Appraising Strengths and Weaknesses Report 2022

Introduction
In this paper, I will be reflecting on my strengths and weaknesses as PED and the
need to develop the desired skills required for my improvement. I will also consider how
possession of such skills will enhance my personal effectiveness as a PED and improve the
learning and development of my students.
l: Reflective Report
A. Appraising Strengths and Weaknesses
As a Practice Educator (PED), I have always engaged a multi-faceted role including being
a leader, role model, teacher, coach, mentor, assessor and with the responsibility of making
sure \ clinical supervision, leadership and a learner (student) in the practice-oriented
education environment. My work as a PED requires me to be a supportive, a facilitative
leader to learners, inspiring students to grow as well as bridge the gap between the practice
and theory learned in class to real-world aspects of practice in ambulance services. Thus, my
role as PED remains a mixture of supervising, role modelling, teaching and supporting. This
forms a vital aspect in making sure learners gain from experiences of learning on offer during
placements. My significant strength in this aspects is the fact that I am now well aware of
how practice placement experience influence the recruitment and retention of therapeutic
radiographers. I know the various different strategies for teaching and learning through this
course for example, taking feedbacks from students on regular basis, understanding their
preferred learning styles etc. Furthermore, I am very much motivated and confident about
myself that I can effectively guide my students to overcome the challenges that they would be
facing being diagnostic radiographer. I have a strong personal value system that I believe
would serve as a role model to my students. However, my weakness in this regard is that I do
not make use of vibrant approach that is likely to provide intellectual stimulation. This is why

I fail to motivate my students for studying well and stretch beyond their comfort zones at the
process of learning.
B. Importance of Developing Skills
My main strength lies in my ability to effectively facilitate learning. I have identified this
quality as a key determinant of an excellent PED by encouraging learning of students on
placement. I am able to correctly recognize the different styles of learning, provide
opportunities for learning, graded exposure, promote independent problem solving, reflection
alongside feedback provision. In terms of learning style recognition, my strength lies in my
awareness of as well as responsiveness to the styles of learning among my students. I have
always achieved this by asking my students to identify their styles of learning via discussion
or questionnaire I issue on the first day of their placement. Such awareness has always
provided me suitable experiences and opportunities to facilitate learning within a targeted,
collaborative manner and even apply strategies relevant t learning of my students. I have
embraced a learning style strategy which ensures that I ask my students to identify their
individual styles of learning (whether visual aural, verbal or kinaesthetic learning styles) on
their first placement day via questionnaires or discussions. I have also tailored my
supervision to conform to my student's styles of learning. I have been able to provide the
desired learning opportunities for my student. This is because I have realised that student
value such opportunities and PED's interest in their learning and hard work. Therefore, I am
always strong at arranging for learner’s participation in several learning e always used graded
exposure to my student as one of the key strategies to enable learning by progressively
divulging them to several assignments as well as grading their extent of undertaken
responsibilities. This has helped me to excellently grade my students' learning.

I have always assumed various strategies to promote autonomous problem-solving which
include directing learners to members of the team and resources, prompting, permitting ample
duration respond, utilizing case studies, provision of solely minimal info, inspiring reflection
etc. With the same, I have also focused on deliberating why certain things were successful
and others never went well in order to make my students get practical knowledge of the
things and to improve their thinking ability to solve practical problems. (Lazakidou and
Retails 2010).
My weakness lies in valuing reciprocity of supervisory relationship. While I realized that
learners identify the significance of student-practice educator association as foundation for
their placement learning, I have not been able to achieve this quality to the level I would
wish. However, I have realized that students perceive that supervisory relationship quality
remains the stamp of brilliance. Particularly, the association with PED has always been
viewed as a reciprocally gainful one instead of a single way transfer of expertise of the
educator who embraces life-long learning and value feedback.
C. Critical Reflection
My knowledge and understanding of professional competence concept have significantly
been enhanced. I have been able to understand the three key themes which underpin how an
excellent PED provide "the just right challenge." I experience now fully aware that unless I
possess such skills as valuing the reciprocity of supervisory relationships, facilitating learning
as well as encouraging autonomy or independent, I will not be professionally competent as a
practice educator (PE).
In regards to valuing reciprocity of supervisory relationship, I have come to realize that
student always the significance of student-PED association as the premise for their learning
on placement. Thus, I will seek to develop and improve professionally through the

implementation of initiatives that enhance such a supervisory relationship. For example,
conducting regular meetings and hurdles and encouraging feedbacks. It is because I have
realized that student view that the quality of such a relationship is the hallmark of PED
excellence, specifically that associated with their PED remain observed as the mutually
beneficial one, instead of a single way transmission of expertise of educator to learners.
Moreover, I have enhanced my knowledge by understanding that my students value PED
who embrace life-long learning as well as feedback alongside that who value having learners
who develop graduate competencies as they are on placement. I have understood that I need
to show unswerving willingness to relate to my learners as an individual as well as fully
commit to the learning of my students to be a competent professional PED. Also, I have come
to understand that my schools are willing to take a risk in the context of supportive
relationship and develop their desired skills as future competent professional. Thus, I have
understood that I need to collaborate effectively with the students as it will help myself as
well as my students learn and develop professionally while building a professional bonding.
Furthermore, I have enhanced my knowledge by recognizing that the experience of being
a supportive PED is valued by students as they feel they I recognize them like individuals
instead of "just another student." Thus, I need to build a relationship which enables me to
comprehend the needs of my students and respond to such needs in a practical manner which
supports my students learning. I have realized that I must work collaboratively with my
leamers to make sure that anticipations are met. Thus, I have recognized the need to make
efforts right from the beginning of students' placement to get to know all the students and
start to share useful knowledge and information. To do this, I will ask my students to identify
their individual styles of learning (whether visual aural, verbal or kinaesthetic learning styles)
on their first placement day via questionnaires or discussions.

As a PED, I have also enhanced my knowledge and understanding of professional
competent by realizing that students' learning is inspired when a PED shares stories alongside
experience with students and provide opportunities for learning conversations. This made me
realize that sharing stories as a strategy I will use to effectively teach my learners to make
them feel they are being treated as equal instead of being showed what to think. This results
in mutual benefits as learners recognize that they gained significantly from placement and
that their Page 6 of 8 contributions to practice context, the client and oncologist were valued.
I have also realized that students will see me as a competent professional. This makes my
students to provide the desired feedback which benefits me as a PED by helping me develop
my supervisory skills. Also, I have realized that by valuing the contributions of my students, I
will positively impact their confidence alongside professional identity.
In regard to facilitating learning, I have also improved my knowledge and understanding
of professional competent significantly. This is because I have known the desired strategies I
can use to promote independent problem solving, learning as well as reflection. I have known
that I can only be rated an excellent PED when I adopt various strategies to promote
autonomous problem-solving via prompting, directing learners to teammates, permitting
learners’ ample time, to respond and used case studies.
In terms of encouraging independence or autonomy, my knowledge and understanding of
professional competent have also been enhanced. I have come to understand that from the
standpoint of the students, the eventual outcome of my excellence as PED is the development
of knowledgeable graduates with self-confident to begin working careers as independent
alongside autonomous professional. Thus, I now have knowledge that throughout the
placement of my leamers, my effective practice education significantly contributes to their
ability to assume roles and responsibilities for their practice alongside enhance their
confidence as competent professionals. I now understand and know the desired strategies to

achieve this including via gradual increase of autonomy of the students while giving ongoing
feedback and support (Cunningham, Wright and Baird 2015).
Conclusion
May rather, for mentor I have reflected on my strengths and weaknesses as a PED and
the needs to develop the required skills to improve. I have also considered how such skills
will enhance my personal effectiveness and enhance learning development of my students. I
have learnt many things during the whole process and have planned how to incorporate them
in practical life.
References:
Cunningham, J., Wright, C. and Baird, M , 2015. Managing clinical education through
understanding key principles. Ra dio lo gi c te c hno I o gy, B 6 (3), pp.257 -27 3 .
Lazakidou, G. and Retalis, S., 2010. Using computer supported collaborative learning strategies for
helping students acquire self-regulated problem-solving skills in mathematics. Computers &
Education, 54(1), pp.3-13.
O'Connell, C. 8., 2010. Enhancing transformative learning in physician Journal of Physician
Assistant Education, 2l (l),18-22.