Cognitive Styles And Learning Strategies: Importance Of Self-Assessment

Discuss about the Cognitive Styles and Learning Strategies.

The current report revolves around self-evaluation, which provides the insight regarding how an individual could accomplish the future goals and create a desired personality. The self-assessment increases knowledge of different fields such as managerial knowledge, decision-making, problem solving and leadership. With the help of self-assessment skills, one could easily apply the leadership skills in the organization where the person may work in future (Boud, Keogh and Walker 2013). There have been different aspects involved in self-evaluation positively influencing the individuals. Therefore, analysis of the aspects helps to know the techniques of applying those aspects while dealing with the real events and facts. The report also includes an action plan, which shows I could work against my weakness identified due to the self-assessment.

It is evident that individual goals should be clear, specific and achievable. Every individual should form specific goals in the beginning of starting the education. Once, the goals are established, all that remain is the process of achieving the goals. Thus, as I am pursuing my career in the field of management, I wish to become a good leader in an MNC. I know there have been different aspects of management; thereby, it is necessary to one of the specific fields. Hence, I selected leadership. Leadership is one of those aspects that I could apply in my own career. In addition, I see many successful leaders leading large organizations in the global field.  Thus, I set specific goals to become a successful leader. However, there are certain procedures to achieve these goals. Hence, I would discuss about skills that require and my efficiencies in those skills.

Table 1: Self-assessment

(Source: Created by myself)

By assessing my abilities and current skills, I found certain areas that highly need to be developed to achieve my future goals. Firstly, I observe that decision-making skills come in an individual by experiencing different situations. Self-assessment is probably the most critical of all tutorial-based assessments, as it must be considered not just for the potential review, also as a skill (McKernan and McKernan 2013).As commented by Moon (2013), the self-assessment significant component that forms one’s competence. Therefore, I would mention that the insight of marketing is constantly changing; hence, I need to gain the ability to evaluate my personal deficiencies. This could influence my ability to practice management over a long period. Thus, I believe that enhancement of these skills is significantly important as it elaborates the protocols that are supposed to be developed.  For example, as discussed above my decision making skills are sufficient to deal with any critical situation.

Self-assessment

However, in this context, Russell and Korthagen (2013) commented that in order to make good decision, it is necessary for an individual to set personal standards. By setting personal standards, an individual is likely to avoid disappointment as well as feelings of failure. In addition, I have observed that good decisions should be made considering the values, priorities and ethics. Hence, Busse, Aboneh and Tefera (2014) stated that good decisions are based on priorities and values. Therefore, the decisions should reflect the things or the aspects that people care as well as feel are significant. On the contrary, Winston, Creamer and Miller (2013) commented that many have people have certain habit or the tendency to make excuses at time of making the choices that do not prove as planned. Therefore, I found that excuse only waste time as well as energy. This could make me less able to accomplish goals.

On the other side, from the self-assessment, I found my communication skills are not up to the mark. However, communication is one of the significant aspects that should be nurtured by every individual. I believe that communication is required in every field of profession. In fact, effective communication also has large impact on personal life an individual. Although, I find my writing skills are appropriate but I need to focus on other aspects of the communication. In this context, Mayes and Moon (2013) commented that communications are how people give and receive information and convey the ideas and opinions regarding the things that are around us. Conversely, Rienties, Brouwe and Lygo-Baker (2013) mentioned that it is necessary to develop a different type of skills for while communicating to others as well as learning how to interpret the information gained from others. Therefore, I have developed my understanding that knowing my audience as well as understanding how they would receive the information is simultaneously important as knowing others.

In addition, it is necessary for an individual to present good communication skill to an employer, which is required. I observe the employers rank good communication skills of the employees. Moreover, critical situations often occur in the workplace. Therefore, it is necessary for the leader or the manager to become competent in communication. When an individual works in a group or team, the skills of effective communication helps to build a good relationship among the co-workers and other team members. As mentioned by Leask and Pachler (2013), the interview can be a good indicator to an organization or the employers. The performance at the interview helps employers to understand how a candidate will interacts with the supervisors, co-workers, customers and resolve the issues when they arise. As mentioned by Manolis et al. (2013), the employers usually expect good posture and eye contact and active listening.

Presenting an in-depth critical analysis of the findings

Thus, in order to develop all these skills, I need to follow effective learning approaches. Hence, I could follow Kolb’s learning model.

It is observed that Kolb’s experiential learning style is generally presented by different stage or cycle of learning.

Concrete experience- This phase revolves around a new experience of situation that is encountered (El-Gilany and Abusaad 2013). It could also interpret the existing experience. It can be mentioned that this stage of learning helps the individual to observe thing and experience.

Figure 1: Kolb’s  Learning style

(Source: Riding and Rayner 2013)

Reflective Observation- The reflective observation is also of the new experience. Hence, while learning, the individual needs to observe the things before making a particular judgment viewing the surroundings from different perspectives (Ocepek et al. 2013). This stage could help me to look for the meaning of new things. As discussed earlier I am not efficient at resolving the issues due to my impulsive nature, I could resolve this weakness observing the things first from different perspectives. Thereafter, I could come to a particular judgment.

Abstract conceptualization: The execution of this stage helps the individual to rely on the logical analysis and react on intellectual realization of a particular situation. This means if I reflect on a particular situation it could provide me with new ideas or enhancement of the existing abstract.

Active Experimentation: This increases ability to conduct the activities by affecting others and events through different actions. This may also include the action of risk taking. This stage also comes from the observation of previous stage.

I have discussed how I could apply this theory of learning to overcome my weakness. In addition, the authors in existing research also highlight this particular theory while recommending individuals to increase the skills and efficiency.

Learning to manage

RE- Hence, I will take help from a manager who guides me in managing others in the workplace.

AE- I will use the skills of the individual along with what I have learnt to accomplish my own managing style.

RO- Observing how others manage.

AC- I will go through and read the secondary sources of information to identify the pros and cons of different approach of managing people.

The above-mentioned critical analysis helps to considers that certain fields associated with the self-assessment such as identifying the gaps in the assessment. From the critical analysis, I have found that I need to focus more on communication and decision-making skills. The critical analysis also indicates that how communication helps in a workplace where the potential issues like employee conflict is certain to happen. While conducting the self-assessment analysis, I have divided the skills in different categories. It helps to identify my weaknesses and strengths in the respective areas. This technique facilitates the ways of analyzing the skills and avoids the potential gaps in the analysis. The assessment also highlights the things I yet need to achieve to achieve my desired goals. By conducting the assessment, I have found that I lack effective time management skills.

I lack proper skills of time management because I do not set plans for implementing any particular activity. When the situation arrives for implementation of the activities, without any proper schedule, I implement the tasks. However, I require a particular schedule to accomplish those activities. Additionally, if I maintain a time schedule chart, I could overcome the problem of managing time. Likewise, my communication is not developed properly as I have not practiced communicating with people. I would communicate with small number of people in a group. Therefore, I increase the gaps in the communication. It is essential to communicate with others in a large group. Furthermore, it is also important to regularize the communication. Similarly, while developing the listening skills, one has to relate the things said by the audience with the context while hearing them. My self-assessment activity also provides the outcome that I find it difficult to deal with the stress, which causes anxiety. This happens due to my impulsive state of being. I lack patience; thereby, I find it difficult observe the other factors that cause the actions. This increases my stress. Hence, I need to utilize my observation skills to understand any situation.  

Once, the assessment is conducted, through critical analysis, I have compared my findings with the outcomes and statements provided by the authors. I have found that my communication skills are not highly developed. Thus, if I do not put the effort in developing my communication, I will be facing serious issues with communication in the workplace. While dealing with large number of people in a group or team, I have to communicate with every individual as the role of a leader to identify the potential issues. In addition, if I follow an open management style, the effective communication is highly required.  

While analyzing the ways to develop the areas that need improvement, I have linked the processes with Kolb’s learning style. This helps me to easily implement techniques for gaining the desired outcome. The self-learning style of Kolb provides different phases of learning. Thus, the implementation of each phase could provide me with positive outcome. Hence, I would also mention that while becoming a good leader I need to relay more on observation of things that increase my experience.

Table 2: Developing the Action plan

(Source: Created by Myself)

Conclusion

On the completion of the report, I mention that this by conducting a self-assessment I have identified my strengths and weakness. Based on the assessment, I could further develop the strategies to overcome those areas. Likewise, the critical analysis also helps me to importance of those areas. I have gained an insight about how I would apply those managerial skills in real field of management.

Reference list:

Boud, D., Keogh, R. and Walker, D., 2013. Promoting reflection in learning A modeli. Boundaries of adult learning, 1, pp.32-57.

Busse, H., Aboneh, E.A. and Tefera, G., 2014. Learning from developing countries in strengthening health systems: an evaluation of personal and professional impact among global health volunteers at Addis Ababa University’s Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (Ethiopia). Globalization and health, 10(1), p.1.

El-Gilany, A.H. and Abusaad, F.E.S., 2013. Self-directed learning readiness and learning styles among Saudi undergraduate nursing students. Nurse Education Today, 33(9), pp.1040-1044.

Leask, M. and Pachler, N., 2013. Learning to teach using ICT in the secondary school: A companion to school experience. Routledge.

Manolis, C., Burns, D.J., Assudani, R. and Chinta, R., 2013. Assessing experiential learning styles: A methodological reconstruction and validation of the Kolb Learning Style Inventory. Learning and Individual Differences, 23, pp.44-52.

Mayes, A.S. and Moon, B. eds., 2013. Teaching and learning in the secondary school. Routledge.

McKernan, J. and McKernan, J., 2013. Curriculum action research: A handbook of methods and resources for the reflective practitioner. Routledge.

Moon, J.A., 2013. Reflection in learning and professional development: Theory and practice. Routledge.

Ocepek, U., Bosnić, Z., Šerbec, I.N. and Rugelj, J., 2013. Exploring the relation between learning style models and preferred multimedia types.Computers & Education, 69, pp.343-355.

Riding, R. and Rayner, S., 2013. Cognitive styles and learning strategies: Understanding style differences in learning and behavior. Routledge.

Rienties, B., Brouwer, N. and Lygo-Baker, S., 2013. The effects of online professional development on higher education teachers' beliefs and intentions towards learning facilitation and technology. Teaching and Teacher Education, 29, pp.122-131.

Russell, T. and Korthagen, F., 2013. Teachers who teach teachers: Reflections on teacher education. Routledge.

Winston, R.B., Creamer, D.G. and Miller, T.K., 2013. The professional student affairs administrator: Educator, leader, and manager. Routledge.