the classes that focused on this core skill. For this artifact, I chose a research paper I wrote in HUM 120. The assignment was to explain the history, beliefs, and customs of the Pentecostal religion using research-proven facts. The information I gathered was documented in a detailed outline format with a bibliography of all referenced sources. This document then served as a speech outline for a talk I gave in class.
I learned a lot about a segment of Americans who follow Pentecostal beliefs. I approached my research with curiosity and detachment, which allowed me to enjoy the process of discovery while objectively gathering information. I was surprised by the fairly recent origin of the movement which began in the early twentieth century. Especially revealing to me was learning about strict Pentecostal modest dress practices of both women and men. I also came to realize the belief similarities between Pentecostals and other Christian religions.
Knowing the facts about the Pentecostal faith practices has increased my sensitivity towards its members. My new understanding of Pentecostals expands my personal communication tool box. I now have deeper and more empathetic conversations with my grandparents, who are Pentecostals. I also recognize the value of factual research about other aspects of culture, in addition to religion, to amplify awareness of the differences and similarities between people. I learned that cultural differences exist within a single country, such as the United States, as well as between countries.
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Technology 3.4
The learner will choose and utilize appropriate technologies to access, organize, and analyze and communicate information.
Being a “Millennial” child, I’d be lying if I said I don’t like technology. Like most people, I use Facebook, Twitter, SnapChat, and text messaging. At the same time, I realize that I only use those things for social interaction. Technology can also be useful academically and professionally, so I wanted to learn more about how this could be done. I made this my first SMART goal for this core skill. My second goal was to use my newfound knowledge to create a professional presence on the Internet, something I could use to further my education and career. This ePortfolio is the result! Though completing the ePortfolio is a requirement, and many students dread the thought, I actually found this experience to be gratifying in many ways. As you can see, I posted material from many classes. One class that doesn’t get mentioned but should get all the credit for how well everything looks is CIS 110.
CIS 110 is where most students start their ePortfolio. Mrs. Bateman, my instructor, went over different aspects of the ePortfolio web site and using WIX, which I had never heard of. At first, the whole assignment seemed daunting. Once I created my WIX account, I started playing with the different themes and choices. I quickly found that not only was creating a web site this way rather easy, it was fun! The only hard part was choosing a theme and deciding what material I would post here. Fortunately, I had some time for that.
In developing this web site, I see how I could use something similar to write, edit, and publish articles in the future. As a journalist, I’m sure most of my stories will be posted on the company’s web site, but many journalists keep separate blogs that adds to their body of work, and now that I know how to create a site, I may do that as well. In fact, this experience has made me rethink the way I use Facebook, Twitter, and other social media. I now see how they can be used for professional growth as well. I just have to make sure I’m careful about what I post! This ePortfolio is a great start toward a professional presence. In fact, I plan to use it as part of my UNCC application materials, and would encourage other students at SPCC to do the same!
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Analysis and Interpretation 3.5
The learner will apply the basic principles of interpretation and analysis to synthesize information.
I took a couple of classes that had analysis and interpretation core skill assignments, including HUM 120 and REL 110, but decided on posting my art analysis from ART 111. I figured since it is a voice recording, it’s a nice change of pace from essays! Because I took ENG 111 my first semester at South Piedmont, I was already familiar with the concepts behind analysis and interpretation (see my writing core skill assignment above). That being said, one of my SMART goals while in ART 111 was to apply the same “how” and “why” approach to discuss artwork. The second goal was to expand my interpretive diction, and to use the proper art terms when analyzing a piece.
This assignment required us to go to a local art museum and use a voice recorder to analyze a piece while standing in front of it. I went to the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art in uptown Charlotte. There were several interesting pieces, but the one that grabbed my attention was “The Perpetual Light Mobile” by Julio Le Parc. The way the light hit the steel disks that hung on the falls was truly hypnotic. I was impressed at how such a simple optical illusion could produce such a strong reaction in me.
I think my sense of wonder comes through in this voice recording. I’m happy with the way I used correct art terms in places, but listening to my analysis now, I realize I could have been a little more descriptive and provided deeper analysis when I call the piece “ultramodern” or “spectacular.” I don’t know if I have enough “how” and “why.” Still, for someone who was still earning her analytical stripes at the time, I think this recording is successful. I know that as I become a journalist, my analytical and interpretive skills will sharpen. I will be able to look back on assignments like this and remember with fondness that this is where it all started!
Problem Solving 3.6
The learner will apply the basic principles of mathematics and/or scientific inquiry to identify, interpret and evaluate and solve problems.
The final paper in my ENG 112 course asked students to think about a problem in the local community and to write a proposal essay solving it. My mind immediately leaped to a piece of property near my home that had seen better days. Honestly, it had become a trash dump. On my mission trips, I have cleaned up several places that most would consider dumps and turned them into something more useful, such as playgrounds. Not only did these projects make me feel good about myself, they truly provided a worthwhile service to the people in that area. I thought proposing a similar clean up project for the land near my home would be perfect for this assignment.
The instructor kept challenging us to make sure our proposal was realistic and feasible in terms of time, cost, and effort. Recognizing the importance of a reasonable target in any problem solving effort, I took his challenge as my first SMART goal for the problem solving core skill. My second goal was to not only write the proposal for class, but to actually give this solution to those in my neighborhood. In my mission work, I’ve learned that if you want something done, you have to take action. If this proposal would benefit my community, why wouldn’t I want to try to get the community behind it?
I feel the resulting proposal, which I’ve posted here, is both realistic and feasible when it comes to time, cost, and effort. It even gets the local Girl Scouts involved! I thought through every detail and showed the audience how the project would benefit the community by using specific details and examples. In case you’re wondering, I did end up proposing this solution to people in my community, and I’m happy to say that we have a wonderful community garden today! This assignment taught me a lot about making sure a proposal is solid so people take it seriously. It also taught me that if I believe enough in my ideas, others would, too. Before this assignment, I might have written a proposal about world peace or ending hunger. I now see that true change starts at home and with a plan that can be put into action. It’s all about knowing the legitimate steps to get something done and not using what my instructor called “pie in the sky” thinking. It’s a life lesson we should all learn!
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