What Learnt from PPD

           Since last two years we had PPD as a compulsory subject. But the PPD is over from this semester. But we learnt lot of things from PPD.

As we are Software Engineering students we have to study so many subjects.But among them PPD is a very interesting and important subject to us. Because this subject improve our personal qualities and how we communicate in our day today life. Without of these things we have not studies anything.

We Started our PPD session from introducing ourselves in front of the class. After that we did so many group activities, games, presentations, workshops, in every week. However in the first days it was very difficult to talk in front of the class and not confident about it. But  we can understand we are getting improve day by day among these activities. Miss Sarasi always told us to communicate only in English with others in the PPD session. Not only that WE have Presentations, speeches, dialog s,etc. From these activities we Improve our soft skills.

We learn so many team works and games. We learn from that

• How work with a team.
• How respect others.
• How to work as a leader.
• How work under a leader.
• How we follow the rules.

As well as

• How we communicate with others.
• How we respect to others.
• How we understand the opportunities and barriers.
• How we choose the best option.
• How we manage the limited resources withen the given period 

First of all we thank for you given those opportunity to us. We got so many life experience from our PPD session. When we are going to the industry in the competitive world, we had to perform that qualities. As a software engineers always we have to work as a team to archive given tasks. PPD session changes our lives. It was very interesting and we enjoy a lot and we improve our soft skills.
Thank you madam for given those opportunities to us.

Self Reflection

What is Self Reflection?
Self Reflection is like looking into a mirror and describing what you see. It is a way of assessing yourself, your ways of working and how you study. To put it simply ‘reflection’ means to think about something. Reflecting and composing a piece of self reflective writing is becoming an increasingly important element to any form of study or learning.

Self Reflection is very important to us. Because Reflecting helps you to develop your skills and review their effectiveness, rather than just carry on doing things as you have always done them. It is about questioning, in a positive way, what you do and why you do it and then deciding whether there is a better, or more efficient, way of doing it in the future.

In any role, whether at home or at work, reflection is an important part of learning. You wouldn’t use a recipe a second time around if the dish didn’t work the first time would you? You would either adjust the recipe or find a new and, hopefully, better one. When we learn we can become stuck in a routine that may not be working effectively. Thinking about your own skills can help you identify changes you might need to make.

What are the Reflective Questions to Ask form yourself

• Strengths – What are my strengths? For example, am I well organised? Do I remember things?
• Weaknesses – What are my weaknesses? For example, am I easily distracted? Do I need more practice with a particular skill?
• Skills – What skills do I have and what am I good at?
• Problems – What problems are there at work/home that may affect me? For example, responsibilities or distractions that may impact on study or work.
• Achievements – What have I achieved?
• Happiness – Are there things that I am unhappy with or disappointed about? What makes me happy?
• Solutions – What could I do to improve in these areas?

This is a simple Way to the process of self reflection:

STOP: Take a step back from life or a particular situation.

LOOK: Identify and get perspective on what you notice and see.

LISTEN: Listen to your inner guide, the innate wisdom that bubbles up when you give it time and space to emerge.

ACT: Identify the steps you need to take moving forward to adjust, change or improve.

Cake Activity

Another Activity in our PPD session. We divided in to groups and Miss Sarasi given us a rectangle piece of cake. She told us to divide cake in to 8 pieces in three cut.

However madam gave us the one threat to cut the cake. But we haven't any idea to how cut the cake to 8 pieces. We get the lot of ideas of our team members. However  everyone cannot give the good idea for it in the time Period. Only One team won that activity.

What we learn from this activity

• Time management.
• Working with others.
• Listen to other ideas.
• Working with a group.

After we shared the cake and enjoy it.

Trust Walk

            Another activity In the last PPD session we have to find a partner. After we cover the eyes of the partner. The other person had to give instructions to the blind person about the where to turn,obstacles and paths.The instructor should navigate the listener to the final destination. This activity had two rounds where the listener of the first round became the instructor in the second round.

If we trust someone we should not trust him or her bindly. We can not see anything we have a brain to think. We can give to instruct the other person when he or she does a wrong things. If blind one communicated with the instructor well they won't do such a mistake.When someone keeps his or her trust on us, we have a responsibility of protecting it. Some times some people keeps their life on another persons hand trusting him. In this activity also the blind one keeps trust on the instructor. If one step was taken in a wrong way sometimes the blind one may fall. So we should a good instructor to the others. Protect the trust that someone lay on us.

These things are really important when we live in the society. When we work we have to trust so many people and follow their paths. Trust the people but not trust blindly... 

Emerging Technology Trends

        Another PPD session  we had a important industrial session. It based on Emerging technology trends.This Session was conducted by vice president of research at WSO2  Dr. Srinath Perera.

         It was an interesting session.At first he explained the history of technology trends.After he explained the trends that he understood.


        After that he explained the key trends of the two sections. Current trends and growing trends. Each of the current trends and emerging trends are well explained to us.


       Finally  he give time to ask  the doubts and questions from him. he gave the answers for our questions. And also he gave us a pen from WSO2.

How to write a CV

       Have you thought how important a CV is when you apply for a job. Our CV is the first chance we get to make a good impression on a potential employer.A top quality CV will consider chance of getting face to face interview.  So it is worth spending time and effort on the content and presentation. It will difference in obtaining the position you want. So that you must highlight your skills,experience and value.

Make sure Your CV should not generally be longer than two pages. So make sure that you tailor it specially to the job you are applying for and include the skills, qualifications and experience which are most suited to the job.An employer will want to find the following information in your CV

Personal Details:-
           Include your name and address,a phone number and your email address.You may also add your nationality.gender and date of birth if you wish. But they are not obligatory.

Personal Profile:-
          This is optional. But it can be very effective in summarizing your areas of expertise and characteristics. It is good to include your enthusiasm about working as a Legal Secretary and what motivates you about the industry. Use keywords and keep it brief and concise.

Key Skills:-
          Include any skills you have learnt such as secretarial or IT skills. Explain what you think your personal skills are.

Employment History:-
          Start with your current or last employer and work backwords. You should include the dates of employment, your job title, name of employer, nature of business, responsibilities, duties and achievements.Try not to leave gaps in your employment history.

Education and Qualification:-
          Write in chronological order a brief list of school,college and university qualifications.such as GCE O Level, GCE A Level etc, together with grades you obtained.Then list any futher qualifications you have obtained,together with the names of the awarding bodies. When you include the legal Secretaries Diploma, make sure that you Secretaries and PAs. If you are currently studying for a qualification, mention it together with any results achieved so far.

Interests:-
          This is optional but gives you a chance to portray something about your personality. Keep it simple. mention what you do in your free time and note any achievements.

References:-
          There is no need to write the details of your referees on your CV. Simply state that they are available on request, but make sure that you know who your referees are and that you have asked their permission to use them. Presentation as well as content is important. There is no set way in which to present your CV.

We must shoud:-

• Use good quality paper.
• Be clear and concise.
• Check your Spelling and Grammar.
• Highlight headings so that the stand out.
• Be neat and precise.
• Use a confident and positive language.

Employers can receive many CV's for a job which has been advertised so it is important to create a good impression to attract their attention. So if you write a professional,high quality CV you will stand out from the rest.

Technical Writing- Visit to WSO2

           On the 12th September.Our 2nd year batch of Software Engineering degree programme visited WSO2  company. It is the one of the leading Software Company in Sri Lanka. That was a good experience to start our new semester.

 At the entrance we were given a very nice note book and a pen.What i first notice at there was they were well prepared and has organized everything before hand. We went there at 8.30 a.m.

The agenda of our session is

• Introduction to technical writing
• Grammar Lab(Hands -on Session)
• Write to win(Group Competition)
• Technical Writing as a Career
• Fun activity
• Gifts and Conclusion

In the first session they gave us an introduction about what the technical writing is. It is kind of a interesting job. Because technical writer has do writing only about 5% from their job. All other things deal with requirement gathering.Study about the product etc.There are lot of job positions are associated with the technical writing. We can go some higher positions in future from this path. Our English speaking and Writing skill  is very important to start our career in this path.


It was not like a Lecture.We learned valuable things from this workshop. We learned some English grammar areas. Then there were  given some exercise to fix some grammar errors.

After the exercise we had a small competition and it was a group activity. We were asked to write a user manual for a user who wants to withdraw 1500 rupees from an ATM.

Then the competition we got some refreshments and after that there was a fun group activities.In the fun group activities we had to think about an object as a group and write four sentences about that object to describe it. Other groups want to tell a correct object using that describe.It was very fun activity.






However by the time we reached the end of our session. Finally they announced that winning team of the ATM activity and the fun activities and given some gifts for them.

Finally We took  some photographs with them. It was very interesting session and we have learn many things. As well as I'm very proud to them for given us this opportunity. They showed the ares that we need to improve to become a Professional.

Facing an Interview ?

             Have you got a call/ letter from a Company? Asked for an interview........... This is the path for it.
Another activity in our ppd session. It was the we have to face to a small interview which was conducted by our friends in ppd session.

             In our ppd session miss sarasi teaches us how to face an interview. So that in this day we have to face that interview in the classroom. We walked with confidence, Kept a smile on our face. answers what our friends asked. At that moment we really think about job positions about our strengths,weakness. So that we think that what we want to improve as well as to do to show our strengths in an interview.
In some occasions we forget to keep eye contacts. Sometimes forget to keep the chair when we got up and forget to say thank you..

            Most of us made simple mistakes during our interview. But we got little experience from that interview. That was the first time interview for all of us.

But we learn lot of things.

• Shake hand properly. Don't show them you are nervous and all just act natural.
• Introduce yourself Correctly.
• Don't tell too much.
• Don't ask for salary.
• Dont ask how many people appear for that position.
• Thnak the interviewers.
• Put chair back before leave the place.

Story Writing

               Another activity in our ppd session. We were divided in to 3 groups and asked to sit facing back to the White Board.In each group one team members was given a white board marker. After She told us to write a story with a good Ending. Each student can write one word at a time. There were four rounds and we were not allowed to talk with the team members and make the quick story. Everyone had to go to the white board and write a word. 

                     We ran to the white board and read the story and wrote the next word. It was So difficult to us.  At the last round miss sarasi changed the order of  the team members. However we wrote the story. But it is not a good story and it was funny to read.

 From this activity we learn lot of things. 

• Hard to do a group activity without discussing each other.
• Communicating is very important.
• Different people think in different ways.
• We have to listen the others ideas.
• Team work is useful to communicate with others.

Little Rockets

       After long time Our PPD  Madem Srasi given us a another interesting group project. That was a make paper rockets.

       She provided us 6 A4 sheets and told us to make many paper rockets from that papers.The Size of the rockets was regardless.

  After madem devided us to teams and gave us the challange. First we discussed about how make large number of rockets from that 6 A4's. 

  

However we Started to make rockets.She gave us 20 minutes to make rockets. From that time we maked 36 paper rockets. 

After that she gave us another challange. That was She marked the line and told us to send the all rockets across the line.  However we could send 24 rockets across the line.

We Learn from this Activity :

• Limited Resoucers Management from using 6 A4's and making 36 rockets.
• Time Mangement.
• How do Team work

This is the one of another group activity done our PPD sesion.

Looks Back

Since 8th March we entered the university of Kelaniya when I look back I remember lot of memories.  From that memories our PPD session is not unforgettable. Because l learned lot of tings from PPD.  It is not a subject. It changes our life.

     During this year we did lot of team works . We learnt  how we communicate each other and how get success from working with the team. Some of the team works we did from the PPD session are,
     1) Paper Tower

     2) Lava River

     3) Egg Protector

     4) Barter Puzzle

     5) Outbound Training at Naval Camp

    What  We have learned from PPD

•  How We work as a team for success.
• Good Communication each other.
• Leadership Skills.
• Respect Other Opinions
• Puntuality 
• Presentation Skills  

                             
           



In the PPD session  We learned lot of Things to our life. Thank you PPD and Happy New Year.... We Will meet in next Year..😍😍😍                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Leadership And Outbound Training..

                    We arranged to go to the Leadership and Outward Bound Traing at Naval and Maritime Academy in Trincomalee on 9th December. First year and Second year Software Engineering students participate to this Camp..

   

 First Day

     We Started Our Jurney at 3.30 a.m. We Enjoyed well in the bus.We had our Breakfast at8.30a.m. After we reached to the Trincomalee Navy Camp at 10.30 a.m. and We enterd to the camp. They brought us to our staying rooms.After WE changed our cloths and got ready to lunch.After lunch we went to beach side for our programme.They devided us to four groups.

First Activity

       There is a wood frame were hanged and 8 members have to go from one side to other side without any touching or movements on that frame. So when one of us pass the square other members help to pass the square to him.So we learn how to work as a term through this activity.

Second Activity

        Ten people from the group were participate in this game.One is the leader and other nine are the players.All nine have a small PVC pipe and stand in a line.Leader put a marble in the one side of the pipe and we have to pass the marble through nine people without drop that and we have to pass the end line.So we learn how to obey the leader's command and cooperate with others.

Third Activity

        Ten people from the group played this game. We have to keep a brick without fell by our stomach and back and have to cross the end line. This activity teach us what is the Team Work.

Fourth activity

        This is very interesting and funny game.A plastic pipe with some holes was given to us and we have to fill that. That is the game. We have to close one open end by keep that on one of our team members stomach.In our group I kept the pipe in my stomch. after that we can close other holes by other team member’s hand and we have to fill that by carring water from sea by our hands and mouth.  It’s very funny and we learn the team work from that.

Fifth Activity

       It’s a volley ball but something different. Four of us keep acloth and one has to put the ball on it.and we have to throw the ball over tha net and another one in other side of the net has catch the ball. This is really challenging game. We learn Team work from it.

Sixth Activity

      This is Tug of war.two teams were participated and winning team will play with other team.This is the  very big lession for us to learn team  work .

Camp Fire

        Near 6pm we return to accommodation and get ready for dinner in formal dress.after that we returned the same place and make a camp fire and do some activities like drama,singing songs and dance.

After that we had our dinner and returned to the accomodation place

Second Day

       On second day we got ready at near 7.30am and had our breakfast .After hat we were divided into four groups .and task is we have to go through the forest by using compass.it’s really amazing and interesting .inside the officier acted as a injured man so we have to help him. That is very interesting also. Finally we reached the destination and had a tea.

        After that we visited to the Navy Museum . that is very nice and interesting place.one of the officier explain all the things in there .That’s very nice experience to us and it helped us to know something about ships and other some sea related things .

        Finally we had our lunch.After we all thanked to the Navy officers and we take group photo with them. 

After we went to the rooms and got ready for leave from the Navy Camp . we arrived to our  university at 12.30 a.m.

Lava River and Stand On a Paper

       Another group activity in ppd session. Miss Sarasi devided us to three groups.

        That was a stand on the paper game. Miss gave us a paper and she told us to stand on the paper. It is very difficult game.

        Second time she gave us a small paper than first round.It is too small to stan our group so that our all team members cannot stand on the paper. One team do that successfully.

        Next she change the team members and started the next game Lava River. It is very interesting game. We had to go the destination only stand on the papers on lava river. We could be able to do first round.

     Next Madam gave some conditions to do the game. Only one can collect point. Point is given marks which was situated some places in floor. So that second round is not easy.  However we go to the destination.

We learn from these two activities

• How do team work

• Good communication each other

• Time Management

• Leadeship

• How manage Limited resources  

   

Puzzle Game

Another Grop activity in PPD. This is a Puzzle Game.
        Miss Sarasi  divided us to three groups and she gave a magazine paper to each group and give us a five seconds to analyzed that paper.After She recollect that paper and cut that into hundred prices with a different shapes.Then she collect ten pieces from each group and shuffle them and return to each groups.

 
        Then she gave us fifteen minutes to rearrange the pieces and set the paper like she gave us earlier. That is Very hard to us. Bcause all the pieces are like same. So that It is very difficult to find the right pieces. But however we make the puzzle

That is very interesting game. We learn

•    Time management.
•    Working with a group.
•    Listen to others.
•    Use the limited resources.

Egg Protector

          Another Group activity in PPD session. First we divided us and Our madam gave us a Egg , Five A4 papers and Selotape. Then She told us to a protector for that egg by using that papers and selotape. She gave us 45 minutes to do that.
 

         We all think how we make  protector to the egg. Lot of members told lot of ideas. But after We Come to a one idea of that. After we make our protector.  Then she told us one student stand on the bench and put the protector on floor. The Egg was not broken team was the winner.

       

This is very interesting game.We lean how we listen to othes and get the creativity ideas of them.