Learning Experience Reflection - Personal Statement Example

One of the defining moments of human beings is understanding the meaning of their experience. To do this, individuals reflect on their past, link, and construct sense. Reflection plays a vital role in individuals' lives at various levels, such as work and learning institutions. For instance, people get to learn enhanced meanings, encourages complex and insightful learning, and fosters growth. In this paper, I will reflect on my previous course learning topics, including report writing, writing covering letter, academic writing, and employability skills using Kolb's reflective model.

The four stages of Kolb's reflective cycle will help evaluate various aspects of my four topics. The first stage is a concrete experience where I will get to think about the topics and my experience before reading them. Secondly, I will get the chance to ponder what I learned in class about the topics and examine provisions on each topic by other scholars in the reflective observation stage. The abstract conceptualization will help in incorporating any knowledge and experience obtained from the outside class. Finally, I understand how to apply the experience on various topics to the real world and help solve real-life conflicts by applying active experimentation (Morris, 2019).

Report writing

My first topic to reflect on is report writing. Before the course began, I considered report writing as the creation of a statement that provides detailed activities of a situation or event after one inquires or observes a given situation. Additionally, I have always known that report writing requires individuals to understand their briefs and focus on them while developing a report. More knowledge I had before getting a deeper understanding of the aspect is that reports should be clear, organized, and therefore should follow a particular structure (Hyland, 2019). Today, I am aware of the knowledge as Kolb's concrete step gives me the chance to ponder on it.

The reflective observation stage and abstract conceptualization facilitate synthesizing information from different articles to gain a more comprehensive understanding. For instance, embarking on the topic has provided broad knowledge and the matter by examining various opinions of different scholars. Report writing can be of different types depending on the question subject. For instance, Schneider et al. (2018) consider the assessment type of report whose primary purpose is to foster empathic communication. As such, the reader has to be keen when reading the report to identify the needs of the examinee; hence, be able to intervene on behalf of him or her. The idea of the scholars is that individuals who write report assessments and pretty much other reports have some underlying needs that need to be met. Meeting this criterion, therefore, requires readers to identify with the needs of an examinee. Although Dombrowski (2020) does not explicitly back up Schneider et al. (2018) work, the scholar goes further to show how an exemplary assessment report should be prepared to for the reader to get the intended meaning. By doing so, the studies complement each other. The scholars suggest that compiling a good report entails providing evidence during the report writing process. It is necessary to include brief results, main points of consideration, and any areas of disagreement.

The knowledge obtained is essential, and I can apply it in real-life situations, as proposed by Kolb's last stage of active experimentation. The provisions provided by Schneider et al. (2018), and Dombrowski (2020) serve as the basics for report writing. They give an individual an idea of what to write about and the purpose focus. For example, when writing an academic report, I should include my entire experience, including old and new ideas learned, and the results of any observation. Those assessing the report can identify areas where I acquired more knowledge and have difficulties as reports are meant for emphatic communication. This creates an opportunity to develop a plan to enable students to become knowledgeable about problematic sessions.

Cover letter writing

The second topic I chose for my reflection is cover letter writing, and I can accomplish the reflection by following Kolb's reflective cycle. Before learning more about cover letter writing, I knew various aspects concerning the matter. For example, I understood that a cover letter is a brief document send with a resume when applying for jobs, and it provides more details concerning one's experience and skills. As such, the employer can go through the document and understand if one is qualified for the applied position or not without necessarily reading the resume.

Upon thinking about my understanding of a cover letter, I feel I had shallow knowledge of the matter. This is after reading various articles by recognized institutions. For instance, an article written by Amy in 2014 through the Harvard Business Review provides some useful ideas on how to go about writing a cover letter. According to the article, a cover letter is the best way to creatively and innovatively introduce oneself to an employer. As such, a candidate should be sure to include details that can draw the hiring manager's attention. To do so, one has extensive research on the company and understands the specific job one is applying for well. This requires utilizing technology and access information on various employees on sites such as LinkedIn and company websites. Manyika, (2017) of McKinsey Global Institute agrees with Amy by stating that technology is the future of jobs and work. Consequently, individuals who may not focus on technology as their ticket to obtaining comprehensive information for their cover letter may be left behind.

Another aspect of importance identified in the Harvard Business Review is that any cover letter should open strong by starting with a punch line instead of wasting time and space explaining where one saw the job and prolonged greetings. Contrarily, a blog article by the University of Denver (2016) seems to disagree with Amy by stating that brief greetings are always appropriate at the beginning of a cover letter. The article further disagrees with Amy (2014) by stating that one can address a cover letter to (whom it may concern". Amy (2014) strongly suggests against this and claims that with social media's contribution, every candidate should find some information concerning the company and probably the hiring manager. Furthermore, Amy (2014), the University of Denver (2016), and McKissen (2019), a contributor of CNBC, agree on the need to demonstrate enthusiasm and keep cover letter short while emphasizing personal value and ability to solve problems. McKissen (2019) further insists on the need to avoid the use of the "I". Instead, the writer advises shortening highlights while maintaining a consistent format.

As the reflective observation and abstract conceptualization provisions of Kolb's cycle enable in gaining the comprehensive knowledge on cover letter writing, active experimentation assists in understanding how to apply the experience in the real world. For instance, an individual who likes teaching and makes a difference in teaching scenarios can use creativity and innovation to introduce oneself to an employer through a cover letter is by attaching a short video while in a class teaching and having an interactive session. By doing so, one is likely to draw the hiring manager's attention. As Broadbent Filter's model suggests, a message's physical characteristics can be used to highlight the crucial message in a pool of others for further processing (Manchin et al., 2019).

Academic writing

Upon reflecting on the academic writing topic, I realize that before acquiring further knowledge on the matter, I understood the concept as a process whereby students write study articles that are focused, concise, clear, structured, and evidence backed-up (Dirgeyasa, 2017). Academic writing articles should also be written in a formal style and tone; however, they should not be complicated. In addition to being structured, academic writing articles should be well planned. This means that they should demonstrate an understanding of the subject as well as answer the study question. Also, the structured aspect of the writing entails writing coherently and logically while merging related material and points. Additionally, evidenced information means the writer should demonstrate expertise in the subject area by supporting arguments and opinions with credible and accurate sources. Moreover, a formal style and tone require the use of appropriate language that is balanced and unambiguous. Furthermore, I knew that the purpose of academic writing is to help readers' understanding.

After reflecting on the new experience of the academic writing topic after the term, I can identify new ideas learned. For instance, I have realized that academic writing teaching is increasingly used today in various institutional frameworks. Instructors aim to help students enhance their writing abilities and learn more about professional research skills (Neculai, 2018). Multiple people in contemporary society believe that solutions to problems ought to be evidence-based, and therefore, they look up to solutions backed by experience. For a student to write a credible article, it is vital to exhibit excellent research communication skills to enhance reader's understanding.

Unlike Neculai (2018), Ober & Flores (2020) do not examine the increased usability of academic writing. Nonetheless, the suggested purpose of academic writing by the scholars aligns with that of Neculai, (2018). According to the research, instructors from various disciplines from early careers to experienced professionals have had challenges in providing individualized, constructive, and timely feedback to students. This has been in an effort to meet the demands of research, stating that students benefit from the types of described feedback. Nevertheless, this has been exceedingly labor-intensive. Consequently, introducing students to academic writing where they have to write study articles that are focused, concise, clear, and structured and evidence backed-up creates ample opportunities for instructors and learners to provide and receive beneficial and immediate feedback in non-threatening environments (Ober, & Flores, 2020). The aspect assists students in advancing their professional learning and communication abilities. Academic writing can be applied in multiple real-life situations. For instance, today's students use the technique to accomplish multiple class works, such as essays and dissertations.

Employability skills

My concrete experience on employability skills lies in the definition and a few examples of the skills constructs. Employability skills entail a combination of abilities possessed by individuals, and they are relevant across industries. As employers seek to fill gaps in their institutions, they identify individuals with abilities that align with those needed for the job opportunity in addition to subject knowledge and technical understanding. Before embarking on this topic, I knew of different transferable skills that employers look for as I have gone through various employment requirements. Some of the common skills include excellent communication due to high human interactions in many jobs. Creativity and innovativeness have also been on the rise with increasing market competitiveness. Other examples include adaptability, teamwork, and patience.

After reviewing the employability topic during the course, I gained new experience in reflective observation and abstract conceptualization. In the recent past, the world has been debating on graduate and employability skills. Defining employability skills is difficult due to the lack of a common language between industry stakeholders, students, and academics. Consequently, most abilities that have been proposed are developed from a demand perspective instead of a curriculum viewpoint. Researchers such as Collet et al. (2015) classify employability skills into three domains, including intrapersonal, interpersonal, and cognitive constructs. The study also considers interprofessional collaboration and leadership as prominent skills that most employers value. This is expected as most jobs require inquiry and guidance of some kind, and every employee may be required to do either as they go through their daily duties. Another overarching skill revealed by most employers relates to the ability to perform as this is the ultimate goal of work. Similar to Collet et al. (2015), Suleman (2016) considers teamwork, interpersonal skills, and communication, crucial employability skills. Although the two studies suggest similar skills, they agree that there are no specific skills that foster employability. Observing employability skills occurs in multiple real-life situations, although the skills needed for different positions may differ. For example, a teacher or a health professional may not get a job if they lack communication skills. The two fields depend on communication to interact with students and patients, unlike a machine operator who may require technical operation skills more than communication abilities.

Conclusion

Reflection provides a better way for students to refer back to what they have learned. The event enables individuals to assess the information they knew and evaluate how much they acquired. The process is vital as it enables individuals to determine the new acquired knowledge level and identify areas with challenges. With the power of reflection, I managed to identify my previous and current knowledge on employability skills, academic writing, cover letter writing, and report writing. Consequently, I can use the information when engaging in my learning activities and work.-2

Read More

The idea of the scholars is that individuals who write report assessments and pretty much other reports have some underlying needs that need to be met. Meeting this criterion, therefore, requires readers to identify with the needs of an examinee. Although Dombrowski (2020) does not explicitly back up Schneider et al. (2018) work, the scholar goes further to show how an exemplary assessment report should be prepared to for the reader to get the intended meaning. By doing so, the studies complement each other. The scholars suggest that compiling a good report entails providing evidence during the report writing process. It is necessary to include brief results, main points of consideration, and any areas of disagreement.

The knowledge obtained is essential, and I can apply it in real-life situations, as proposed by Kolb's last stage of active experimentation. The provisions provided by Schneider et al. (2018), and Dombrowski (2020) serve as the basics for report writing. They give an individual an idea of what to write about and the purpose focus. For example, when writing an academic report, I should include my entire experience, including old and new ideas learned, and the results of any observation. Those assessing the report can identify areas where I acquired more knowledge and have difficulties as reports are meant for emphatic communication. This creates an opportunity to develop a plan to enable students to become knowledgeable about problematic sessions.

Cover letter writing

The second topic I chose for my reflection is cover letter writing, and I can accomplish the reflection by following Kolb's reflective cycle. Before learning more about cover letter writing, I knew various aspects concerning the matter. For example, I understood that a cover letter is a brief document send with a resume when applying for jobs, and it provides more details concerning one's experience and skills. As such, the employer can go through the document and understand if one is qualified for the applied position or not without necessarily reading the resume.

Upon thinking about my understanding of a cover letter, I feel I had shallow knowledge of the matter. This is after reading various articles by recognized institutions. For instance, an article written by Amy in 2014 through the Harvard Business Review provides some useful ideas on how to go about writing a cover letter. According to the article, a cover letter is the best way to creatively and innovatively introduce oneself to an employer. As such, a candidate should be sure to include details that can draw the hiring manager's attention. To do so, one has extensive research on the company and understands the specific job one is applying for well. This requires utilizing technology and access information on various employees on sites such as LinkedIn and company websites. Manyika, (2017) of McKinsey Global Institute agrees with Amy by stating that technology is the future of jobs and work. Consequently, individuals who may not focus on technology as their ticket to obtaining comprehensive information for their cover letter may be left behind.

Another aspect of importance identified in the Harvard Business Review is that any cover letter should open strong by starting with a punch line instead of wasting time and space explaining where one saw the job and prolonged greetings. Contrarily, a blog article by the University of Denver (2016) seems to disagree with Amy by stating that brief greetings are always appropriate at the beginning of a cover letter. The article further disagrees with Amy (2014) by stating that one can address a cover letter to (whom it may concern". Amy (2014) strongly suggests against this and claims that with social media's contribution, every candidate should find some information concerning the company and probably the hiring manager. Furthermore, Amy (2014), the University of Denver (2016), and McKissen (2019), a contributor of CNBC, agree on the need to demonstrate enthusiasm and keep cover letter short while emphasizing personal value and ability to solve problems. Read More