Demonstrating Academic Theory In Work Environment With Reflection And Evaluation Techniques

1. Demonstrate the ability to relate academic theory to the work environment and recognise the contribution of practice to the development of theory.
2. Confidently apply work related skills in a professional context.
3. Demonstrate a critical approach to evaluation techniques and reflective practice. 
4. Produce a career and personal development plan to support their level 6 studies and entry to graduate employment.

The Incidences/Activities

This first segment of the paper addresses itself to the learning outcome number 3. It is focusing on how to equip the students with ability to see the linkage between the theoretical concepts covered in class and how they can be applied in the work environment. It takes a look at the learning activities or incidences of the week with a view to reflecting on what happened and the significance of the incidences to the learning experiences to the learners. Different techniques and models are used in reflecting on the activities such as the John Dewey’s reflective cycle and the Gibb’s Reflective Cycle. The effectiveness of reflection in the learning process has also been canvased and aconsidered opinion given as to how what results the reflection process would have had if a different reflection models was applied.

The study for the week involved a lot of workshops, in which there were a number of activities that were undertaken. These were tasks that were aimed at helping the students to better reflect on their learning experiences and evaluate to conduct an evaluation of the same. The first learning experience involved the Dewey’s 5 stage models of reflection. According to the model, reflective thinking is a process that is triggered by interacting with or having an encounter that raises questions, difficulties or dilemmas. These are experiences that lead us to question what is going on (Jiang & Johnson 2018, p. 550).

The second stage of the model entails a conceptualisation of the encounter. At this point, the person involved in the encounter begins to imagine what they could do in their current situation. This is followed by the third stage which is called the experimentation process. In the experimentation stage the person involved in the experience or encounter begins to try out a number of methods in order to find a solution for the problem or a remedy to fix the situation (McGonagill 2014, p. 18).Beyond the point of trying out a solution, the next stage involves a consideration of how effective the solution was and whether it could be adopted for use if similar encounters occur in the future.   

According to Adkins (2014) perception is the ability to exercise our sensibilities in the hearing, seeing or becoming aware of the things around us. As one of the activities for learning in week 3, we also carried out the mirror task.  Arms (2018), posits that perception is what influences the way we think about things and situations. The manner in which we perceive realities around us directly impacts on the way we visualize things. This explains why different people have different perspectives of things in life. This is because our perceptions of realities in life are different too.  

Significance of the Events to Me

This section will cover how the learning activities of week 3 were significant to me as a learner. As already mentioned, in the week, there were a number of learning activities; firstly, we looked at the Dewey’s Model of reflection as a reflective model to help students to conduct reflective learning. This was significant to me because it enabled me as a student to appreciate the role of reflection in learning. The five stages of the Dewey’s reflective models were very essential in appreciating the manner in which we as students handle different circumstance in the learning environment. Many times as a student we are faced with challenges. The Dewey’s Reflective model informs us that we should begin by asking ourselves what it is that is happening (Betta 2016, p. 71).

After this a conceptualisation of the incident follows. In the conceptualisation we are supposed to think about what we can do in order to remedy the situation. After we conceptualise, it is time to try out the solution. This is called experimentation. At this stage, we attempt to implement the answer that we have come up with and see how the situation changes. What follows after the experimentation is the consideration. For this part, some thought is spared for looking into how effective the solution to the problem was. It is also looked at with a view to determining whether it could be adapted for use in the future and whatever changes could be made to the solution in order to make it more suitable.

One of the models that I used in order to conduct reflections on the activities of week 3 included the Gibb’s reflective model. According to Hedberg (2017), the Gibb’s reflective Cycle is a model which provides a framework for students to carry out reflective assignments during their course work. It also helps student to look back at the key events or incidents as well as activities of learning and reflect upon them. The Gibb’s reflective model has five stages as shown in the figure below;

The Gibbs’ reflective model aims at changing the assumptions of the students while also imparting in them the ability and desire to explore new approaches that can be applied in thinking about situations in life. Papworth (2015) submits that there flective cycle makes room for capacity to improve in the learning of students by way of seeking out the strengths and weaknesses of the student and taking steps to find redress for them. It also provided the much needed link between practice and theory.

What Model Was Used?

Why did it happen and my initial reaction to the incident

The learning activities of the week happened as a consequence of the module’s activities planned out in the coursework. It is set out in the plan for the semester that students would undertake the activities for week 3; the Dewey’s Reflective Model and the Mirror Task. My initial reaction to the two tasks for the week was characterised by intrigue.  To be honest, I initially did not see the relationship between reflective learning and the use of mirrors in class. For me, the place of mirrors was not in class and certainly not in the learning environment. My expectation wasn’t that it would be a tool for learning about how we perceive things in life. As Sherwood et al. (2018) suggests, our perceptions dictate the way we look at people and issues too. Additionally, it was impressive to learn that we as students and as people in everyday life apply the Dewey’s Five Stages model of reflection even without realizing it. I came to make this realization despite the fact that I had thought it was strange in the first place.

This section of the reflective journal will reflect on the incidences and learning experiences of week 3 by way of using the Dewey’s reflective Model. The Dewey’s reflective Model is an approach to reflection that allows students to look back at the learning activities that we have undertaken and synthesize the information in order to make sense of it. Bostock-Cox (2015) opines that the mirror helps us to see our perception of things in life. Our perceptions in life many times are influenced by the opinions of our peers. This is the essence of doing the mirror task in pairs. This helps the two participants in the task to appreciate each other’s perspectives of themselves and of issues in their surroundings.

Would these reflections change if a different Model of reflection was used?

This section of the reflective journal takes a look at the differences that the learning activities would have assumed if looked at using  different reflection model; the Kolb’s Model. As contained in McAndrews and Hansberry (2018) this model equips with a variety of concepts that help students to acquire new impetus in developing new ideas as presented by the learning experiences. Kolb’s model is also called the experimental learning theory which has four stages that the leaner uses in reflection and learning as shown in the figure below.

Why Did It Happen and My Initial Reaction to the Incident

The John Dewey’s Five Stage Reflective Model (Kayes 2012, p. 140)

According to Kolb, learning styles should be seen as a matrix involving 2 by 2 arrangements; concrete learning and abstract learning both of which have the active and passive phases. Kolbsubmits that knowing ones preferred style of learning as well as that of the other person is necessary to the learning process. The learning styles includes, diverging, assimilating accommodating and converging. Through diverging, people visualize things through different perspectives. For instance, when performing the mirror task people will not see things the same way according to Hilden & Tikkamäki (2013), people who learn by diverging often do well in circumstances that need coming up with ideas.  Others learn by assimilating; these categoriesof people are concerned more about ideas and concepts. Individuals who learn by converging are problem solvers. They find solutions to circumstances. Individuals who learn by accommodating are intuitive and prefer intuition to logic.

According to Smith et al. (2015) reflecting on learning activities has also helped me to develop deeper insights into the career that I intend to pursue in the future. Learning through reflection has been a valuable tool in learning. Most of the time, we pass through learning activities or even live events with the imagination that they are unrelated. Moreover we more often than not pass over incidents without viewing them as opportunities for learning. Reflecting on learning activities as well as work experiences helps us to give meaning to them.

This first part of the paper has addressed itself to the learning outcome number 3. It has focused on how to equip the students with ability to see the linkage between the theoretical concepts covered in class and how they can be applied in the work environment. It has provided perspectives of learning activities or incidences of the week, with a view to reflecting on what happened and the significance of the incidences to the learning experiences to the learners.

This section of the assessment covers the role of reflection in the learning process. It also deals with the matter of how reflective practice impacts on the development of the person in terms of the career. The main aspects of the project portfolio design and implementation is also sought in the paper. An analysis of how the new knowledge differs from the previous informationknown to the students is also taught. The value added by the new knowledge is compared to the level of knowledge previously held. The paper then presents an evaluation of the role of reflective learning in the development of a career and personal development plan and in setting of smart goals both for personal improvement and career development.

The Reflective Model of Choice

Importance of learning through reflectionand the values it brings to professional development

Reflection is a powerful tool for learning. The reason for this is simple; the art of learning and teaching is one of discovery (Sarma 2015, p. 7). This implies that tutors who engage their students in reflection are able to fully engage the learners in the process of making meaning out of the learning activities. Reflection enables the learners to be the producers of the knowledge in the learning environment. When students are not engaged in reflection, they are reduced to mere consumers of the knowledge generated in the learning process (Dubinsky 2016, p.308). An approach to learning that utilizes reflection allows students to be active participants in the learning process. This helps the learners to better remember what they learn. As testament to this fact, I can now relate the activities that were undertook in class much better after conducting a reflection on the same. Whenlearning through reflection, its necessary that the right tone for reflection is set. For instance, in week 1, the activity that was undertaken was the table activity. When students are working on table tasks, they stick to making use of their six-inch voices. This is because when conducting table tasks, they ought not to interfere with the activities of other learners. Another activity which was undertaken in the course of week 2 was the Emotional Intelligence test. After reflecting on it, I can conclude that emotional intelligence is what gives the link in the success equation (Finch 2016,p.23).Reflecting upon the activity gave me some valuable insights into the role of reflective learning on emotional intelligence.

The chosen model for reflection is the John Dewey’s Five Stage reflection model. The justification for this is because his approach to reflection is helpful in finding a solution in instances where the solution cannot be settled on with certainty. It is a powerful tool to help us to make meaning of situations that make us look powerless. According to Hinchliffe (2015)learning is only achieved by reflecting on the experience and not by the experience in itself. This makes the Dewey’s theory a model of choice because it emphasizes on the need for us to reflect on our experiences as learners in order that we may learn from them. At the time of crafting the model, Dewey believed that the education system was rigid and unresponsive to the needs of the society so he developed the theory to help learners to link up their learning experiences with the real issues in life. As such, the Dewey’s reflective model still remains relevant as medium for enabling learners and career people to align what they have been taught with the expectations of today’s changing society (Poell, Yorks & Marsick 2014, p. 3).

Would These Reflections Change If a Different Model of Reflection Was Used?

Applying the Dewey’s Model to identifying the main aspects of the Project PortfolioDesign and Implementation

This section of the reflective journal will make use of the Dewey’s Reflective journal in identifying the three main aspects that are learnt from the project portfolio development and implementation. Project design and implementation is stage number four in the project life cycle. According to Jordan (2010), it comes after the selection of the value chain, analysis of the value chain and upon the completion of competitiveness strategy. Using the Dewey’s reflection model reveals a number of things. The four phases only appear to be distinct in the course of discussion. In practice, they are not separable. They may be sequential in order of occurrence but they are not necessarily linear. For instance, analysis goes on even in the implementation phase of the project.

The competitiveness strategy is a framework that helps the business or the industry to increase their profitability (Kolb & Kolb 2015, p. 200). It facilitates the firm in moving to become more profitable in a three prong way; firstly, it outlines what it is that needs to be done, it also identifies the persons that will be involved and lastly, it specifies how the firm may go about achieving the set goals. As posited by Matsuo (2012) when firms begin to score higher on the maturity scale, they begin to manage the projects collectively.At that level, projects are no longer viewed as expenditures, rather as investments. The PPDI makes it easier to manage project by offering the portfolio managers and project managers with the tools and techniques for the management of project design and implementation.

How does this differ from previous knowledge?

Without a doubt there are areas where the new knowledge is in tandem with what was known to me before. But more importantly, the recently acquired information and knowledge through the course of reflective learning also has several areas of departure from the knowledge in my possession before.The course work has shed light on the area of Project and Portfolio Design and Implementation. Before then, it looked like knowledge that was relevant only to project managers and portfolio managers. My view now is changed. As contained in Ashby (2016) project and portfolio design and implementation is important for anyone who is seeking to progress in their career areas to have knowledge of project and portfolio design and implementation. My previous knowledge of reflection was narrow.

The value of the knowledge gained in the course of applying the Dewey’s reflective model is that it helps us to become proactive. It is not possible to be reflective if we are not proactive. Brown, McCracken & O’Kane (2011) also say that the model helps us to break out of our routines and our usual way of thinking in order that we may make a difference. It gives some amount of power to the student, making them realise that as learners they are even more effective at developing independent reflections. This is only achievable when they free themselves from the tendency ofcarrying out tasks merely as a routine and without critical thought. The use of the Dewey’s reflective model proves the effectiveness of collaborative perspectives but as the same time, the student must carry out the reflection exercise individually (Nicolaides & Yorks 2016, p. 55). Although other people’s perspective of things also impacts on the way we visualize things around us, a personal reflection is necessary for the individual to appreciate the learning activities.

How does the new knowledge impact onmy practice?

This new knowledge revolutionises the way I perceive things. Now I operate in full knowledge of the fact that even in my workplace, not all people will perceive things the same way. This is fundamental in ensuring that I appreciate the difference in opinions and perspectives within the workplace.The new knowledge helps me as a professional to come up with solutions in instances when there are uncertainties just by applying the Dewey’s reflective model.As conferred by Armstrong & Anis Mahmud (2010), being able to reflect on the learning activities of the week makes me a different student but more importantly prepares me for the workplace. The workplace environment will need reflective skills and being able to synthesize ideas from raw information as presented during the class room learning sessions.

The assessment has covered several critical areas. As presented in the reflective learning journal, the place of reflective learning in this course work cannot be or overstated. The centrality of reflection is underscored by the fact that there can be no learning without reflection. It is reflecting upon experiences that lead to learning and not just the experience initself. A justification for the choice of the John Dewey’s reflective models is provided; it gives the learners an opportunity to be active participants in the learning process as opposed to being reduced to consumers of the knowledge generated in the learning process. The value of this new knowledge is the seen in the way that it revolutionises the learning experience. Without a doubt reflection enables the individual to develop themselves not only personally but also in terms of the career or professional skills.

1. Setting Goals

1. Personal Objectives

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