Sharing Skills

At i-Learner, we value learning and are always thinking about how to develop our skills. We asked Ms Yamon and Ms Dorothy to share their experiences of studying abroad and the skills they learned.

Ms Yamon

English Teacher

Ms Dorothy

English Teacher

What skills do you think today's students need?

Apart from language skills, creativity is really important. Students should try to nurture their creativity, which will help them to develop problem-solving skills. It’s important for students to learn to think for themselves, especially in an ‘out of the box’ way.

In my opinion, students need critical thinking skills. There is so much information coming from different media outlets, and students have to be able to analyse information, think independently and filter the information they receive. Having critical thinking skills also means that you are able to empathise with others, which is especially important nowadays.

What skills do you think students need when studying abroad?

The reason why many of us study abroad is for new experiences and an opportunity to interact with people from different countries and cultures. Social skills as well as language skills are really important to be able to interact and communicate well. Another essential skill is independence, as students will need to take care of themselves. Being mature and having a strong character also contribute to independence and the ability to take care of yourself and live well.

Classes at overseas universities are quite different – professors aim to inspire students and challenge them to conduct and analyse their own research. It is also important for students to be flexible. Interactions can be very different abroad as people deal with issues and react in different ways. It is important to keep an open mind and not to set boundaries for yourself.

What was your study abroad experience like? What were some challenges and how could you manage them?

I studied abroad in two countries - Hong Kong and the US - and the experiences were quite different. Even though US culture was more familiar, I still experienced culture shock. In both cases I developed skills that I might not have learned if I hadn’t studied abroad. I had to develop practical skills like opening a bank account and cooking for myself. I also had to be mentally strong as the change of culture and environment was difficult at times. Having good social and communication skills definitely helped, especially in learning how to adapt to different kinds of interactions.

It was hard at the beginning. I had to adapt to a new living environment as well as a different learning environment. I was used to the convenience of Hong Kong, but in Canada, the pace of living was much slower. I had to plan things and manage my time better because I could not do things at the last minute anymore.

Have you continued to develop your skills after university? If so, how?

What do we need to stay motivated to learn?

Yes of course! We are all students and lifelong learners, and we should continue to develop our skills. For example, after university we enter the workplace, where we need different skills as we have more responsibilities.

Yes, through taking a series of exams and courses. I like to give myself a reality check and to stay competitive as it is easy to feel complacent when you work in the same environment for a long time.

I think our motivation is influenced by our interests. If we find something that we are really passionate about, then it is easy to stay motivated. I think awareness is also important. Even though we have finished a course or learned something new, we should remember that we are not experts and we should always be open to learning.

I set goals so I know that I am working towards something. Also, when there is a lot of work and things feel overwhelming, I usually plot my progress to stay motivated. This way I can see how far I’ve come when I need a quick boost of motivation and enthusiasm.