Reflection Essay On Project Design And Implementation Module.

1. Demonstrate the ability to relate to 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 Learning Process

Everyone is in a process of learning at every time, and I have learnt many things from my experiences of different situations. Sometimes these experiences are so critical, by those critical situations, I get experience about the problem and get an answer about how that problem is solved. Learning is a process, which provides us knowledge and experience of many things (Boud, 2013). Based on learning I can take decisions for different critical situation, my learning, and experience reflect on that incident. When it comes to work, many things are going good or near to perfection, when you learn or having experiences from past incidents, next time you defiantly remember those things and never make those mistakes again (Chirema, 2007). In this task, I will discuss about Evaluation and Reflection module (EVRE) and Project Design and Implementation (PPDI) module.

In general, academic theories related to work and personal life is very helpful in learning and understanding about real life. Therefore, those are so approachable to develop different qualities in our personality. Now, I am taking second week’s event to create reflection report because it has many phases, which are interesting to analyze according to Boud reflection model (Moon, 2006). David Boud gave a reflection model in which three things are connected, Learning, Experience, and Reflection. All these terms are in a cycle as you start from learning about something in your life from your work or daily life. Knowledge attained in past from your own experiences will help in future in taking right actions when same situation will occur. We have to understand the meaning of our experiences as a human being. For this complete PPDI and EVRE module, I used Boud’s Triangle representation model. That model is really helped me in my career and professional development. I learnt that reflection was occurred when I learn something from my experiences. When I make mistakes that is also an experience for my future. I chose this model because it was providing me guidelines to understand reflection process.  

Main Aspects of PPDI module was:

• Activities done in PPDI module
• Experiences after completing activities
• Learning from activities for future

Boud’s model was perfectly connected with that whole exercise, Learning, experience, and, Reflection all phases was helpful to complete my task for Cesim project. In second week, I learnt about Gantt chart, which helps in for scheduling activities. Gantt charts are so helpful for Project Management (Maylor, 2001. During second week I learnt about Boud’s triangle representation model, I got all knowledge related to EVRE and PPDI module, helpful for my new work for project management. Personal development skills as Teamwork, Effective communication, handling critical situations, Collaboration, Leadership, Self-awareness and enhance individual skills were improved in this task.

Boud's Reflection Model

Now, I will explain about different reflection theories, which are related to my work in that project management.

David Boud has given this above theory based on Kolb’s Experimental learning theory, Hence Kolb’s Learning style theory is represented by four phases, Concrete experience, Reflective observation of the new experience, Abstract conceptualization, and Active Experimentation. 

According to Kolb, a person understands effective learning when they go through from these four phases. It is allowed to enter the cycle at any phase and follow it according to given sequence. Kolb considered that every person has different style of learning on account for educational experiences, social environment, or the basic individual cognitive structure (Dixon, 2017).

Kolb’s theory was built for educators to promote regular development in their own field. For example if you were learning to teach.

• Concrete experience – Having a teacher which guide you to teaching someone else
• Active experimentation – Using your teacher skills, you have learned your own teaching style.
• Reflection observation – know how other people teach.
• Abstract conceptualization – Reading books to find out the benefits of different methods.

Concrete experience means got a new experience from a situation. When we get experience from that situation, we can review those experiences. A new idea or concept rise from reflection of experiences (Moon, 2006).

Kolb also proposed that experimental learning containing six key characteristics:

• Achievement of learning is mainly related to process not to outcomes.
• Learning is a constant process grounded in that particular event.
• Main requirement of learning is the resolution of conflicts between dialectically opposite      modes of transformation to the world.
• Learning is a holistic procedure of transformation to the world.
• Learning contains mutual transmission between the person and thesurroundings.
• The process of creating knowledge that is the conclusion of transaction between social database and personal database.

All key points are outcome of a journey or process by which I know how to complete my job role in PDDI module (Dixon, 2017).

Johari’s window theory of reflection is based on personal analysis by himself and knowing about others what think about me. 

Different persons describe their own personalities according to same adjectives from a common list in this exercise. These adjectives are placed into a matrix of two by two. Open, Hidden, Blind, and unknown, these four quadrants are there in this matrix. Adjectives can be happy, proud, wise, and nervous many more (South, 2007). During second week, I learned Kolb’s Model and Johari’s windows Model, telling us about personal development, group dynamics, group relationships, and self-awareness. Johari’s window theory used for an activity in our group, and all group members enjoyed that activity. It was really interesting and useful for the reason that it have different task for every person or it is not boring. After learning from that activity, I came to know about my group members and myself. When I learn Boud’s theory of reflection, I decided that firstly I learn about any task than I will try for that task and get experience from it, as I played very well Johari’s window activity, my contribution was necessary for that activity. When I start that activity I found that was too tuff for me but when I started this I learned many things in different steps. Hence, I found that learning is very useful process for every critical situation.  

Kolb's Learning Style Theory

In week-II, I also learned about Gantt chart made with the help of different tools. Gantt chart is used for project schedule, can also be used for different time interval problems. It is so simple to schedule different activities by help of Gantt chart. In case of reflection cycle, many people commonly follow Gibbs Reflective Cycle. Gibb’s built reflective cycle in reference to Kolb’s experiential learning cycle, it says that practice and theory enrich one in a never-ending circle.

During that group meeting, I learned that communication is essential in project task. Communication is the key to make people comfortable and open to share their thoughts about us. Johari’s window is a best activity for that thing.

As I discussed above all theories are related to reflection or evolution. When I think about learning, it is not only learning that is also a part of reflection. Gibb’s model acknowledges your reflection on any situation was based on your experiences, which are happened with us (Potter, 2015). 

Gibb’s reflection cycle is beneficial for students for their study and social life.

This section gives the opportunity to describe briefly about the event. What happened when you do something in an event, take a key point from that critical situation which is right or wrong.

In this section, Gibb’s describe that what you feel. In second week when I learned Boud model I felt it is too tuff but when I was started to take interest in discussion or activities, I was feeling so good.

This section gives us the opportunity to know what was good about the activities and what did not go so well. It is important that you learn negative or positive things from that incident.

This section is useful for all section in which you consult academic literature to help to sense of the incident effectively. 

At this stage, you conclude about your contribution and feelings though out the event.

This section provides experiences from the event, you have enough results from that event, and you can reapply these results if same incident occurred in future. I learned from it that what type of planning I have for next time.

All these six stages are in circle and one by one when complete these stages, I got answers of my problems (Gibb, 1988).

Conclusion

Thus, from the discussion in the previous parts, it can be concluded that learning is base of all the reflection theories and when I start learning from different critical incidents those are my experiences for future use only. Experiences are your results of doing something with your work and everyday life. Boud’s, Kolb’s, and Gibb’s theories in this task, which are related to reflection cycle All theories are related to each other, each theory provide a way to get success as I played Johari’s window activity with my group member, was very helpful to self-awareness. All members of the group were asked to think about whom they wanted to nominate for the Project lead. Each member wrote a name, as they wanted to nominate and brought it to the meeting. The group agreed on the highest nominated person in an agreeable manner. Finally, I got the way to get successes in my project module starting by help of reflection cycles. 

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle

In above task Reflection report of single week was created now, I included all the weeks in this task. It is summative reflection of all ten weeks. In all those weeks, from first week to last week, I observed that first you should analyze the task, than start doing relevant work, and never think that problem is difficult. Always start from analysis of your task and then use your previous experiences to solve it. Different philosophers and therapist gave their opinions for solving any task by help of a reflection cycle. For this task, I take all weeks to analyze PPDI module and, solve the given task within the given time with help of reflection cycle. I follow Boud’s triangle representation; hence, I got many ethics to work for a given task. In professional development reflection of your experiences are have a main role (Bolton, 2014).

Learning is having knowledge or skill through study and experience, which make you better person as aspect of professional development. A person begins learning from birth and continues until his death and, different learning phases are occurred in life. When you do something, you learn from it, which reflect in your future personality. For personal development, learning is so necessary. As formal learning is an example of teacher-student relationship, in which training departments set out goals and objectives.

Reflection means linking a current experience to earlier learning. Reflection involves cognitive and emotional information from different sources, as visual, auditory, and, evaluating data (ASCD, 2018).

Some skills are so important for work related in professional context; those are playing a big role in our life. I learnt many skills and improved myself for professional development. I developed following skills in myself are:

• Strong work ethics
• Problem solving skills
• Acting as team player
• Ability to Accept and Learn From Criticism
• Adaptability
• Flexibility
• Effective communication skills

All these skills are really so helpful for my future goals, from my experiences I learnt that if you want to do something good, you have to develop your skills in professional context (AOL, 2009).

In week-1, I study about reflective practice theories provided by different people. Mainly I study about Evolution and reflection term in case of academic work. A meeting was scheduled meeting for 12 noon. When we get together first time the module (PPDI) was introduced and finalize some activities for that module which help us to effective communication, teamwork and, importance of reflecting. A group member did not arrive on time; hence, a group member creates an online group in Mobile app, therefore no communication gap between group members. This incident made me to realize the importance of attending meetings on time for group productivity. After that Cesim project is discussed by group, in which how to finish this project within deadline. I was confused in starting that what is my role in this project and, what are the expectations from our group. For achieving weekly targets, that type of meeting is necessary, if someone have an idea for solving problem then we used that thought for our module (Morris, and Stew, 2007).

The Importance of Communication and Teamwork in Project Management

In second week Boud’s Reflection model was discussed in-group, which help us to used theory in practice. Three phase in that model, Learning, Experience, and Reflection, All are connected in both direction. Initially I found that model is difficult but when I follow three steps that were helpful for our process. That meeting was planned at 1:45 pm to discuss about different activities planning for week-2. In this week, I learnt about Kolb’s and Johari’s window theories used these theories in different activities by which improve self-awareness and effective communication. All members of the group were asked to think about whom they wanted to nominate for the Project lead. Each member wrote a name of candidate, whom wanted to nominate and brought it to the meeting. The group agreed on the highest nominated person in an agreeable manner. So finally, we have a group leader though agreement with all.

In third week meeting was scheduled at 12:00 pm. One of our team members mixed up PPDI and EVRE module. Our project leader clarified how both were interlinked and, what are the different things in PPDI module. From this incident, I learnt that individual reading is important to identify the main module. Also review of Cesim project progress activities and, role of each group member, also discussed about difficulties faced by different group members. I learnt from this week was leadership, collaboration and, communication.

In fourth week the completion of the practice round was arranged. One member did not finish their practice session. The group agreed for that member to go home and complete their part while the other remained behind to proceed on the agreed weekly activity. This incident made me understand the essence of confirmation of completion of individual task prior to meetings. The group gained a better understanding of the Cesim project and application of that during group task. The group also learnt to use individual skills to allocate task. I remember feeling very frustrated as we could not progress with the work and I had taken time off work to make sure I was present in the meeting. I remember thinking it was a waste of the group time as nothing was done on this day because of the incident. In future, the group learned from this experience and decided that at the end of each meeting copies would be made, printed and saved on everyone’s laptop, rather than relying on one.

In that week I also learnt about journals, journals are used in professional education and professional development (Moon, 2006). In self-development and professional development, journals play a very big role.  

In fifth week the project practice round was completed. Looking back, the group knew their roles and worked effectively together by covering their parts. I learnt the importance of Project managers in the Cesim project practice, and the need for review of the weekly Cesim practice. The experience was based on Dutch Test for conflict handling which the group took in class with the lecturer. The group ended up choosing a preferred conflict handling style. The experience was based on how individuals have handled conflicts in the past. I remember the group sharing their experiences on how they handled different experiences. I learnt from each other based on the scenario given on the various ways to resolve conflict such as listening to both sides before looking for ways to resolve the conflict as it is important to first identify the cause of conflict to resolve adequately it fairly. The learning outcomes from different activities and personal task were agreed between members based on the experience and reflection of how to handle different conflicts.

In sixth week, there was no activity due to a member off on paternity leave. I remember thinking why the meeting was cancelled when we could have proceeded with the weekly activities planned and then forward the group member a summary of what was covered in the meeting or activities. I have learned from the setback this caused that in future it will be discussed with the tutor for alternative method of progression without the absent group member and summary will be sent by e-mail on what is covered in the meeting or activities.

Thinking about your thinking makes your thinking better. Critical thinking and the focus make a big change in yourself, it is not a part of our academics but still clear your goal individually (Medium, 2018). Group members researched on the Project manager’s roles and gathered information that will be discussed in week 7 activity. In that week, I got experiences based on deeper and critical learning. The experience made me aware of the move from surface learning leads to deeper learning. Through critical reflection on the learning, the way I think and manner I deal and react to incidents has changed over the years. Due to the deeper learning, I have learned to change the way I think and behavior to adapt to situations for better value of outcomes (Fook, and Gardner, 2012).

In case of critical incidents with any person, learning process has a high level. From an individual perspective, learning is high for our professional development (Cope, and Watts, 2000).

One more thing I learnt in this exercise, which is critical thinking, in academic study, or project management tasks, sometimes-different types of critical incidents are occurred, for that, I took some examples. They are enhancing managing skills by adopting practice with critical thinking and reflective writing (McMillan, and Weyers, 2013).

Conclusion

From the discussion carried from the previous parts, it can be concluded that I learnt about project management with the help of many things like hard work, effective communication, enthusiasm and, social ethics. First of all group making was a great experience of mine, being a group member I completed my tasks, which were assigned to me in given time. I also enjoyed different activities as Johari’s window and many more by which I learnt many things, which are connected to my professional life, it will boost my career in future. Some qualities like Learning, self-awareness and worried about work helped me to complete that project. That ten-week exercise was helpful for me to increase my efficiency and productivity. In this exercise, Reflection theories have a great importance. Finally, I want to say that it was my remarkable experience to complete Cesim project and I got numerous aspirations from that activity. 

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