Reflective Essay on Personal Development and Learning

This reflective essay explores personal development and learning experiences, including SWOT and PESTEL analysis, IT skills, and work-life balance. It discusses challenges faced and approaches for further improvement.

REFLECTIVE
ESSAY

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
How And Why Have I Developed As A Learner............................................................................1
Approaches Towards Further Challenges And Expectations Of A University Course...................2
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................3
References........................................................................................................................................4

Introduction
Reflection is an activity which is required to appropriately and effectively analyse past
experiences to evaluate how best the learning has evolved (Johnston, 2017). Moreover, the
agenda is appropriately to reflect on all the positive and negative aspects, which helps in
analysing how best the future challenges could be addressed and improvement could be ensured.
The report below is based on reflective essay, which addresses aspects like SWOT and PESLEL
analysis, along with personal development.
How And Why Have I Developed As A Learner
Learning has always been an effective and essential aspect for me, which is required to be
enhanced and evolved during the time within a module. Throughout the module, there have been
certain appropriate and effective teachings which were related to certain appropriate topics, for
instance, SWOT and PESTEL Analysis, interpretation of data, referencing, IT Skills, Work-Life
Balance. Furthermore, all these factors within the module have been very much consistent in
developing me as a learner, through several forms of analysis and evaluation, that would be
beneficial for me in the future career prospects.
The module had been quite a challenging, yet effective event for me which helped me in
gaining knowledge and experience about different concepts and methods. The framework,
SWOT and PESTEL analysis appropriately increased my familiarity with techniques from which
internal and external analysis is performed for an organisation or a specific market and industry.
In addition to this, teachings about appropriate presentation of data is very much contributing in
increasing professionalism in my work. Moreover, the module also emphasised upon several IT
skills, which are very important to excel academically and professionally in the future.
Moreover, data authenticity has also been taught within the module, which, through referencing,
could be used to back up the reports and presentations (Knott and Scragg, 2016).
Hence, all the above factors are very much contributing in developing me as a learner.
Moreover, there have been positive and negative experiences associated with the same, which
had significant impact on enhancing my knowledge appropriately. For instance, as per the
contributing experiences are concerned towards developing me as a learner, one such factor was
SWOT Analysis. I found it very easy and convenient in relation to analyse information of a
company and segregate the same into its strengths and weaknesses, while assessing its
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opportunities and threats. Moreover, another similar aspect was development of IT skills. It
helped me developing as a learner, as I gained knowledge about how best to use technology and
digitalisation in receiving, sending, searching and storing information. Furthermore, I also
worked on certain effective software and databases which helped me in enhancing being a better
learner in terms of working in a digitalised manner. Moreover, as far as referencing is concerned,
I enhanced my knowledge throughout the module in regards with appropriately and conveniently
searching authenticated and relevant information, along with backing it up with effective and
accurate referencing (Gould and Taylor., 2017).
However, in contrast, there have been several challenges within the module too, which
hampered my development as a learner and presented higher scope of improvement in future.
One of these factors is related to PESTLE analysis. The framework required me to analyse the
overall external business environment in which an organisation operates in. However, I failed to
perform an effective analysis when it comes to evaluating the external factors. This is because,
despite gathering crucial information, I fail to segregate them on the basis of importance and
relevancy. Another factor which has hampered my development as a learner is data
interpretation. I seldom fail in interpreting information in the context in which it is delivered.
This could be more challenging when it comes to excelling within my professional career.
Reason for this is because there will be times where ample opportunities might miss when it
comes to identifying, assessing, interpreting and presenting information, just as it has been
conveyed. Moreover, being a learner and developing within this role requires balancing the
personal and professional life, which is referred to as Work-Life Balance. This facilitates the
learner to ensure better and more aggressive learning, without exerting too much pressure and
gaining mental stress. However, I miserably fail in relation to restoring this balance as my work
usually leads to mismanagement, which hinders me in gaining an advantage of such balance.
Approaches Towards Further Challenges And Expectations Of A University
Course
However, these further challenges are required to be assessed and approached in a way
which contributes in enhancing my learning abilities and increase the odds of a better academic
and professional career. To achieve efficiency towards further challenges, I plan to approach my
seniors and assessors, which whom I can work with towards improving the limitations and
become a better learner (Fook, 2015). For example, I can undertake training workshops, which
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would assist me in getting better at segregating and interpreting crucial information. Moreover,
several lessons could also be undertaken by me in relation to ensuring betterment in PESTEL
analysis, through gaining an effective insight onto the factors that are likely to affect an
organisation and its working. Moreover, in order to approach the expectations of the university, I
would be working in teams and with assessors, which would help me in gaining effective
feedbacks on my shortcomings and better suggestions as to how best I can enhance my skills
while working in the university. In addition to this, such approaches would help me in
development of my competence in dealing with complex learning factors. Hence, in order to
appropriately ensure effectiveness, these factors are very much appropriate in relation to
becoming a better learner and enhance the scope of improvement in relation to my academic and
professional career (Walsh and Mann, 2015).
Conclusion
Thus, it is concluded from the report below, that reflection is an essential activity which
allows a person to evaluate the past and present activities in relation to improve the skills,
behaviour and competence in relation to address the future challenges effectively. Moreover,
certain positive and negatives must be assessed, which clarifies the current state of an individual
towards developing as a learner. Lastly, action plans must be developed to ensure betterment in
limitation, as well as development of approaches in addressing the future challenges.
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References
Books and Journals
Fook, J., 2015. Reflective practice and critical reflection. Handbook for practice learning in
social work and social care. pp.440-454.
Gould, N. and Taylor, I., 2017. Reflective learning for social work: research, theory and
practice. Routledge.
Johnston, C., 2017. Reflective practice. Teaching Business & Economics. 21(1). pp.19-21.
Knott, C. and Scragg, T. eds., 2016. Reflective practice in social work. Learning Matters.
Walsh, S. and Mann, S., 2015. Doing reflective practice: a data-led way forward. Elt Journal.
69(4). pp.351-362.
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