Critical Evaluation of Performance, Progress and Learning - Essay Example

?Reflection and Critical Evaluation of Performance, Progress and Learning Part Critical/Evaluative Assessment of Performance Contribution and Interpersonal Skills During your Work Experience: Use of Career Development Tools to Analyze and Evaluate Work Performance, Contribution and Interpersonal Skills. Work Experience is a designed practical learning action, and is an important assessment of an educational course. The experience of work allows learners to increase work skills, assess employment opportunities, and handle different types of work and working environments. “Work experience can be of real value to individuals and to employers. However, in itself, such experience is not enough. It is the recognition of skills and awareness of the work context that is important” (Work Experience Module n.d., p. 6). The workers who successfully complete this module will: Set attainable goals for work experience Understand how the work is planned and organized at different stages Develop skills and capabilities to face challenges in the work Discover future employment opportunities Maintain a work place diary which describes and analyses experiences at workplace. Recognize equality problem connected to the workplace e.g. age, gender, sexual orientation, etc Competition for work experience placements has constantly been severe. The best probable possibility of securing work lies in the quality of the people who approach the job. This requires a short introductory email or letter, and CV to catch the attention of employers. This work based learning experience will help the employees to perform their job better, able to identify and evaluate where they went wrong, how to achieve the set standards, and what actions need to be taken to improve the performance. Performance appraisal system will help evaluate the employee’s performance. Interpersonal Skills: Through work based learning, the employees can develop their interpersonal skills. “The most common form of learning from other people takes the form of consultation and collaboration within the immediate working group: this may include teamwork, ongoing mutual consultation and support or observation of others in action. Beyond the immediate work environment, people sought information and advice, from other people in their organization, from customers or suppliers or from wider professional networks” (Eraut n.d., Interpersonal skills include: Increased cooperative working relationships Working with others to efficiently solve conflicts Methods of Assessing Interpersonal Skills Include: Personality inventories (e.g. MBTI), Interviews, 360 degree feedback, Assessment centers, peer evaluations of class projects. Assessment of interpersonal skill signifies an exchange between organizational problem and behavioral evaluation. When evaluating the different methods to determine interpersonal skills, it is significant to take into account the costs that have to be met by the organization. These expenses may comprise the idea to expand or acquire, organize and manage the evaluation process. The progress of an interview is a simple job, but organizing individual interviews need time. Other forms of evaluation (360-degree feedback and evaluation centers), on the other hand, can frequently be troublesome, and they necessitate time to expand and manage. Therefore it is classified as high on administrative costs. The team-working skills provide the capability to work in teams, and to make use of suitable interpersonal skills to make relationships with team members, colleagues and external stakeholders. “Good teamwork releases group synergy so that the combined effect of individual contributions far exceeds the sum of their individual effects. There is mutual accountability and togetherness amongst members of a well-knit team. The basic premise here is that individual contributions cannot be as good as all of us working together in a team” (Leadership and Teamwork n.d.). Networking is an important part of any job search. It is the method of creating contacts for the purpose of communicating career goals, collecting information, seeking advice and obtaining guidance on jobs. The larger the employees network, the more likely the job to be successful. Leadership skills provide the skill to guide a team by taking responsibility for a job, providing information, giving direction, and transfer responsibility to others. In work based learning, they adopt transformational style of leadership as followers are given the opportunity to change, alter and expand themselves. In any organization, this accomplishes the best leadership result, as transformational leaders develop people. It is suitable for fast-paced, changing atmosphere that require creative problem solving and customer relationship. “Overall it is argued that – no matter which theory is adopted – leaders and leadership are important as it is about influencing in an organizational setting or situation, the effects of which are meaningful and have a distinct impact on, and facilitate the achievement of, challenging organizationally relevant goals (Ivancevich & Matteson 1996)” (Leadership Evaluation 2004, p. 12). Impact of Leadership to Workers: 1) Lesser employee turnover 2) Enhanced morale 3) Better working relationships 4) More modernization and higher levels of self-confidence 5) Better team work 6) Obligation to strategic goals Scientific studies prove that certain coaching styles such as Emotional Intelligence will help to widen positive outlook and workplace culture. Emotional Intelligence: “Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to perceive, control and evaluate emotions. Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer have defined emotional intelligence as, the subset of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one's own and others' feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide one's thinking and actions" (Cherry 2012). The main components of emotional intelligence include self awareness, social awareness, self management, and relationship management. In this social awareness and self awareness influence the organization and the employees. The researches have critically evaluated that emotional intelligence has no relation with intelligent quotient. It is related to the person skill to adjust their moods but not to stop moods from biasing their decision. The results shows that emotional intelligence is distinct and helpful, but intelligent quotient is essential in recognizing emotional processes. In today’s competitive world, the workers need to develop their skills which ensure development in their career. Some of the skills are: Training and mentoring The precision of communications Interpersonal negotiation skills People's compliance and flexibility Conflict resolution Creative thinking Personal responsibility The degree of group effort Traditionally, people don’t receive adequate career development skills training. These skills are becoming more important in today's work force. It's just not sufficient to be highly skilled in technological skills, without increasing the interpersonal, softer and relationship-building skills that help people to speak and work together efficiently. These skills are more significant than ever as organizations take efforts to discover significant means to remain dynamic and competitive. Leadership, teamwork and communication are underpinned by career development skills. Since they are an important factor for personal and organizational success, increasing these skills is very essential. Part 2- Critical Review of Progress Towards Achieving Development Actions You Identified in Relation to Developing Your Employability Skills. Work-based learning has increasingly become a state of interest for the higher education division. It is seen as a means to support the professional and personal growth of students who are already in work, and the concentration of development and learning trends to be with the student’s workplace actions. “Work based learning” (Work-Based Learning Program 2010) in higher education is the aspect of difficult and developing relationships among higher education and work. Despite the base of university education in the UK, as anywhere else, the quality of training and the principles of higher education have normally been antipathetic to a close connection among work and higher education. “Through work-based strategies, students learn how to apply what they are learning in the classroom as they prepare to transition into the world of career opportunities” (Benefits of Work-Based Learning n.d.). Following are the important stages of ethical and intellectual development during which learners typically progress: “(i) Learner seeks and expects right answers for everything. (ii) Learner perceives diversity as distraction. (iii) Learner accepts diversity as temporary. (iv) Diversity accepted but therefore 'everyone has a right to know. (v) Learner perceives all knowledge as contextual and relative. (vi) Learner perceives necessity of making a personal judgment as opposed to simple belief. (vii) Learner makes such a judgment and personal commitment. (viii) Learner explores implications of commitment. (ix) Learner experiences issues of personal identity in undertaking commitment” (Baker et al. 1999, p. 82). Work-based learning skill represent students to various types of jobs and assist students learn and apply experiences essential to the working world. “Work-Based Learning is based upon the premise that learning does not only take place in the classroom” (Fee 2009). At the same time these experiences provide students the chance to obtain skills, attitudes and data for work, and other life functions, by contributing in simulated or actual work settings connected to school instructional plans. All of these actions are intended at the combination of workplace experiences into the educational surroundings to help students in enhancing work behaviors that create for them more employability. These activities also give academic experience and workplace to help them in becoming cooperative, responsible and effective members of the society. “Work Based Learning (WBL) allows you to achieve valuable qualifications at the same time as gaining relevant, practical experience in real work situations. When you leave school you can enter WBL either through an Entry to Employment (E2E) programme or an Apprenticeship – depending on the qualifications you gain at school” (What is Work Based Learning? n.d.). The Objectives of Work Based Learning: It to give a chance for students to increase first hand knowledge of the realism of work in an applicable profession during a small period of work based study in an organization To give knowledge that permits students to create notified decisions in developing contacts, future careers, to make a portfolio of work, and to reproduce it on probable future training requirements. To permit students to apply the range of knowledge and skills obtained in the way of their studies to an actual setting “To expand and enhance the student's learning through planned career experiences in an actual work setting” (Work Based Learning Program n.d.). To allow professional expansion, and increase a choice of transferable abilities. The work-based learning courses in universities are not clear in much of the accessible literature, though researchers in the area are conscious that there are reservations regarding the matter of work-based learning programmers, and modules from various parties. Following are the issues raised by managers in work based learning: 1. “Labour intensive support required from university academics” (Garnett & Young n.d., p. 10). There are issues related to assessing and supporting work-based learning, which can be the connected to prevailing promotion and reward criteria within organizations. Various universities have changed their method to staff time, considering that staff must operate the same time models as they do for more conservative full-time undergraduate programmes. The staff needs a specific range of pedagogical abilities and a considerable work-based learning idea which they could be use in a focused way. 2. Too Complex and Demanding for University Method: A work-based programme needs to be embedded in a university, in terms of staff considerate, and in terms of structures and systems to support learning; many teachers in work-based learning have established that university structures, concerning the particular group of processes and learners, are not always responsive to their specific needs, and this can be a reflection for the university. 3. Doubts Regarding its Academic Standard and Benefit: Some academic scepticism regarding work-based learning happens due to a concern that the financial value of raising the labor force is being prioritized more than the academic price of increasing individual people. Changes occurring in high education affect wider, international, cultural and economic transformations, not minimizing the strident forms of managerialism connected with global entrepreneurship. These are broadly seen as having negative influences on higher education, or may be viewed with suspicion by some who maintain the common rule of a widening contribution in higher education. Employability Skills: Employability refers to an individual's capacity of maintaining employment, gaining primary employment, maintaining service, and obtaining new employment if required. “Employability can be enhanced by work-related activities which do not include doing a job of work. There has been a lot of interest in developing more authentic classroom tasks and in work-simulating activities” (Little n.d., p. 3). It dwells at the skill sets, tool sets and the mind set that are essential to execute tasks effectively and efficiently. “The employability initiative is a challenging and hugely rewarding volunteering scheme. Personally, transferring my presentation skills from the boardroom to the classroom was no simple task, and it has certainly helped my own personal development” (Programme Benefits 2012). These employability skills includes written communication, oral communication, team work, leadership, interpersonal skills, computer literacy, numeracy, planning and organizing, initiative and adaptability/flexibility. “Creating quality work-based learning experiences is not easy. For youth with disabilities, there are additional challenges, including a lack of opportunity for exposure to an array of career options and industry settings; insufficient staff to help youth learn how to access the necessary assistive technologies and other support services; and a concern by program staff that employers are unwilling to accept a referral for a youth with a disability, because there may be an adverse impact on performance outcomes” (Work-Based Learning Jump Start 2002). Part 3: Key Learning from the WBL Module and How it Contributes to Career Planning and Actions: Familiarity with work has an important role in the growth of a person’s work willingness. This also has a prominent role in preparing students to be flexible for a future of work which may be varying. Now a day, students are aware about the changing world of jobs. Personal development and taking responsibilities for their own future career are crucial. For this purpose, they have to undergo continuous learning throughout all the stages of life. Work based learning also helps students manage relationships within an organization, where everyone competes with each other to become the reward winner. The healthy completion is the most important strategy every organization follows to survive in the field. “The pace of change in the work place will require people to re-equip themselves, as new knowledge and new skills are needed... A lifelong career in one organization will increase the exception. People will need the knowledge and skills to control and manage their own working lives” (Dearing 1997). Actually there are some expectations from WBL which are ideal. Work based learning provides a lot of experience by different participants from different backgrounds. It also provides a broad range of location of learning for the participant, i.e. the location may be a classroom, on sight, or a community setting. Work based learning helps the students involve with people who are old or disabled, but they consider them as normal persons. “Work based learning is now seen as essential for skills development of the UK’s workforce, for maintaining competitiveness in industry and commerce and aiding the economic recovery” (Work Based Learning n.d.). What I feel is, I am benefitted with my experience. The experiences I had while facing several interviews helped me immensely. Most of the interviews were conducted by the company authorities themselves. This gave me confidence and pride in meeting any circumstances. The written exams before the interview contained questions for testing intelligence quotient and emotional quotient. This instilled in me an enormous belief in myself, and the opportunities were enough to think about my self. ”Work-based education should be viewed not as a unique activity targeted at a single group of students, but as a coordinated series of activities and experiences serving all youth within the system. To that end, a comprehensive work-based program depends on many different individuals each contributing to the overall experience” (Work-Based Learning Tips and Techniques for maximum Results 1992, p. 23). While critically analyzing the experiences I had in the organization, it is very clear to me that work based learning has only advantages as the stated disadvantages are negligible. So it can be firmly established that Work Based Learning is the most for students who have the desire to work in an organization. “Work experience itself is not necessarily intrinsically beneficial. It is the learning that an individual derives from the experience that is important” (Learning and Employability: Series One n.d., p. 14). Some of the benefits I had- This project has provided me with a better understanding of the organization, the products it manufactures, and the environment it operates in. It helps me to settle the areas I wished to study. I was easily motivated to work in this way. This work gave me the chance to consider about the overall team attempt in my organization, instead of concentrating only on my own functional areas. I have developed my communication skills through the continuous presentation of product information to my superiors. For me, this experience gave the better understanding of the organization and its procedures. The operations of an organization must concentrate on the different environments concerning its products or services. The experience gave me an opportunity to find the interested area for me and I was motivated by watching the attitude of people there. “Higher education institutions are coming under increasing pressure to ensure their graduates have relevant employability skills. Institutions are also being encouraged to help students develop enterprise skills so that more graduates have the confidence and knowledge to set up businesses” (Learning and Employability: Series One n.d., p. 26). The Work experience gave me a chance to be a part of the overall team attempt, which has helped me in preventing me from concentrating on myself. But the team attempt also demands self consciousness. The communication skill is empowered due to the continuous presentation of products to the superiors. The other benefits I have earned are, The position has helped me to extend my network skills, and to establish and develop a strong relationship with the customers. I have enjoyed working in a team of my peer groups. It helps me to develop good relationship with my colleagues. I have solved the conflicts between two employees in the organization. I understand that conflicts decrease our performance level and also waste our time. My confidence has to a great extent improved and it is reflected in my work. This is made possible by my effective interaction with customers, which in turn has improved my communicative skills more than ever. I have learned time management skills and its importance from my manager. I have come across a number of circumstances that enabled me to face myself, both in dealing with difficult customers, and in solving problems. Such incidents have educated me on how I should handle myself in such circumstances, and be a thorough professional. My faults have added very much to my learning too, explaining to me where I had gone wrong in undertaking a task. I feel, my listening skill has enhanced considerably. Such development has come through by listening to criticism from my social group about completed tasks, and by listening to varied information from my clients, directly in face to face meeting, and over the phone. Being able to touch upon emotions is one thing that I feel is necessary if I want to become a true professional, because a manager should understand that the employees are the assets of an organization, and considering their needs is highly important in order to achieve the organizational goals. “Work-based learning activities extend the classroom into the workplace, connecting acquired knowledge and skills to a student‘s future employment” (Applying Education and Skills to Real Employment Opportunities n.d.). Reference List Applying Education and Skills to Real Employment Opportunities n.d. 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