Personal Development Portfolio - Essay Example

?Personal Development Portfolio Part Learning and Skills Report Question: Describe your understanding centered learning and how your skills development at university can improve your curriculum vitae and career opportunities. Understanding of Student Centered Learning In contemporary generation’s quest for higher education, advances in technology has accorded students and academic personnel, including mentors and professors, to apply distance education, online learning or student centered learning, as deemed appropriate. At Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU), the Academic Board and personnel are committed to achieve its mission “to pursue excellence in academic and professional higher education thereby enriching both individuals and society” (CCCU: Mission, 2009, par. 1). To direct the path towards the accomplishment of this mission, CCCU envisioned “provide a comprehensive range of corporate information services that meet the current and future needs of the CCCU community. These services will combine well understood and definitive sources of corporate information, powerful reporting tools, specific applications and integration and automation platforms to form a corporate information “engine” driving a multitude of business processes” (CCCU: Vision, 2009, pars. 1 & 2). Concurrent with the university’s mission and vision, my understanding of their holistic and multidimensional approach in teaching is supportive of the student centered learning approach. O’Neill and McMahon (2005) cited Kember (1997) as defining student centered learning as “knowledge is constructed by students and that the lecturer is a facilitator of learning rather than a presenter of information” (p. 255). A precondition to this approach was qualified by Rogers (1983, p. 188) who averred that “... a leader or person who is perceived as an authority figure in the situation, is sufficiently secure within herself (himself) and in her (his) relationship to others that she (he) experiences an essential trust in the capacity of others to think for themselves, to learn for themselves.” In this regard, the modules for Introduction to Financial Accounting and Marketing Principles and Practice, for example, apply the student centered learning approach by specifically and explicitly stating the aims, learning outcomes, and the module programmes, in conjunction with an identified module leader and seminar tutors. The module programmes are structured in a clear and well designed manner that indicates schedules in week number, dates, topics and required readings. By providing the overall theoretical framework, module leaders envision to provide directions and guidelines towards structured presentation of topics that could be absorbed and understood at the given time frame. As student learning gives opportunities for students to enhance learning skills at their own discretion, under the governance and guidance of mentors and tutors, students must become aware that the scope and depth of learning depends on their personal commitment for personal and professional growth. In this regard, to expand my personal understanding of student centered learning, I gained the following inputs to be shared in this discourse, to wit: Lea et al. (2003, p.322) “summarises some of the literature on student-centred learning to include the followings tenets: (1) the reliance on active rather than passive learning; (2) an emphasis on deep learning and understanding; (3) increased responsibility and accountability on the part of the student; (4) an increased sense of autonomy in the learner; (5) an interdependence between teacher and learner; (6) mutual respect within the learner teacher relationship; and (7) and a reflexive approach to the teaching and learning process on the part of both teacher and learner” (cited by O’Neill & McMahon, 2005). The increased proactive stance, responsibility and accountability placed in the hands of the students differentiate this approach from the traditional teacher centered learning approaches. However, the important thing to remember is this approach is that personal commitment, dedication, and in depth understanding must be innate in the students’ minds and we must assume a more responsible and mature role to ensure that we gain the most from this particular approach. Assessment of Learning and Skills Development From the weekly reflecting learning and skills log, I have realized that by religiously noting what has been learned and appreciated through the module, one is made to assess learning and skills that were honed during the given time frame. For the module Introduction to Financial Accounting, I was able to gain the basic theoretical framework for understanding the concepts in accounting and finance through detailed and comprehensive discussion through lecture and seminar of various accounts that are found in the balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statements, among others. The core text entitled Unlocking Financial Accounting written by Johal, Vickerstaff, Krakhmal, & Gordon (2010) is clearly structured and presented in an easy to read fashion to encourage and ensure freshmen students to understand the basics of accounting. As defined, accounting is “the means by which managers are informed of the financial status and progress of their companies, thus contributing to the continuing process of planning, control of operations and decision making” (Johal et al., 2010, p. 2). However, the authors indicated that aside from managers, various stakeholders need financial information to make relevant decisions pertinent to various activities they do with the organization. The more intricate portions that need evaluations and interpretations of financial statements: balance sheet, income statements, and cash flow statements; together with learning the concepts of making the necessary adjustments in accounts require more patience and deeper understanding to link theories to applications. The bottom line, of course, is to be able to read and interpret these financial statements for various uses: to determine the financial status and condition of the organization, to make comparative analyses over specified time frames, and to recommend or suggest to higher management on matters that involve changes in financial conditions over time. The skills that were developed from the course are analytical, interpretation and evaluation, recording transaction skills, knowledge and applications for trial balances and adjusting entries, bank reconciliation, recognizing accounts in financial statements, and understanding financial conditions and status from various points of views of stakeholders. In the module of Marketing Principles and Practice, the basic concepts and theories in marketing were creatively structured and presented to entice students to learn more on the course. The core text entitled Marketing an Introduction by Armstrong, Kotler, Harker, & Brennan (2009) is one of the forefronts of establishing a comprehensive and dynamic theoretical background in marketing due to the expertise of the authors in this field of endeavor. The skills that were developed from lectures, seminars, case discussions and relevant articles are analytical, evaluative, creativity, innovativeness, designing strategies that affect the 4Ps: product, price, place and promotions, understanding consumers’ buying behavior and the crucial role of scanning the external environment and conducting marketing research to enhance awareness on factors that influence operations of the firm and impinge on strategies that affect the 4Ps. The lessons presented in the week 29 focusing on marketing in the digital age are considered most useful and applicable in contemporary setting. Due to the significant developments of online marketing, increasing numbers of business organizations have acknowledged its crucial role in the design of contemporary global strategies in terms of product development, advertisements and promotions, and even in target marketing or brand management. Hopefully, the lessons presented are just the tip of the iceberg and more comprehensive information and details would be offered in future modules and courses. Likewise, the subject on ethics and social responsibility are equally interesting concerns that are useful in today’s setting. The issues of protection of consumers’ rights and the adherence to privacy and confidentiality are observed by organizations as mandated by codes of disciplines and standards of conduct. Organizations that have openly supported social responsibility by being committed to civic projects and the development of its local community, the protection of the environment and the focus on sustaining natural resources are more patronized by consumers and therefore are considered more financially productive. I hope to learn more from these topics as they remain to be included in future trends that global organizations monitor and adhere to. As noted from the reflective learning and skills log, these modules, analytical skills, comprehension, logical, recording transactions, trial balance, interpretations were greatly enhanced. Likewise, I learned to be creative and innovative in applying various concepts through diverse endeavors and settings. I have developed holistic mental abilities and learned to use interpersonal skills to communicate and integrate the learning from modules. Most importantly, as part of the student centered learning approach, I realized and acknowledged the crucial role of mentor and tutors who were all instrumental in giving guidance and direction on all course topics and activities that need to be complied. Results of online quizzes and examinations helped assess and evaluate strengths and weaknesses in having grasped the theories and concepts that were discussed. When weaknesses were revealed, personal commitment and efforts are realized to be essential to improve one’s understanding on the topics that were thought to be ambiguous and that need further research and studies. Relation to Curriculum Vitae and Career Opportunities The topics that were discussed in both the Introduction to Financial Accounting and Marketing Principles and Practice modules are plus factors in one’s curriculum vitae. Knowledge, skills and abilities gained from both courses could be itemized and detailed to entice future employers’ on one’s competencies on the subjects. Most business enterprises and organizations are looking for candidates who have in depth understanding on these courses and one equipped with learning and skills applicable to both could see opportunities in the fields of banking and finance, strategic marketing, and business management, among others. As promised, the CCCU’s Business Management program is “designed to prepare students for management positions in production industries, service industries and the public sector. Each subject is taught from an essentially practical perspective” (CCCU: Business Management, 2009, par. 2). True to the promise, both modules under the program were designed to ensure that theories and concepts are clearly linked to practical applications through case studies and articles that enhance awareness and reinforce learning from the modules. Case studies in marketing such as the Arla case, Nike and Ryanair were preliminary previews to link concepts to practical applications. Students with deeper understanding on these case scenarios and were given opportunities to apply analytical and evaluative skills for problem solving and for recommending the most appropriate course of action from alternatives, are more inclined to use these structured guidelines and steps in actual problems in the organizational setting. The methods assessment style using writing essays, preparing reports, complying with computer based projects and analyzing to solve cases, assists in honing holistic skills of the students to improve marketability in the workplace. The holistic development of a person lies not only in honing intellectual skills, knowledge and abilities on various endeavors, but also in learning restraint, control and acceptance of weaknesses and the need to improve. The course, through student centered learning, and through methods assessment would be beneficial in providing appropriate direction and guidance to more responsible academic behavior that would determine future success. Through the approach and assessment style, personal evaluation and reflection are used to gauge the level of performance and literacy achieved in various phases of the course modules. By adhering to this style, students’ learn to develop a consistent learning approach that could be applied in organizational settings. The module programmes in their general structure help in providing opportunities for time management by adhering to schedules and by personal commitment to learn, as indicated. The article written by O’Neill and McMahon (2005) emphasized that “students in a UK University elaborated on the impact of student-centered learning on them, i.e. they felt there was more respect for the student in this approach, that it was more interesting, exciting, and it boosted their confidence (Lea et al. 2003)” (cited in O’Neill & McMahon, 2005). Improved confidence is another advantage for students to develop in preparation of a managerial career. One personally envisions becoming a manager in a global organization after graduating from the CCCU. The skills that have been identified to develop through the modules are projected to continue in a growing stance in future modules. The core module in Management and Leadership in the second year would prove to be more interesting and enlightening in terms of learning various modules that have been instrumental in the development of leaders in organizations through the years. Competencies, knowledge, skills and abilities that were holistically developed through the course modules and methods assessment reinforce theoretical frameworks on business and management courses that are required to be implemented in a variety of careers in the near future. Reference List Armstrong, G., Kotler P., Harker. M, and Brennan, R. 2009. Marketing An Introduction, Harlow: Pearson Education Limited. Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU). 2009. Business Management, [Online]. Available at: http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/StudyHere/Undergraduate/courses/c.asp?courseUrl=business-studies-ba-or-bsc [Accessed 04 May 2011]. ---------------------. 2009. Mission and Vision, [Online]. Available at: http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/support/corporate-information-services/mission-vision.asp [Accessed 04 May 2011]. Johal P, Vickerstaff B, Krakhmal V, Gordon L. 2010. Unlocking Financial Accounting, Hodder Education.  Kember, D. 1997. “A reconceptualisation of the research into university academics conceptions of teaching.” Learning and Instruction, 7(3), 255-275. Lea, S. J., D. Stephenson, and J. Troy 2003. “Higher Education Students’ Attitudes to Student Centred Learning: Beyond ‘educational bulimia’.” Studies in Higher Education, 28(3), 321-334. O’Neill, G. & McMahon, T. 2005. Student Centered Learning: What Does it Mean for Students and Lecturers? [Online]. Available at: http://www.aishe.org/readings/2005-1/oneill-mcmahon-Tues_19th_Oct_SCL.html [Accessed 04 May 2011]. Rogers, C. R. 1983. The politics of education. In Freedom to Learn for the 80’s. Ohio: Charles E. Merrill Publishing Company. Read More