English 301 is a technical writing course aimed at students in the education, co-op, commerce, arts, and science fields. The areas of study covered include professional written/online communication for use in business, such as emails, texts, letters, proposals, reports, and abstracts. Coursework includes lectures, class discussion and practical assignments. Students are encouraged to collaborate and learn from one another’s posted work on the UBC Blog system. Assignments include setting up personal blogs, writing letters, messages, emails, and applications, among other items. A good deal of time is spent on reflection and peer review to hone the editing skills and digest learning. The instructor’s blog is where coursework and feedback will be posted for the students’ review.

I expect this course to help me refine my writing skills for use in the dental field. As a dental hygiene practice owner, I need to use my writing skills daily in marketing work, correspondence with doctors, patient charting, research preparation, client communication, and more. The ability to be concise but thorough is essential in my field. Much of the writing I produce becomes part of my clients’ legal medical charts. For this reason, I want it to be of quality caliber.

The construction and execution of written material is a skill that only improves with practice and training. I hope that I will refine my existing skills and gain additional ones with the discussion and practice I will undertake over the next 3 months. I look forward to the reflection piece of the work, as I know from my prior learning experiences that reflection is what makes any new knowledge or skill meaningful to the student. By considering what is working and what needs development, I can maximize the take-aways from this course. This will improve my business and communication skills, and also help me to build further through additional coursework in the future.