Communications Portfolio
This portfolio is part of the requirements for a college course in communications. Each section of the portfolio contains an assignment from the course and a reflection to go along with it.
Rachel Graf
Communications Portfolio
Northern College
Winter Semester
Course: ENL1813
January-April 2023
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UBC Conference Presentations
2014 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Conference
July 12-15, 2014
Poster Presentation
Using Aviation as a Theme to Increase Students' Interest in STEM Education
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2023 UBC Inclusive Makerspace
May 24-25, 2023
Paper Presentation
Teaching Online in Culturally Diverse Settings: Classroom Management
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Reading Analysis
​Writing the Reading Analysis assignment provided an opportunity for me to gain insights into methods of effective communication in the workplace. I reflected on several communication strategies and wrote about ways to implement these strategies in the workplace. It is important to be clear and concise when it comes to communication in the workplace. I also learned that body language has a huge part to play when communicating effectively. Leaders show that they are to be respected and listened to when using effective and clear body language when communicating. Even though my area of expertise is online communication and creating digital content, this assignment changed my mind about the importance of body language when communicating effectively. I received a mark of 100% on this assignment, which would mean that the course facilitator assessed that I have met all of the success criteria when evaluating this assignment. One error that I made when writing this assignment was to structure my paragraphs ineffectively. I could have used a more clear paragraph structure. A second error that I made in this assignment was in the use of run-on sentences. My sentence structure could be improved by writing with more clear and concise smaller sentences rather than longer sentences.
Research Essay
The feedback that I received from the research essay assignment was about addressing an “either/or issue” for the research that I did. This feedback can be implemented the next time that I write a research paper to ensure that the thesis statement is an either/or issue. I researched a topic that is of interest to me as an educator: classroom management. I selected one type of classroom management and researched its effectiveness in different classroom settings. I also wrote about how a certain type of classroom management can be used to help students with Autism Spectrum Disorder with integration into the regular classroom. This research paper assignment was really interesting to me because I was able to research types of communication skills which are essential to classroom teachers as well as education assistants and teaching assistants. An error that I made with this research essay was that I did not write a thesis statement in an either/or format. I will keep this feedback in mind for the next research paper that I write. Another error that I made was with my works cited section. I can improve on the way in which I cite my sources and write the bibliography in APA format.
Oral Presentation
​This was a favourite assignment of mine because it gave me a chance to work on my presentation skills. I wrote the presentation and practiced it many times. I rehearsed what I was going to say before I recorded, paying careful attention to the tone of my voice and to the pace at which I spoke. I made sure to emphasize the key points of my research in the presentation in a clear and concise way. I created a visual presentation to go along with the speaking component. The powerpoint slides included visual images which helped the viewers or audience to better understand what the presentation was all about. I summarized my research effectively. One error that I made in the oral presentation assignment was to complete the assignment before reading the feedback about the research essay. That feedback was to write a thesis statement in an either/or format, so I was not able to implement that feedback before going ahead with the presentation. Another error that I made in my oral presentation was to record it all in one take. I should have recorded the presentation in smaller parts in order to make the editing process easier. This would also allow for proper pauses when speaking. The next time that I create a presentation, I will ensure that I have a plan in place for each step in the process of creating the presentation to ensure that the final product is of good quality.
Self Improvement Plan
​My goals for the class were to gain communication skills which I can use in the workplace and to improve on my writing and presentation skills. I have achieved my goals for this course because I thoroughly interacted with the course material in the weekly discussions and completed all of the assignments on time. I analyzed many types of communication including body language, electronic communication, written reports and presentations. Writing the research report helped me to improve my skills because I carefully edited the assignment. I then applied effective communication skills by summarizing the research report in a powerpoint presentation which included visual elements. All of the assignments were helpful in one way or another. I have improved upon my communication skills, as well as the skills of summarizing information in a clear and concise manner. One skill area which still requires work is my editing skills. I can still improve on my use of grammar and spelling when writing. I still need work in terms of my use of body language to ensure that my body language is as professional as possible in the workplace as a form of communication.
EDUCATION
2011-1016
Master's Degree
UBC - Master's of Educational Technology
Instructional design
Online course development
Post Secondary educational technology solutions
Brock University - BA/ BEd
Bachelor of Arts with teachable subjects in General Science and French
Teacher's College
Bachelor's Degree
2005-2010
SKILLS
Google Classroom - Advanced
Microsoft Word - Advanced
Power Point - Proficient
Adobe - Proficient
English - Mother Tongue
French - Advanced
COMMUNICATIONS: AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Presentation Skills
Presenting research at conferences
Presenting ideas and strategies at meetings
Discussing new ideas through questions and statements
Research Reports
Summarizing research and writing thorough reports
Designing presentations that summarize research in a readable and understandable format
Online Courses
Designing courses for college credits
Designing and developing courses for the purpose of training workers and/ or employees