Individual Reflection - Kolb's Reflective Cycle

The main objective of preparing this reflective report was to assure myself about the appropriate usage of skills that I developed during academic study skills session.

REFLECTIVE CONTENT

Kolb's Reflective Cycle

I have used Kolb's learning cycle in order to reflect upon whatever we learned during these thirteen weeks of academic study skills session. For effective reflect writing I used this framework. Kolb's Learning cycle basically states that, an individual always learn from his/her experiences of life, even on everyday basis. It refers that reflection is an integral part and vital part of learning. This theory/model was published by Kolb in 1984. According to this theory or model, process of learning includes four stages, one of which states what Kolb refers as 'reflective observation'. The four stages of Kolb's learning model involves concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization and active experimentation.

STAGE 1st

Concrete experience:

It involves an individual to experience a situation physically in order to reflect to learn new stuff or improve skills and abilities. This stage will make an individual to observe and describe a situation according to how he/she felt and saw.

Learning Outcomes of each week.

1^st week: We understood the importance of time management and learning. We appreciated the importance of motivation and reflected back same. Also, developed our own learning strategies.

2^nd week: In our second week, we developed our own useful techniques to understand better from lecturers (Gupta, 2017). We also got to know about importance of active listening and evaluated useful techniques for note-making.

3^rd week: In third week, we understood the importance of team work and team development and reflected back our own experiences while working in a team. We also analysed kind of responsibilities and behaviours are needed to co-ordinate group tasks efficiently.

4^th week: In fourth week, we integrated the behaviours and responsibilities that are needed for group task management. And provided feedback. Analysed and reflected back our own strengths and weaknesses in writing. Also, we developed an understanding to perform in a debate effectively.

5^th week: By fifth week, we were able to appreciate the importance of delivering effective presentation and the necessary attributes that contribute in making a presentation impressive. We also reflected back our experience of delivering presentation.

6^th week: By the end of sixth week, we were able to appreciate the importance of having necessary/good reading skills. We understood and made ourselves familiarize with basic structure of journal article.

7^th week: During seventh week, we got to know about referencing and how and when to do the same, also became familiar with Harvard referencing style.

8^th week: In eight week, we developed necessary reading skill in order to be able to evaluate an article efficiently. Improved our note-making skills for advanced study level (Broadbent, 2017). Also, improved our referencing skills in order to make use of Harvard referencing style more confidently.

9^th week: We learned usage of reflections with context to academic tasks (Stanley, Belisle and Dixon, 2018). This made us further understand about Kolb's reflective model, and its application in academic context. Analysed best sources of work and developed ability to differentiate between different sources.

10^th week: Learned to develop academic argument and improved our assignment approach skills. Also, developed understanding on writing essays also reflected back while writing.

11^th and 12^th week: Got to know about in deep, value of reflections and their academic usage. Also, reflected back on everything we have learned till now. And analysed requirements for stage 2 of Kolb's reflective model.

STAGE 2nd

Reflective observation:

After noting the description of experience, an individual now reflect in deep and analyse the situation. All the accomplishments, failures, reactions are considered in this stage.

Majority of learning outcome has been achieved with help of our involvement in practical activities.

Reflections of each week

1^st week: After learning about Maslo's hierarchy of needs, we reflected back by staying motivated throughout our assignment, which also helped us in time management.

2^nd week: In second week we learned about necessary tasks to perform before, during or after lecture. For example, bringing appropriate equipments, revising previous notes, focusing during lecture and summarizing notes after the lecture.

3^rd week: We learned about team work, by actually working in a team. We did some research on social media and allocated different roles to the different team members. After researching and sharing information, we were ordered to write a small reflective essay, which reflected our group's strengths and weaknesses and analysed room for improvement.

4^th week: We learned to acknowledge constructive feedback by delivering our work on weekly task forum, and then again rewritten it after receiving feedback.

5^th week: After watching some videos of Ted Talk, we analysed dos and don't s while delivering effective presentation. We realized that, one slide should contain only one message with more pictures and less text.

6^th week: By sixth week, we learned to optimize our reading skills in order to find credible sources, by looking at relevant titles or images on websites etc.

7^th week: Learned about referencing, its importance also learned about basics of Harvard style referencing.

8^th week: In eight week, I learned to deep read an academic article. This involved three steps. First, to read only the first sentence of each paragraph, second, to fully read first paragraph of each section. And lastly, fully read the first and last paragraph of the introduction and conclusion.

9^th week: By the end of ninth week, we were able to write report and effectively reflect back, with the help of Kolb's reflective cycle.

10^th week: We learned to build an effective academic argument, with the help of below steps:-

(a) Identified nature of argument.

(b) Identified the claims.

(c) Identified main points in the argument.

(d) Organized the argument.

(e) Used evidences.

(f) Made precious conclusion.

11^th and 12^th week: During this time, we discussed the assignment, what necessary changes can be made and analysed assignment's marking criteria. During this, we also got to know about different frameworks or models which can be used to reflect back on a particular topic. Those models included Gibb’s Reflective Cycle, John’s Reflective Cycle, Bain’s framework and Moon’s levels of learning.

STAGE 3rd

Abstract conceptualization:

At this stage an individual analyse about, the options which were available to him/her during the situation. And what they could have done to improve. This stage also allows an individual to consult or to take help from other team-mates or supervisors, to understand better about situation.

I always believed that completing this assignment will not only prepare me for just tasks, but also for everything that will happen to myself in the future. All the skills and abilities which were developed or improved during Academic study skill session, will help me in starting my own business or joining any organization (Josefsson, Green and Normark, 2019). Also, will improve my communications skills and interaction.

STAGE 4th

Active experimentation:

At last, this stage involves testing of the theoretical knowledge gained from lectures. In this stage an individual prepares their own reflections, strategies that will support his/her knowledge further (Pinto and Ramalheira, 2017). It is said that experiences in the experimentation stage becomes new concrete experience.

 After the Academic study skills session, the skills and abilities which were developed will prove to be useful for not only in completion of my assignments only, but also in facilitating my everyday tasks.

Debate

I cannot forgot the day of debate, even after rehearsing my speech repeatedly, I still felt nervous. I was always a shy person, and whenever I needed to speak in front of the crowd I became nervous. But after delivering speech in front of my whole class and lecturers, I felt little bit confident, and it helped me in overcoming my shyness in some or the way. Also, working in a team which doesn't included my friends, only strangers was quite difficult for me to accept. But it taught me to accept other people's opinions and also how to mingle with strangers in order to form effective team.

Also Read - Reflective Essay on Self

CONCLUSION

 While concluding this report I would say that although I believe that whatever I have done and learned during these academic study skills session helped us a lot in doing everyday tasks and also improved me and my team-mates in many segments. But still I think that there is some room for improvement, which I would say it should be there, in order to excel. During the academic study skills session, I analysed that I should focus on doing more and more practical tasks rather just listening to their lecturer. I should be more indulge in those practical session which involves efficient learnings. At beginning, I was uncomfortable too in teaming up with complete strangers. Also, during debate, I became shy and nervous. These are the only things I found after analysis which I lack and could be improved/developed. Apart from this, everything was fine, I did not encounter any other issues or problem. I feel very pleased and satisfied from the learning outcomes of this module.

Action Plan

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