Reflection & personal development - Essay Example

? Topic: Reflection & Personal Development Essay Introduction The paper here summarizes on the personal development and learning acquired during the course of the module .Here the emphasis is made on the self – reflection and on personality development. The personality development and its growing process is been analyzed during the different series of learning levels in order to conclude with the benefits earned from it. This study explores the impact of the module on the competency level and potentiality on a person .Also the assessment on the group learning is analyzed and the benefits absorbed from its evaluated and summarized elaborately. Moreover, the effect of professional development education in motivating the person is calculated with the help of professional development matrix. According to Ferguson (2011)“Professional development is the skills and knowledge an employee gains to optimize her personal development and job growth. It includes learning opportunities, such as college degrees and coursework, or attending conferences or training sessions”. Here, the impact of the teachers on the students in alleviating their interpersonal skill, self management and creative thinking skill is closely studied. One of other important factor is the assessment of the negative effect of the study in the process of personality development. Summative assessment has a single purpose of reporting on the learning achieved by people, during a particular module or study session. However summative assessment gives variety of ways in which the student achievement can be analyzed. As per Murray (1998,pg. 1267-1270) “The main purpose of the summative assessment is to find out student’s incompetence and then take essential steps to upgrade the potentiality of the these weak students” . Analysis of Learning Learning is a complex phenomenon and once imparted, need to be analyzed so as to understand its impact on the studetns. Any study program is incomplete, if a correct assessment of the study with related to students are not performed at the right time. Analysis of learning is a process by which the learners’ skills and knowledge are assessed after a student undergoes a study program. In this paper the professional and personality development of me after undergoing the study module is analyzed. Here the emphasis is more on the reflection of my personality on the whole learning process. In his book Moon (1999,pg.7) writes that ,“The difficulty of distinguishing the process of learning from the representation of that learning is common to many studies of reflection and learning”. This assessment will look at different aspects of professional development undergone by myself during the study module. These can be pointed out as follows: 1)Assessment of lacking in my abilities I am deeply aware of myself being quiet and observant, but people often misinterpret for me being less attentive and reciprocative which is a completely wrong notion. I am very thoughtful when I am being silent and have the habit of analyzing and contemplating things deeply. However, during the study event, I understood that my adjusting ability to difference circumstances has been less competent and real focus in these areas has to be given by me. Acquisition of such transformation will enable me to confront this ever changing world and will enable me to be more dynamic and versatile .According to Mann (2010,pg.170) “Your ability to adjust to new and changing situation is vital. If you get stuck doing same thing, you will become absolute and antiquated”. 2) Success and difficulties encountered during the study When considering my successful points in learning process, I can make out that my reflective nature in thinking and performing action has done much benefit to my personality development. This critical think ability which I possess is very helpful in bringing out the positive and negative aspect of an issue or action encountered by me. According to (Academy Literacy)“Being reflective is the process of analyzing, reconsidering and questioning experiences within a broad context of issues”. I get accessed to an information or work on a specific plan, I think effectively on that matter and come out with a productive outcome. This gives a positive perception to me about what I have absorbed and performed during the course of the module. As per Kok(2002,pg.35-42) “The positive perception was the development of problem-solving skills attained through reflection by using analytical critical thinking, synthesis and the evaluation of situations”. I have realized that I was very silent during the study process which showed to the class that I am lacking badly in communicative skill. In reality it is a fact that I was experiencing problem with expressing myself to the group .But on the other side, I was very reflective inside about the information given during the study period and the practical side of the study. I understood that I was way behind when it was the question of spontaneousness.Taking action on any plan is very crucial, and action has to be taken at the right time and in right way. There was also a difficulty experienced by me in working in team as a whole .Since team work is very important aspect of professional development, absence of such a quality can decrease competency in personality. “Teaming can be really tough to get started and maintain. Many individual who are high achievers face much difficulty when they are asked to perform in a team”(Avery,2001,pg.41). 3)The enjoyment and discomfort experienced during the study period Any study allows an individual to test himself against the odds and ends of a goal oriented action .When an individual come across a certain situation, he gets an opportunity to gauge himself with regards to his capability to confront this situation smoothly and skillfuly.It was an enjoying moment for me to evaluate myself in regard to my management skills, performance ability and planning ability. Moreover, the study module gave me a wide space to interact with people with varied talent and skill .It also provided me with an opportunity to understand team working process which is an important aspect of professional development. According to Witcowski(2010)“Stepping outside of ourselves and providing objective feedback of our own work can be difficult; however, this may be the document that can have a significant impact on your overall assessment”. Apart from positive sides, the study period has also bad sides to it. It was really difficult for me to act in a complex atmosphere where people carried different ethnical background. As I was a foreigner, it was not easy to interact with the group in the way I wanted to .Some times I wanted to communicate effectively, but performance was not happening as I was held back by my inefficiency in communication skill. . There was an alienated feeling present in me who I had to overcome in order to operate and react smoothly among the group. I found out that there was less exchanging activity while study module as it was a matter of discomfort. “Exchanging activity not only increasing learners’ motivation, but also promote critical thinking”(Chang,2009,pg.17-32). 4) Competency facts understood during the study There was some unusual things I found during my study period in a group .The group consisted of students from different countries and how much ever one ignored the differences, the feeling of isolation was inevitable part of the study. But one fact I noticed about myself was my ability to feel at ease with unpredictable situation and people. I have this capability to be integrated in environment which includes people from various diversified background. In his book Ninness(1993.pg.138) wrote“If students were exceptionally skilled at self management, they would be able to conduct themselves appropriately under various diverse atmosphere”. It was really surprising for me t o find out that I am very incompetent when it comes to the matter of handling conflicts .May be the reason for it’s my experience of living in a peaceful family environment. “There may be personality clashes, misunderstanding, miscommunications, disagreements or just plain dislikes among a group. But whatever the reason people must learn to cope up with it or handle conflicts sooner or later”(Knippen,1989,pg.1366-5626). It is also unusual for me to move to find myself in a disturbing environment with lot of clashes in opinion and adapting to such a situation became difficult for me. According to Jeubel(2009)“Adapting to the situation, means changing yourself for the situation”. However, the best part of the study period was that it gave an atmosphere for me to assess myself professionally as well as personally 5) Team work For every person to be professionally upgraded, needs to have the ability to perform sufficiently as a team member. The proficiency to work in a team is an important aspect of a professionally evolved person, as a work place is environment with wide group of people. According to Time Management (2005) “The first factor in team effectiveness is the diversity of skills and personalities. When people use their strengths in full, but can compensate for each other's weaknesses”. I realized that my performance in team was not very praise worthy as I lacked the initiating power and spontaneous nature to pour in energy to my team members. As per Kyle(1998,pg.42)“ When spontaneous creativity emerges from person or group, more energy is present and available for everyone” . I have understood during the study module that as a manager, I should be aware of my learning style and self management skill and also about the nature of working of my team members. To accomplish tasks in an organization, the efficient working of team members and manager in a collective manner is very important. I should be very harmonious a co -operative when it comes to the team work part and should also motivate the team members in the right manner. As per Scannell( 2010 ,pg.11) “ Team building exercises create connections and harmony in the work place and helps to ensure that we can work both more productively and more efficiently”. 6)Performance of other team members In the team in which I was performing there was a presence of people from various ethnic backgrounds. It was observed that some team members were very inactive and less motivated .They had less initiative in performing action and needed motivation from someone for starting action. “Individuals need to see and feel the reward or benefit to themselves by taking action. The greater the perceived valued to self, the greater the level of motivation”(Steven,2008).Also some people in the team has less power to take decisions at the right time. At times I had to prompt them to take right moves to come up with better outcome. However, some of the team members were very flexible and co – operative with the team and this was a very positive quality to be seen among them. I myself have inability to be flexible and seeing team members with flexibility and adaptability quality was an appreciative thing. Some people in the team were also argumentative and this gave rise to disagreement and conflicts which were handled unprofessionally my most people. It showed that most people in the team were much aware of tactics to solve conflicting situations. In his journal Lau(1998, pg. 43-51) claims that “It is considered that the root cause of a conflicting situation is trust and distrust relationships. To pursue effective negotiations, it means to build trust and manage distrust”. This kind of assessment keeps a track on the personality and self development of an individual and allows the teachers to understand the elements lacking in their educational methods. Conclusion When concluding, I can understand that only by various practical experiences and experimenting can one individual grow and develop their personality and professional skills .Only by getting knowledge and information, his abilities become under developed and not tested. If we need to come up with proper decision making skill and communicating skill it is necessary for oneself to encounter people with real issues and goal oriented actions. This module also gave me an opportunity to overcome barriers in a professional manner. According to In world art(2009)“If you fail to overcome your mental barriers know that you are bound to halt your journey to your desired destiny in life” . In future I will be in a situation to deal with lot of people and only by practicing in a similar environment can I gain valuable experience. Personality development is only possible, if a person corrects himself and analyzes himself from his previous mistakes. “Personality development is nothing but a tool that helps you realize your capabilities and your strengths making you a stronger, a happier and a cheerful person” (World Press, 2011).After the study, I have also received feedbacks as to the strengths and weakness of my actions and attitudes. Professional development programs are best means by which any person can enrich their personality and self management skills. As per Education Week (2004)“Although a growing number of signs point to the efficacy and value of certain models of teacher training, no one suggests that designing and sustaining successful professional-development programs is easy or inevitable”. Bibliography Academy Literacy. 2010. http://www.harvardgenerator.com/references/website. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.une.edu.au/tlc/alo/critical1.htm. [Accessed 26 April 11 Avery, C.M, 2001. Teamwork is an individual skill: getting your work done when sharing responsibility . 1st ed. San Francisco: Berrett Koehler Publishers Inc. Chang, C.W., 2009. Efficacy of Interaction among College Students in a Web-Based Environment. Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange, , 2/1, 17-32 Education Week. 2004. Professional Development. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.edweek .org /ew/issues/professional-development/. [Accessed 26 Ferguson.G. 2011. What Is Professional Development?. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www .wiseg eek.com/what-is-professional-development.htm. [Accessed 25 April 11]. Juebel,M.. 2009. Adapt, Adjust or Avoid Situations. [ONLINE] Available at: http://sourcesofin sigh t.co m /2009/03/09/adapt-adjust-or-avoid/. [Accessed 26 April 11 .Inworldart. 2009. Decision Making Process Improvement Tips . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.in worlda rt.com/3692-decision-making-process-improvement-tips.html. [Accessed 26 April 11]. Kok, J., 2002. Reflective journal writing: how it promotes reflective thinking in clinical nursing educ ation: a students' perspective. Department of Nursing Science, 25/3, 35-42 Knippen, J.T, 1989. Handling Conflicts. Journal of Workplace Learning, 11/1, 1366-562611. Kyle, D.T., 1998. The four powers of leadership: presence, intention, wisdom, compassion  . 4th ed. Florida: Health Communications Inc. Lau, E., 1998. Trust and Distrust in Conflicting Situations: A Legal Case Review of Antecedents of Distrust. ournal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction , 10/3, 43-51 Murray, T.S., 1998. Summative Assessment . British Journal of Business Practice, 48/430, 1267-1270 Moon, J.A, 1999. Reflection in learning and professional development: theory and practice . 1st ed. Oxon: Routledge Mann, R.L., 2010. Bouncing Back: How to Recover When Life Knock You Down. 1st ed. New York: Morgan James Publishing Ninness, H.A., 1993. Assessment and Treatment of Emotional Or Behavioral Disorder(Gpg). 1st ed. U.S.A.: IAP Scannell, M. 2010. The Big Book of Team-Motivating Games: Spirit-Building, Problem-Solving and ...  . 1st ed. U.S.A: Mc Graw Hill Inc. Stevens,P. 2008. Five Keys To Motivating Your Team Members - Motivation Is Everything And Translates To Profit!. [ONLINE] Available at: http://ezinearticles.com/?Five-Keys-To-Motivating-Your-Team-Members---Motivation-Is-Everything-And-Translates-To-Profit!&id=931332. [Accessed 28 April 11]. Time Management Guide. 2005. Team work and team building essentials. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.time-management-guide.com/team-building.html. [Accessed 26 April 11]. Word Press. 2011. Personality Development . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.personality development.org/. [Accessed 26 April 11]. Witcowski.G. 2010. How to Write an Effective and Powerful Self-Evaluation for a Performance Review. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.ehow.com/how_2181299_effective-powerful-selfevaluation-performance-review.html. [Accessed 27 April 11]. 4.Mann, R.L., 2010. 2001. Teamwork is an individual skill: getting your work done when sharing responsibility . 4.Mann, R.L., 2010. Bouncing Back: How to Recover When Life Knock You Down. 1st ed. New York: Morgan James Publishing 5.Avery, C.M, 2001. Teamwork is an individual skill: getting your work done when sharing responsibility . 1st ed. San Francisco: Berrett Koehler Publishers Inc. 6.Kok, J., 2002. Reflective journal writing: how it promotes reflective thinking in clinical nursing education: a students' perspective. Department of Nursing Science, 25/3, 35-42. .7.http://www.ehow.com/how_2181299_effective-powerful-selfevaluation-performance-review.html. 8.Chang, C.W., 2009. Efficacy of Interaction among College Students in a Web-Based Environment. Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange, , 2/1, 17-32 9.Ninness, H.A., 1993. Assessment and Treatment of Emotional Or Behavioral Disorder(Gpg). 1st ed. U.S.A.: IAP 10.Knippen, J.T, 1989. Handling Conflicts. Journal of Workplace Learning, 11/1, 1366-5626 11. Juebel,M.. 2009. Adapt, Adjust or Avoid Situations. [ONLINE] Available at: http://sourcesofinsight.com/2009/03/09/adapt-adjust-or-avoid/. [Accessed 26 April 11 13.Kyle, D.T., 1998. The four powers of leadership: presence, intention, wisdom, compassion  . 4th ed. Florida: Health Communications Inc. 14.Scannell, Mary, 2010. The Big Book of Team-Motivating Games: Spirit-Building, Problem-Solving and ...  . 1st ed. U.S.A: Mc Graw Hill Inc. 15.Stevens,Paul. 2008. Five Keys To Motivating Your Team Members - Motivation Is Everything And Translates To Profit!. [ONLINE] Available at: http://ezinearticles.com/?Five-Keys-To-Motivating-Your-Team-Members---Motivation-Is-Everything-And-Translates-To-Profit!&id=931332. [Accessed 28 April 11]. 16. Lau, E., 1998. Trust and Distrust in Conflicting Situations: A Legal Case Review of Antecedents of Distrust. ournal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction , 10/3, 43-51 17.http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/development/reflection.html and one dimension of personal development based on your module experiences. The ultimate purpose of this assessment is to develop your capability for reflection in order to benefit from the emergent learning in your future action and development. In doing the essay you will be completing the learning cycle by reflecting on your learning on the module, drawing conclusions from your learning and finally, thinking about how the insight gained can inform your future learning and development. · What did you think about feedback you received for others? The essay should comprise the following main headings: introduction; analysis of learning; competence development; conclusions. References, in the Harvard style, should be included in the text and reference section of the essay. Read More