Australian Engineering Practice: Reflective Writing Task on Teamwork and Lifelong Learning

This reflective writing task discusses the importance of teamwork and lifelong learning in Australian engineering practice. It covers the necessary skills, communication, and collaboration required for successful teamwork, as well as the importance of self-management and self-review for lifelong learning.

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AUSTRALIAN ENGINEERING PRACTICE
Unit code: ENEG20001
Term 2, 2017
Reflective Writing Task 1
Student Name:
Student ID:
Week of Submission:
Date of Submission:
School of Engineering and Technology
Central Queensland University

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Learning Outcomes 6: Lead or participate collaboratively in teams
Engineers are required to play a role in managing people and make them to be more
productive and also work collaboratively in teamwork. Teamwork participation is necessary
whether it is in contractual, production, maintenance, technical or manufacturing obligations.
Group work involves some group of people working collaboratively to reach their common
goals. There must be considerations in making the team successful. A competent team is
supposed to be having people of different complementary skills and cross-functional
characteristics. The environment where the team is to operate should be underpinned by a
suitable communication channel together with being supportive and encouraging to the members
(Salas, Cooke and Rosen 2008, p.540). Practical ways of giving tasks to individuals are supposed
to be established with opportunities to everyone for feedback purposes and provide everyone
feedback and draw conclusions about a given project collaboratively. Working as a team has
numerous advantages in comparison to working on an individual basis. One of the benefits
includes seeking assistance where someone is stuck somewhere in a given task or obligation to
be carried out in the field.
Participating collaboratively in teamwork helps to ensure that the problems are tackled at
a faster rate, this is mainly through guaranteeing different skills from different people in the team
produce the necessary skills in their areas of expertise, experiences, and knowledge (Belbin
2012, p.44). The solutions which are proposed by the people in a team have high possibilities of
being accepted. Some proposals in a team can be thorough, by drawing of skills and experiences
of the group, working as collaboratively as a team helps the members to develop, share
experiences and ideas and also learn from each other to fulfill their set targets.

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Teamwork also encourages trust, support and effective communication to improve the
engineering practice. For the success of the complex engineering tasks, there should be the
combination of some sets of skills for the team members and their personalities and ways of
solving and approaching of problems. According to Barkley, Cross, and Major, (2014), the
performances in a team improves when the team pays attention to their members and individual
personalities. For a team to perform effectively, it is supposed to comprise of individuals who
have a wide range of personalities and relevant ideas even if takes longer for the organizations to
achieve efficient cooperation (Barkley, Cross and Major 2014, p. 24). The members should have
openness and should be ready to oppose any opinions that are raised and explore them from
different angles. When the members of a team take on the roles that are dysfunctional, they can
lead to ineffective behaviors in a team. Some examples of the practices include team members
being late to the team meetings or not doing work they are not supposed to do. As a team leader,
an engineer should ensure that the members of the team arrive early enough to proceed with the
tasks they are supposed to do. The team leader should also organize the team meetings in a way
they come up with the solution of a problem at the end of the session.

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Learning Outcomes 7: Self-review, self-management, and life-long learning
Lifelong learning is essential for the complex fields such as engineering. The leaders in
engineering have recognized the lifelong learning in the achievement of engineering careers. The
educators in engineering throughout the globe have grappled ways of helping the students
develop to be lifelong learners and assess their growth (Martínez-Mediano and Lord 2012,
p.164). Self-assessment and management are also essential in the engineering field in ensuring
continuous growth in the engineering profession.
For self management and self review, engineers are required to organize their work
surroundings. Organizing the environment helps them to ultimately adopt and develop the work
they are carrying out. For instance, one may decide to organize their computers so they can be
ready for work on the daily basis. It is also crucial to put in order some documents and the
computer filing systems for the easier retrieval of necessary information from it. Development
of abilities for the sharing of information with the colleagues is important for engineer’s success
in future. Improving the generic competencies, ready to learn new things in the field, having
collaborative group work for practicing engineers is essential to improve on the vital
competencies, for instance, writing of reports, an organization of meetings, interpersonal
relationships, oral presentations, planning, writing of memos and budgeting among others.
Important competencies for the professional, personal and the social development is another
strategy for continuous learning. Reading technical literature is an effective way to keep
engineers up to date. Additionally, engineers should develop abilities to read faster and identify
the materials which are useful in their professional development. Another way to develop is by
interacting with the authors in the technicality areas for their professional development.

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Working together as a team with other colleagues who are doing the same profession also
helps in the professional developments (Huxham and Vangen 2013, p.717). In collaborative
teamwork, all the members share the same goals and contribute in tackling of problems,
improving work and innovate. The collaborative teamwork helps in enhancement of job
competencies and improvement on them since there are some projects that appear to be difficult
in handling them. Through identification of available resources, engineers are supposed to find
information or data for the projects they are handling. Engineers should also seek advice from
experts, mentors, professors and also colleagues in the development of their profession.
Self-management and lifelong learning are supposed to be carried out effectively to
achieve career goals. According to Martínez-Mediano and Lord, (2012), lifelong learning is a
process where engineers assessment of interpersonal skills, social network, and knowledge of the
requirements of the new jobs. Identifying the essential gaps needed to fill their professional
careers is essential (Martínez-Mediano and Lord 2012, p.160). For the purposes of self review,
engineers should are required to usually prepare a checklist for self evaluation and learning of
the developmental tasks or goals of their careers. Checking personal progress periodically
ensures continued development of engineering career. Engineers are supposed to update their
plans about the future and focus on the essential competencies they are in and improve their
skills through specialized training.

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References
Barkley, E.F., Cross, K.P., and Major, C.H., 2014. Collaborative learning techniques: A
handbook for college faculty. John Wiley & Sons.
Belbin, R.M., 2012. Team roles at work. Routledge.
Huxham, C. and Vangen, S., 2013. Managing to collaborate: The theory and practice of
collaborative advantage. Routledge.
Martínez-Mediano, C. and Lord, S.M., 2012. Lifelong learning competencies program for
engineers. International Journal of Engineering Education, 28(1), p.130.
Salas, E., Cooke, N.J. and Rosen, M.A., 2008. On teams, teamwork, and team performance:
Discoveries and developments. Human factors, 50(3), pp.540-547.