Program Learning Outcome #4: Communicate Effectively Both Orally and in Writing
When I reflect on how my communication skills were strengthened in the BTAS Applied Administration program, I credit the strong emphasis many of the courses had on working with teams to complete large projects. Working remotely can be challenging for many professionals, so I am appreciative of how each team worked to compensate for our lack of face-to-face interaction by capitalizing on our written, digital communication skills. Oral communication skills were enhanced when video calls were a part of our procedures as well as when giving presentations to summarize our work.
Because BTAS is an online program, our class participation was evaluated based on posts in discussion boards. Engaging with peers via discussion boards provided valuable practice with written communication. Exchanging our perspectives supplemented the learning that we were obtaining independently. Summarizing, reflecting, and expressing how we personally connected with what we learned also deepened our understanding of class material while also creating a sense of community. Carefully considering and responding to the perspectives of other classmates required critical thinking skills as is evident from the synthesis of ideas that resulted.
One project that stands out to me that addressed this learning outcome was a team presentation for the Applied Technology AIS 3026C course in which we evaluated different online task management tools. While the course was designed to focus more on discussions of how technology tools are evaluated and implemented in professional practices, our team project addressed the role of such technology tools in facilitating communication and promoting productivity of remote teams. This is our presentation one the topic of online task management tools.
Our team also strengthened our communication skills throughout the process of collaborating together. We coordinated our independent work efficiently and produced a cohesive project thanks to frequent written communication and virtual meetings while utilizing Microsoft Teams.