Learning from Independent Study on Ethics and Social Awareness

This reflective study discusses the learning and skills acquired from independent study and seminars on ethics and social awareness. Topics covered include VARK learning style, Harvard referencing, social and ethical practices, note-taking methods, communication skills, and the importance of mind maps and the CRAAP test.

FY027 Preparing For Success at
University: Self Development and
Responsibility

TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Main body........................................................................................................................................1
Learning from independent study on or ethical...........................................................................1
Summary on learning...................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Ethics refers moral values that play a vital role and helps us out in performing our tasks in
an effective manner. In this reflective study I am going to share my learning and skills that I
learned from independent study and seminars that I attended.
Main body
Learning from independent study on or ethical
I have attended the seminar and in that seminar i had learnt about vark learning style. This is
the style in which learning is done through visual, audio and kinaesthetic. I believe that among
three of these visual learning is the most understandable learning (Reyes, 2019). As i also learn
easily through this. Seminar has also helped in spreading social and ethical awareness. Along
with the learning style i has also learnt about ethical and social practice which company should
follow. Not only company every institution whether it is educational or other institution must
have follow ethical practices as it is very important.
Vark learning means the ability to gain knowledge and also able to memorise the knowledge
so that it can remain for the longer period. The full form of VARK is visual, aural, read and
kinaesthetic. While i was doing the course in the university i assigned the project on the topic
ethical awareness and social awareness and their i came to know about Harvard referencing. As i
has to do referencing in the file. Earlier i was not aware of this style of referencing and i also
don’t have knowledge that how it can be done. But after doing that project i got the knowledge
that how Harvard referencing is done in the project. While doing the project i also learnt about
social and ethical practice.
It is the vast topic and earlier i was not aware of this. Social networks are mainly the
voluntary companies which develop the base so that development can facilitate. In the social
practice empathy plays vital role as per my knowledge. I got detail knowledge about Harvard
referencing and social and ethical awareness. It will help in the future also. As in the future when
i will do other project i can able to do referencing easily.
When i was allotted independent project at my university i came to know about the
university writing style. This writing style is very important and also helpful in building the
profession. As in the future when i will work in the organisation this writing skill will help me a
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lot. My grammar has also improved a lot because in this writing style proper grammar is must. I
also got knowledge related to punctuation. As earlier i know about punctuation but does not have
knowledge that what is the need of each punctuation and where it can be applied. It has also
developed habit of proof reading into myself.
When i made project on social awareness than before submission i proof read everything and
than i submit my project in the college. While doing the university course i also learned how to
make notes. Notes are very important because it is helpful in the exam time and also it make
independent learning easy. I also learn about cornell method (Đurišić and Bunijevac, 2017). As
it is the system for taking and seeing notes. This model is made by the university professor. In
this strategy learners make two columns on blank paper with single row at the bottom.
So that it make easy notes taking whether in the classroom or at the meeting. Note taking is the
art i realised that than everyone cannot do correctly until and unless they have knowledge and
skill to do so (Kassymova and et.al., 2018). This method guide us that how to make notes. As per
this method on the top of page write the course name, date and the subject and on the left side
leave the column for questions and queries. In this manner one can make notes effectively.
While attending the group discussion i realised that i built my communication skills and
communication skill is vital and plays important role in the life of an individual. This skill also
help in building the confidence level. It will also help me in the future when i will work in the
organisation. group discussion was on the topic social and ethical awareness. While i was
participating in the group discussion i deeply studied this topic. Previously i was not that much
aware that how important is the social awareness built now i realised its importance. While doing
independent learning i came to know about the concept of mind map. Mind map is the
framework which is used organise the information visually.
It is essential in showing relationships among the pieces. It is made as keeping in mind the single
concept. With the help of hand also mind map can be drawn. I realised that i can include mind
map while making notes during the class meanwhile attending the lecture or in the meeting. In
other words it can be said that mind map is the technique for the brain which takes the thinking
which moves in the head. Mind mapping is the important think which is helpful in thinking.
While doing university course when i was given independent project than i had done CRAAP
test in the project (Evaluating Sources: The CRAAP Test., 2020).
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Currency means when the information is posted or updated. This will also find that the
information is current or not. Relevance shows that how much the information is important and
who are there audience. Authority tells that where the information is sourced out which means
that who was the author or publisher. Accuracy shows about the reliability and correctness of the
information which can be measure that from where the information has came from. Last is the
purpose of the information. Complete CRAAP test i learnt while doing the poject. Along with
that i also came to know about academic keywords. As in the project i used many such
keywords. I believe that university student must be aware of such keywords because it will
contribute in their growth. Keywords are important because they will show the concept of the
subject (Annan-Diab and Molinari, 2017). Right keywords are very necessary to be know as with
the wrong keywords, effective searching will not facilitate.
Independent study increased my knowledge to the great extent. It helped me out in
knowing about importance of ethics and to which extent it can help all of us in improving
ourselves. There are several things or topics about which I learned from independent study such
as:
When I was given an independent project from university then I was asked to make
research with the help of articles. Selecting articles was the main task and by research and in the
process of selecting articles, I came to know about effective ways of comparing of 2 websites.
Comparison of 2 websites is important for getting accurate and reliable data. Along with this,
from research and development I came to know importance of social awareness and maintaining
ethics (Ribner and et.al., 2017). Ethics refers moral values and it helps us out in identifying the
difference between the right and wrong. In addition, I want to share my feelings and experience
of seminars that I attend. From seminars, I came to know importance of sustainability and
strategies of sustainability that can helps us out in maintaining ethics and also making people
aware about sustainability.
Research skills were another main learning that I learned from independent study and from
seminars that I attended. For accomplishing goals and getting higher marks I used my research
skills for searching appropriate articles and getting accurate data. This skill helped me out in
making my project on social awareness successful. I also came to know about types of data and
difference between primary as well as secondary data collection. Data needs to be collected only
after deciding the type like numerical or non-numerical (Hoffman and et.al., 2017). In addition, I
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also want to discuss my feelings regarding skills and learning. After completing project, the main
task was presenting my project in front of all other students and my tutors. I had phobia of
speaking in front of people or I was lacking behind in public speaking skill. But when I was
given an opportunity to speak in front of people then I gave presentation and that was the best
experience. My tutors told me that I gave an effective presentation. That opportunity increased
my presentation skill and also made me able to improve public speaking skill. So, overall, I
want to say that this independent study increased my knowledge and skills to the great extent
(Ç etin and Eymur, 2017 ).
Summary on learning
On the basis of above discussion, I can say that independent study increased my
knowledge to the great extent. All skills that I learned from independent study can help me out in
the future in career development. I want to say that communication is one of the main skills that
help us out in our personal and professional lives. It makes us able to interact with others,
influence them and getting information (Ebil, Salleh and Shahrill, 2020). In addition, I also want
to say on the basis of above discussion and self reflection that presentation skills also play a vital
role in students’ life. It helps us able to improve our image and boost our confidence. Having
confidence is also vital as it also makes us able to get employment opportunities in the future by
cracking interview and answering of all questions with confidence.
I also want to say that reading, comparison of 2 websites, note taking and different types of
learning play a vital role. It is not possible for all of us to learn with only 1 learning style and as
per the situation we need to make changes in our learning styles. And by making use of different
learning styles I made my project successful. CRAAP test and mind map are known as an
effective tool that made me able to identify my own skills and weaknesses (Rodek, 2019). Before
completing project and learning new things we all need to have knowledge about our own skills
and weaknesses. It helps us out in focusing on only those functions in which we are able and also
improving skills in which we are lacking behind.
It can also be summarized that creativity and innovation plays a vital role. A successful
student is the one who can adapt changing situations and can perform its activities and improve
learning accordingly. There are several factors that may change any time and changes in all these
factors can affect performance of students. One of the best example of changing factors is Covid-
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19 pandemic. Due to this, all students are now required to focus on virtual learning or online
learning. Only those students who are flexible can only make themselves able to improve their
performance. From self evaluation I found that I am good in this skill and it was the reason, I
became successful and completed given project in a timely and effective manner (Whitaker and
Reimer, 2017). I can say that all these skills that I learned will help me out in the future in getting
employment opportunities in my desired field. It will also help me out in career development. By
accomplishing my long term goals, I can boost my confidence and can work under pressure as
well. So, overall, it can be summarized and can be said that self evaluation and independent
study plays a vital role in increasing skills.
CONCLUSION
It has been summarized from the above study that ethics and social awareness play a vital
role in improving growth. It has discussed importance of communication, presentation and other
skills that also make us able to develop career and accomplishing goals. Further, it has shown
importance of performing all activities in an ethical manner by not hurting anyone in any
manner.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Annan-Diab, F. and Molinari, C., 2017. Interdisciplinarity: Practical approach to advancing
education for sustainability and for the Sustainable Development Goals. The International
Journal of Management Education. 15(2). pp.73-83.Ç
etin, P.S. and Eymur, G., 2017. Developing students’ scientific writing and presentation skills
through argument driven inquiry: an exploratory study. Journal of Chemical
Education, 94(7), pp.837-843.
Đurišić, M. and Bunijevac, M., 2017. Parental involvement as a important factor for successful
education. Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal. 7(3). pp.137-153.
Ebil, S.H., Salleh, S.M. and Shahrill, M., 2020. The use of E-portfolio for self-reflection to
promote learning: A case of TVET students. Education and Information
Technologies. 25(6). pp.5797-5814.
Hoffman, N. and et.al., 2017. Teaching research skills through embedded
librarianship. Reference Services Review.
Kassymova, G.К. and et.al., 2018. Self-development management in educational
globalization. Harmony. 4(5).
Reyes, A.I., 2019. Shared Responsibility: A Community Center’s Role in Children’s Character
Development.
Ribner, A.D. and et.al., 2017. Executive function buffers the association between early math and
later academic skills. Frontiers in psychology, 8, p.869.
Rodek, V., 2019. Learning and its Effectiveness in Students’ Self-reflection.
Whitaker, L. and Reimer, E., 2017. Students’ conceptualisations of critical reflection. Social
Work Education. 36(8). pp.946-958.
Online
Evaluating Sources: The CRAAP Test., 2020. [Online]. Available through: <
https://researchguides.ben.edu/source-evaluation >
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