Portfolio: Reflective Account of Skills Acquired in University

This paper is a reflective account of a student's skills acquired during their university coursework. It discusses the importance of communication, presentation, reading, and critical thinking skills in academic life.

CW2: PORTFOLIO

INTRODUCTION
Portfolio can be referred to as the combination of a student’s academic works and other
forms of educational evidences with an aim to review the quality of coursework, learning &
development progress and academic performance (Flores, Kleyn and Menken, 2015). It assists in
ascertaining whether students have fulfilled the criteria of learning standards, grade promotions,
graduation or not. The following paper is a reflective account of a student in which one
communicates the learnings of university as well as the skills acquired during the coursework.
SKILL REFLECTION
During my tenure at university, I made use of a number of skills, some of which were
inherited and some were acquired during the coursework with the lectures given by my tutors. In
this regard, these skills and the way they helped me during my academic life at university are
given below:-
Communication Skills
Communication skill refers to ability of person which is used by them to give or receive
information with one another. It basically includes speaking, observing, listening and
empathizing. At the time of college lectures, I have learnt that effective communication skill is
not only helpful in personal life but it also helps in academic life. During weekly session, I have
realised that communication skill is basically of three types that is oral, written and visual. All of
these sessions will further help me improving my academic grades. In addition to this, it will also
help enhancing chances of getting better future career growth.
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Illustration 1: Communication Skills

Presentation Skills
Presentation skills are considered as capability of individual in which they engage
targeted audience for favourable time by influencing their interest towards the chosen topic. The
specific area of skill involves slides, body language, speaking way, tone, voice etc. At the
starting time of my college days, it has been realised by me that my presentation skill were not
effective as I was not able to influence audience to focus on presentation. But, after attending
class room session in week I got to know certain tips like eye contact, attractive slides, soft
speaking skills, body language etc. that have been delivered by teacher for its remarkable
improvement. It can be said that further improved presentation skills will help me out in
delivering better presentation in my academic zone which would ultimately contribute in scoring
higher marks in speaking zone.
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Illustration 2: Presentation Skills

Reading skills
Reading skills introduces as an effective ability and capability of a person to read,
interpret and comprehend written words or data on a specific page of an article as well as many
other reading material. Reading skill play an effective and essential role in each and every
readers as well as student life. Reading skill is most important and significant part for success
and development of an individual. There are different ways used to follow by individual to
improve their reading skills such as books, journals, articles magazines and many other written
sources. All these are major and effective sources which will assist an individual to enhance their
growth as well as success within a given time duration. Along with this, in order to improve my
reading skills, I have different options such as reading of articles, books etc. All these are
identified best essential and effective way for increasing reading skill and achieving better
outcomes within given time duration.
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Illustration 3: Reading Skills

Types of Graphs
Graph is the pictorial presentation of statistical data so as to enhance the
comprehensibility of information (Basturkmen, 2014). The lectures helped me in gaining
knowledge about the way in which data within tables and graphs are interpreted and evaluated as
well as to be able to draw labelled graphs by way of computer. I gained knowledge about several
types of graphs that are used to create attractive and eye-catchy reports. There are several types
of graphs that I can successfully make owing to the learning from lecture, these are, namely, pie
chart, bar graph, picto-graph, broken line graphs, scatter plots. Such graphs further will assist me
in presenting the information of my academic reports in a beautiful manner so as to gain high
marks in practical assessments. This is an effective way of gaining the attention of everyone as
the data presented by way of graphs is easy to understand and evaluate.
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Illustration 4: Bar Graph

Critical Thinking
Critical thinking introduces as an essential composite of 4 elements which is debate over
a specific problem, judgement of evidence, stimulating assumptions as well as reflecting on
individual's opinions and view point. Critical skill or quality has an essential role and
responsibility in academic ability as determined from the learning or knowledge of my own
lecture. Over the tenure at university, such type of skill and quality supported me while doing
each activities or tasks within group as this given me with the chances to weigh the view point of
other person with mine in order to acquire at the most appropriate as well as applicable ideology.
This skill will further give help to me in making accurate decision about the business success.
Illustration 5: Critical Thinking
Reflective Thinking
Reflective thinking is an analytical thinking practice through which a person particularly
analyses a situation and makes judgment regarding what has happened. During the lectures, I
learnt that Gibbs reflective cycle is an effective model which assists a person in executing
reflective thinking and writing. I made use of this model in a reflective assignment of mine at
university and gained appreciation for exceptionally displaying my reflective thinking process. In
future course of time, this skill will assist me in taking further assignment and associating my
ideas with a situation or scenario so as to give effective judgement.
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Illustration 6: Reflective Cycle
Plagiarism
Plagiarism can be referred to as an act of presenting other person's views and opinions as
own (Valentino and Reardon, 2015). During my tenure at University, I learnt that plagiarism is
an academic crime. It is acknowledged to be of two types, namely, intentional and unintentional.
Further, the lectures given during the week helped me in learning that an ideal student carries out
project work in a manner where he/she does in-text citations within the work to give credits to
the original writer. Further, I learnt that a student whose report is found to be plagiarised is
reported to Academic Disciplinary Committee for strict actions. This assisted me in learning that
in-texting is an important part of student's academic life and should be taken into account by
every student to successfully complete a project work.
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Academic Writing
Academic writing refers to a specific style utilised in formal assessments or essays of
coursework. This makes use of a well devised and logical structure, formal language and is
generally supported by evidence (Baker and et. al., 2015). As per the learning from lectures, I
acknowledged that there are 4 types of academic writing, analytical, descriptive, persuasive and
critical. I learnt that each of these forms of writing possesses its own specific purpose and
language features. The academic writing skills have helped me in completing my assignments in
an effective manner in past and will further provide assistance to me in carrying out the same in a
feasible manner.
Referencing Skills
Referencing skills refers to the skills that emphasize upon citing the work with the names
and years of publication of books and journals so as to avoid getting indulged in plagiarism. This
requires knowledge about the different styles in which the references are in-texted or cited within
the work. In this regard, I learnt how to cite the work of single and multiple authors. The
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Illustration 7: Plagiarism

referencing skills assisted me in ensuring that I do not indulge in the unethical crime of
plagiarism and will further provide me with the guidance to do referencing in my future
assignments.
Group and Team Skills
An individual can become successful in academic or professional life only when he
possesses the ability to work in cooperation and coordination with others to derive desirable
outcomes. During the lecture, I learned the significance of working within teams and how this
assists in collectively attaining the goals and objectives. I learnt Belbin’s Theory which taught
me the roles that every individual within a team plays and how this contributes towards the
attainment of team targets. This helped me in working in team tasks in an effective manner
thereby completing the allotted assignment within the due course of time. These skills will
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Illustration 8: REFERENCING SKILLS

further help me in shaping my personality in a manner that I will be able to comfortably and
conveniently work with anyone with any kind of dispute.
HOW SKILLS HELP IN ACADEMIC LIFE
Throughout my entire experience of learning, it has been felt by me that I have gone
through various experiences which have shaped my academic life. Some of them supported me
out in learning my own skills whereas other among them developed by professional skills which
ultimately contributed in brightening my career. On the basis of above specified various
academic quality, it can be explained that there few core and main quality's which are more
valuable for me as they have supported me enhancing my working abilities and possibilities of
growth and success in academic life. There are different types of skills which I have such as
presentation skills, communication skills, team working skill, academic writings etc. All these
type of skills are essential for me to complete each work and activity in well planned manner.
According to my own experience, I have realised that communication skills have improved by
interaction pattern as it has helped me in delivering best of views in front of other people to
whom I am interacting. It can be said that with effective communication skills I am now able to
discuss my actual confusion with my tutor and also contributes in identifying feasible solution
for the same. On the other hand, learning of presentation skills has taught me to represent myself
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Illustration 9: Group and Team Skills

in whole and other listeners in professional manner. As per evaluation, it has been analysed that
both the communication and presentation skills are interrelated to each other as if an individual
develops their communication skills then it would be much easier for them to develop their
presentation skill. This is because, effective communication holds string positioning in perfect
presentation.
In addition to this, I have further realised that apart from communication skills
presentation skill also includes appropriate gesture, pitch volume, dressing manner, body
language and many other essential things which supports presentation equally and contributes in
making it more effective and remarkable. During my learning phase over these skills, I
personally feel that it took me time to learn and adapt them all. But, with the passing time I have
realised that all of my skills are maintained enough in order to fulfil requirement of academic
career. Along with this, it is also required by me to update all of my skills time to time so that I
can groom by myself sustain longer in competitive world.
Apart from this, it can be said that improvement in academic writing skills helps
supported me in acquiring high number of marks in prejudiced papers as it is essential for me to
show my existent learning or skills in written way as well as make pedagogue take in that I am
have knowledge regarding their knowledge and learning which have been taught by them in
classroom sessions. Moreover, development of team working skill has supported me out in
impressive completion of team work. Developments of this skill have made me learnt to
corporate with team members and execute each and every work by discussing with them.
Regular based discussion with group members have impart in manoeuvrer of team project and
enhanced by individual relations with each and team members. In sum of all, it can be said that
learning and improvement of these, I can gain better academic marks and could also enhance
chances of my success in career.
CONCLUSION
From the above discussion, it can be concluded that there are a number of skills that must
be inherent or acquired by students during their education in order to carry out a successful
academic life. Such skills inclusive of presentation, communication, referencing, academic
writing etc. strive to build capabilities and potential within pupil to be able to shape the way in
which the personality of a person is moulded so that one makes an effective entry into
professional (corporate) life.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Baker, C. N. and et. al., 2015. Teacher (mis) perceptions of preschoolers’ academic skills:
Predictors and associations with longitudinal outcomes. Journal of educational psychology.
107(3). p.805.
Basturkmen, H., 2014. Ideas and options in English for specific purposes. Routledge.
Flores, N., Kleyn, T. and Menken, K., 2015. Looking holistically in a climate of partiality:
Identities of students labeled long-term English language learners. Journal of Language,
Identity & Education. 14(2). pp.113-132.
Valentino, R. A. and Reardon, S. F., 2015. Effectiveness of four instructional programs designed
to serve English learners: Variation by ethnicity and initial English proficiency. Educational
Evaluation and Policy Analysis. 37(4). pp.612-637.
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