Things I have learned from PPD

We have come to the end of the second year of our university life. We had a great time so far.
Apart from academics PPD was the only course code we had, to improve our soft skills. PPD means Personal Progress and Development.These sessions was conduced by Ms.Sarasi for two years. Now we have come to the end.

We are very thankful to our teaching unit for having these sessions for us. It was a change to us and we learned and gained knowledge as well as experience out of it. We went to Trincomalee for a field trip and also we went to Wso2 for a workshop.These helped us a lot to improve our soft skills and technical skills.

We also had a lot of in-class activities such as paper rockets, story writing, expert game etc.We developed our writing skills because we had to write blogs like these for almost every activity we did. Not only that but also we improved our presentation skills. Apart from those few of the other thongs we learned are mentioned below.

• Decision making
• Problem solving
• Creative thinking
• Time management
• Achieving goals through obstacles 

Self Reflection

What is Self Reflection?
Give evidence of the character or quality of ourselves and identifying strengths, weaknesses etc. by evaluating behavior and appearance. Reflecting means seeing something original of you.

Important of self reflecting,

Develop your skills and review effectiveness
Identifying weaknesses so can improve them
Can have a better idea of yourself to present in public
Can make better decisions
Improve of personality and confidence

Example

Strengths : Can work hard to achieve a certain goal
Weaknesses : Easily getting distracted
Skills : Good communication
Problems : Short tempered so it will affect my personal life

Habits that enhance self reflection

Be honest
Notice behavior patterns
Be able to articulate your core values
Be forgiving
Keep track of your self reflection

Reflecting helps you to develop your skills and review their effectiveness, rather than just carry on doing things as you always done them.

Curriculum Vitae

We learned how to write a CV in one of our PPD sessions. As Software Engineering students we have internships in our third year, so we have to create our own CVs and send it to companies. Because of that it is very useful to learn about how to write your own CV. Lets see how to write a CV.  

CV should not be more than 2 or 3 pages.

Photograph : Right corner of the first page. Should be colored and passport sized. This is optional.

Personal Details & contact info : Name, address, email and two mobile numbers

Personal profile : Brief description about your objectives and what you are trying to seek. Ex :- seeking a position as an intern

Educational qualification : point out tour educational status up to now.
ex:- degree in the university, Advanced level results etc.

Professional qualification : your non-academic qualifications comes under this.
Ex :- certificates, diplomas etc.

Work experience :  include the name of the company and your work role as well as the duration.
Ex :- Cashier in a Bank

Skills : Mention your technical and soft skills
soft skills - leadership, team work etc.
technical skills – Programming languages, Frameworks etc.

Training and workshops : mentioned recently attended workshops and train campaigns only
Ex :- Google i/o

Achievements and Extracurricular activities : Awards, competitions should be mentioned as well as sports achievements such as colors.

Researches and publications : mostly for people who gained their PhD or M.Sc

References : details of at least two persons those who are in higher social status who can provide correct details and recommend you.

Trust Walk

Activity : Trust Walk

Objective : Get to the ending point

Venue : Lecture Hall

Objects: Handkerchief

Members per group : Two

Rules : One partner should be blindfolded

             Partners should not touch each other

We did this game on our last PPD session. One partner of each team had to guide the blindfolded partner to a certain point to complete the task. The partner was blindfolded by using handkerchief. There were so many obstacles such as brooms, pens, chairs etc. in the middle of the path.

We had to carefully guide him/her through the path. We enjoyed this activity very much. And also we took turns and did the activity again. Somehow me and my partner managed to achieved the goal successfully.

1. We gained many things from this activity to our lives.
2. achieving goals by overcoming the obstacles
3. trusting our partner
4. co-operation and collaborative work
5. be a good listener and a good instructor
6. team work and decision making are few out of them.

The expert game & Pen and thread

The Expert Game

The expert game is where we bend our expert areas to make a product. This is a simple game to improve our ability to work in a group of different people. We did this game last week in our PPD session. We were divided into groups of 5/6 and I was in group A. Ms. Sarasi, our conductor of the PPD session, asked our expertise areas from each of everyone. They were spread in a vast area. The members of our groups had areas like, electrical, chess, designing, gaming etc. We had to choose three areas out of them and combine those to make a simple product. Our product was not much simple, but it was made from bending electrical, chess and gaming. We came up with a product, which is a chess game where we can play virtually. We had to present our idea on the stage and introduce to audience, which includes pricing, product details etc. We had a lot of fun and gained some idea about how to bend different areas to get the work done.

Pen and Thread

We did another small game called pan & thread. We were divided into groups and some objects were provided for each group.

·         Pen

·         Thread

·         Blank paper

·         Sellotape

We had to write word “Viper” on our blank paper without touching the pen, in the given period. Sellotape is taken back after some time. We attached the thread to the pen using the sellotape. There were several endpoints of the thread after attaching it, so our group members got hold of those ends and wrote the word successfully. We learned that there can be incidents where we must work together in changing environments and must take quick decisions to overcome the obstacles.

WSO2 FIELD VISIT

WSO2 Field Visit

On 12^th September we went to wso2 for a field visit. It was organized by our Software Engineering Teaching Unit of Kelaniya University. On that day morning we went to the premises at 9 o’clock. The company was very eye-catching. There was a game area in the lobby also. It was a 7-8 story building, situated in a very crowded area in Colombo.

The session was about technical writing. We gained so much knowledge from those lectures which was conducted by the senior technical writers in wso2. They gave us an individual exercise to do, but none of us got the whole exercise correctly.  They taught us the paths which can be followed by us in the technical writing field. They were surprised to hear that all of us are a blog for our own. Then we did a group activity as a game we had to write instructions for a customer who is using an ATM machine for the first time for withdraw money from his/her savings account.

The group who won that activity got t-shirts from wso2. They served us with refreshments during the break, we enjoyed a hot cup of tea. We got a clear idea about the way we must write user guides, manuals etc. At last there was another presentation and a fun activity. In that we had get into groups and write 4 sentences about an object, but it had to be hard to guess by other groups. The group that got highest mark was our group. They gave us a chocolate box. We took photos with them. We learned and enjoyed a lot from that memorable day.

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY TRENDS

We had a session of Emerging Technology Trends organised by our Personal Progress lecturer. This event was held on 3rd of July 2018. This session was conducted by the Dr. Srinath Perera, who is the the Vice President of Research Department of WSO2.
All four batches were participated to get the knowledge of the current and future technology trends.
We gained a very good knowledge about this topic which we never considered learning before, so we got this grate opportunity to participate this event as an undergraduate software engineering student at University of Kelaniya.

We learned a lot about various kinds of trends. Trends were categorize in to two parts as below.  

Key Trends:

Current

 • APIs

 • Analytics & AI 

• IoT 

• Bots

 Emerging 

• Blockchain 

• Sharing Economy 

• AR/VR 

• Quantum Computing

• 3D Printing   

As we are in 2018 many new technologies were introduced and when we go to industry as employees we have to update our knowledge about time to time.

"The best way to predict the future is to invent it"

-Alan Kay 

(Turing Award Laureate and pioneer in OOP)

CREATIVITY SKILLS

Creativity isn’t only about design and art and beauty. It’s also about using new ways of thinking and structuring something. It’s putting the pieces together to get a better outcome. 

Creativity can be categorized into 3 sections.

Artistic Creativity
You don't have to be an artist for your work to have an artistic element.
If you work for a small company, the artistic task might fall to whoever agrees to do it. These tasks include designing logos, writing advertising copy, creating the packaging for a product, or drafting a phone script for a fundraising drive etc.

Creative Problem-Solving
Creative problem-solving stands out as innovative. A creative problem solver will find new solutions, rather than simply identifying and implementing the norm. You might brainstorm new ways.

Creativity in STEM
Some people think of science and engineering as the exact opposite of art and creativity. However, the opposite is true. The field of STEM (i.e., science, technology, engineering, and math) is highly creative.



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How to develop our Creativity Skills ?


1.Commit Yourself to Developing Your Creativity

The first step is to fully devote yourself to developing your creative abilities. Do not put off your efforts. Set goals, enlist the help of others and put time aside each day to develop your skills.

2.Become an Expert

One of the best ways to develop creativity is to become an expert in that area. By having a rich understanding of the topic, you will be better able to think of novel or innovative solutions to problems.

3.Reward Your Curiosity

Reward yourself when you are curious about something. Give yourself the opportunity to explore new topics.
Sometimes, the true reward of creativity is the process itself, not the product.



4.Be Willing to Take Risks

When it comes to building your creative skills, you need to be willing to take risks in order to advance your abilities. While your efforts may not lead to success every time, you will still be boosting your creative talents and building skills that will serve you well in the future.

5.Build Your Confidence

Insecurity in your abilities can suppress creativity, which is why it is important to build confidence. Make note of the progress you have made, commend your efforts, and always be on the lookout for ways to reward your creativity.

6.Make Time for Creativity

You won't be able to develop your creative talents if you don't make time for them. Schedule some time each week to concentrate on some type of creative project.

7.Overcome Negative Attitudes that Block Creativity

Positive moods can increase your ability to think creatively. Focus on eliminating negative thoughts or self-criticisms that may impair your ability to develop strong creative skills.

 8.Brainstorm to Inspire New Ideas

Brainstorming is a common technique in both academic and professional settings, but it can also be a powerful tool for developing your creativity. The goal is to generate as many ideas as possible in a relatively short span of time. Next, focus on clarifying your ideas in order to arrive at the best possible choice.


Be Self-Accepting. Be Open-minded. Make Mistakes – Mindfully.
Find the Connections.Do Something!!!

HOW TO FACE AN INTERVIEW

How to Face an Interview 

Be prepared: 

Do Extensive Research on the Company 
You should thoroughly research the company you are interviewing with, as you want to make sure you understand the business and anticipate the kinds of questions the interviewer may ask.

Anticipate Questions You Might Be Asked 
It’s important to think early on about the questions you may be asked so that you can prepare an polish answer.

Review Your Facebook and Other Social Media Postings 

Employers often review Facebook and other social media sites to get information and background on prospective employees. So make sure to review your online postings and pictures and delete any information that is not appropriate.

Dress Appropriately for the Interview
You want to dress appropriately and professionally for the job interview. 

Arrive Early and Prepared for the Interview 

Bring the Necessary Documents 
You should bring 5 or 6 copies of documents with you for the interview, in case the need arises. Such documents could include:

Copies of your resume
A list of references (including each person’s title, company, and contact information such as phone number and email address)
Copies of reference letters singing your praises
Work samples such as writings, design layouts, etc. (but make sure you aren’t providing confidential information of your existing employer)

Facing the interview: 

overcome fear 
self confidence 
Be honest 
Prove how better you are than others 
Be pleasant to employer 
Leave a thank you note while leaving 
Be a good listener, and never interrupt. 
Don’t bring up salary or benefits … but be prepared to answer the Dreaded Salary Question directly if asked

STORY WRITING

STORY WRITING

Task : write a story
Number of rounds per each group: 4 rounds
Rules :

• All the members has to face back to the white board.
• Can write only one word at time.
• Cannot communicate with each other

Objective : write a meaningful story in a less time

In our PPD session we did above mentioned activity by getting into 3 groups. Each group had given a marker pen to write the story.

Our group has being trying to write a story about a ghost in a childs dream. It was very hard to make a meaningful  story without communicating. But we somehow managed to make the story. But it was not very meaningful one.

After completing the story we read all stories. each and every group have done the same thing as our group. that was a great activity which teach us communicating is very important for any kind of group activity.

Things that we learned :

1. Without communicating a group work cannot be done as expected.
2. Communication is a must to our success.
3. fixing a half ended activity might be hard if we have no idea about how the previous guys have done it.

PAPER ROCKETS

 PAPER ROCKETS

Mterials : 6 A4 sheets

Task : Make highest numbers of airplanes fly over the given length

Time : 23 minutes

Number of members : 8

Rules : No other papers can be used and after the given time 2 members of each team has to fly those planes.

On our PPD(personal progress and  Development) session we have given the above task by our madam. There were only two groups. We planned our strategy by the weight of the paper and other environment issues like wind and so we did test drives to get the idea about the size of our planes and also to overcome our issues.

we  made 36 rockets and 23 got over the margin. Our team won the game even though our team had less members.

Things we learnt by this activity:

1. Time managing
2. Work as a team
3. Overcome obstacles
4. Choose the best members  to compete with other teams(eg:- to fly the planes)