Written by Elaine Han, 2019 Cohort
I enrolled in Pre-MDM in 2018, learning about communication and professional know-how in the field of Digital Media. Just like a lot of other Pre-MDM students, I came to get a better chance of applying to the MDM program and be well-prepared. Because as an international student, you will be facing a lot of difficulties in cultural differences and language barriers, especially terminologies.
I still remember I was impressed by the love and support that our amazing instructor, Aida Osian, gave us at that time.
There were more than one one-on-one session per week. We spent a lot of time on IELTS training and discussions about our personal life and possible future careers. Undoubtedly, the best way to speak English fluently is through regular speaking practice. She showed great patience and encouragement during the conversation and corrected my grammar while listening to me. I believe it was the first time that someone was so focused on my words. Moreover, there were many interesting challenges that we conquered.
We gave elevator pitches, conducted small lectures to the cohorts, wrote user documentation and even filmed a tech gadget haul on Youtube!
I understand nowadays the pre-MDM does not have to train for IELTS academic anymore and the technical language program is sufficient for accessing graduate level. This is great news and also a major change for the generations to come!
Talking about challenges…
I created a game, a 360 video, an educational app and a mixed reality project within six months. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?
Thanks to our amazing instructor, Jason Elliot, he really pushed us past our limit.
Besides improving English practice and knowledge, I spent most of our time drowning in new digital media information, and rapid prototyping with my teammates. Jason is one of the most interesting instructors since he can be so chill and strict at the same time. I think that’s why we were not only so motivated to finish and polish the projects but also had so much fun in the process.
Overall, I would say it was a highly personalized learning experience for us. I improved my communications skills in English, learned a bunch of tech-related terminologies, passed my IELTS test, and was introduced to a whole new world of Digital Media.
Most importantly, I made beautiful friendships with my colleagues, instructors, and people from different countries. On our last day of the Pre-MDM program, I hosted the graduation ceremony. We shared the memories that we built together and exchanged our feelings and gratitude.
It was a special moment that I won’t ever forget, when I had to use my new and improved English to present in front of an audience, after so much pitching and presenting practice during the pre-mdm program.