Individual Reflective Journal: Personal Development and Reflective Learning

This report covers a critical understanding of the concepts of reflective learning and personal development. Further it highlights personal approach to reflective learning along with continuing professional development.

Individual Reflective
Journal

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAINBODY....................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
An individual reflective journal has been termed as a place to written the daily activities
along with it is good or bad things about personal experience. It helps an individual to determine
the essential learning events which happened in the past (Anderson and Haney, 2021 ) . The
events involve personal life, academic life, professional life and other relationship. Personal
reflection refers to the determine the strengths and weakness during the learning process in order
to make effective plan for future development. By using reflective journal, they can enhance
understanding about what they need to develop like various skills which is essential for them to
become successful and get higher grades in their academic life. A person can use this to
determine their skills or mistakes for the improvement in order to achieve success in professional
life.
This report covers a critical understanding of the concepts of reflective learning and
personal development. Further it highlights personal approach to reflective learning along with
continuing professional development.
MAINBODY
Reflective learning can be understood as the starting of critical transformation of
understanding or thinking which results in reflective learning that needs to put into action for
growth. It is learned from the past events or experiences along with how it is beneficial for
personal, professional and overall growth by learning from these experiences. It helps me as a
students or professional to develop various skills which unable me to complete my learning
process effectively. By using most famous Gibbs reflective theory, I reflect my past experience
while studying in academy which helps me to know my strengths and weaknesses for further
development (Bassot, 2020). It is one of the most famous model of reflection which was
introduced by the Graham Gibbs in order to provide proper structure to write reflection to get
clear insight about which skills is good or which skills needed to be develop for overall
development. It has 6 stages which enables me to explore my past experiences in systematic
manner. These stages are description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and action plan
which helps to make better continuous development plan for growth. Moreover, it has been
determining that I need to develop various skills in order to become successful in chosen career
and get better job opportunity. Such as I want to become a successful manager in a leading
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company and perform my job role with full potential and efficiency (Burgoyne. and Chuppa-
Cornell, 2018). For that I need to learn new skills and strengthen my emotional intelligence
which allow me to conduct my professional practices in effective manner.
The implementation of these six steps are as follows such as in first stage of description, it is
initial stage in which the staring of the learning process or an event is described. During the time,
when I participated in the course of management to pursue my chosen career in order to become
a good manager in leading organization. I join the best institute in which I went with my friends
to learn the new skills and knowledge (Contreras, Edwards‐Maddox and Lee, 2020). There are
various other people who come from different background and culture to develop their
understanding about the business concepts. It is very important for me to learn and engage in
class room with full dedication as well as discipline. It has been analysing by me that there are
various important skills which I need to develop in me such as communication skills, time
management skills, self awareness skills, ICT skills, team working and problem solving which I
needed to conduct my working as a manager effectively. Such as in the starting days I found
various difficulties to adjust with the environment, teacher and other people in order to complete
my learning process effectivity.
In the second stage which is feeling, it is related to the value mind-set and viewpoint of me
which l feel or experience during the time of learning in class room. Such as at initial stage of
course, I was quite nervous and feel demotivated or low because of new environment, people and
subject which degrade my confidence or focus to develop my understanding related to the
various business concepts such as marketing, working in a team, taking decisions in organisation
for the achievement of goals in specific manner (Fathelrahman, 2019). I faced various challenges
while completing my learning process due to lack of understanding and interaction which unable
me to give my full focus on learning. For that, teachers and professors help us and create friendly
along with positive environment in class room so we comfortable to learn with each other, they
allow us to ask questions related to any topic, discus on various areas of business with each other
and many more so we build our confidence to develop our understanding quickly. At the mid of
learning sessions, we develop our confidence and understanding about People and other concepts
of management. At this time, we know about the mind-set, culture and values of other students in
order to work with them as a team on a project to get good marks (Grant, 2022). There are
various skills which I identified to develop in me such as time management, problem solving and
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ICT skills to work efficiently. During the time of learning in an institution, the teacher gave us
group project about the business and management. It has been determining by me while working
with a team there is various issue among us related to viewpoint, communication and
understanding which leads to delay in work, conflict and misunderstanding. After that I realise
that I need to work on it in order to work with them efficiently in future.
In the third stage of evaluation, in which I determine the strengths and weaknesses of mine
while learning in the institution of management. Such as working in a team, it has been
identifying by me that I am good in various skills like communication, ICT and problem solving
which is very essential for me to conduct my practices as a good manager. I was easily
communicating with all team members along with share information related to work with them
efficiently. There are other people which face many problems due to lack of communication
skills they did not interact properly with each other regarding which task is performed by whom
as well as what information they used in the project (Johnson and Stage, 2018). As the result of
this, there is overlapping of work, using wrong information or many more that leads to increase
conflict or understanding issues among them. At that time the problem solving skills in me
enable me to sort out their issues along with I perform the role of mediator between them which
allow as to complete the work of task in less time. I completed my task early so I used my ICT
skills to complete the part of others in project in order to meet the goals on time effectively
(Matsuo and Nagata, 2020). With many skills, it has been determining by me that there are many
weaknesses in me as well such as lack of time management skills, decision making skills and
many other. I found difficulties to take decision related to which task is done first along with
took huge time to complete it in effective. I am also unable to manage my time among multiple
daily work activities which increases my work load and stress.
At the fourth stage of analysis, it has been analyses by me that during the whole learning
process I need to develop various skills, knowledge in me which helps in future for pursuing my
professional career in an effective manner. By participating in the course there are several things
which I get to know about my selves and other such their people who come from different
background have differ mind set, culture and value which I need develop the knowledge about
that moreover I also require to build understanding about various concepts of management and
business. It has been identified by me that working with a team I need to learn various skills such
as time management, decision making and networking which provides many profitable
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opportunities for future success. For that I have to make a personal development plan as well as
continue Doing the self-reflection time to time in order to determine my strengths which helps
me to lead the people as well as weaknesses which I need to develop for growth.
In the stage of conclusion, it has been concluded by me that it is very important for me to
conduct self reflection which demonstrates my mistakes and abilities from past experience as
well as provide guidance to me for future improvement. By this I also have clear understanding
about my career choice, area which I. Need to purse as my professional career. While learning
with teachers and other class mates I developed the understanding that it is very important for me
to understand their perceptions, listen to them clearly as well as communicate with to make
strong connection for achieving the common team goals (Williams, Woolliams and Spiro, 2020).
It helps me for my personal and professional development along with it also strengthen my
emotional intelligence which enable me to control or manage personal as well as others
emotions.
At the last stage of action plan, in which I need to make a perfect plan for personal and
professional development which increases my confidence and abilities to work without any
hesitation. By making SMART objective I will develop various skills in me which I lacked
during the time of my learning process in management institution. Such as all the skills like time
management, team working and decision making I need to make a proper schedule to use various
resources in order to learn all these skills (Zwozdiak-Myers, 2018). For team working I have to
take participation in workshops, team projects, work on my vocabulary as well as listening skills.
As it helps me in future to make perfect team for a project and handle them in well so both the
team and organisation goals is meet. For time management skills, I have to make proper work
schedule, dividing the task as per their priorities and follow the time table on daily basis. This
skill is relevant for me to achieve my work target on time as well as save time for personal
activities or innovative work. For decision making skills, i have to develop my self-confidence
by taking decisions fast on a project or selecting things along with practising or meditating daily.
I will develop all these skills with less time of 6 months in order to gain better grades or career
opportunities.
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CONCLUSION
As per above presented information, it has been concluded that reflective journals help a
person to write about past experiences and daily activities which allow to them to understand
about their capabilities or mistakes for future improvement. By using Gibbs reflective cycle i am
able to conduct my self-reflection effectivity along with know that I have to develop various
skills in order to be a successful manager as well as gain higher position in future.
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REFERENCES
Books and journal
Anderson, R.C. and Haney, M., 2021. Reflection in the creative process of early adolescents:
The mediating roles of creative metacognition, self-efficacy, and self-concept. Psychology of
Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 15(4), p.612.
Bassot, B., 2020. The reflective journal. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Burgoyne, M.B. and Chuppa-Cornell, K., 2018. ‘If I tried this idea again: developing faculty
professional growth through reflective practice. Reflective Practice, 19(6), pp.818-831.
Contreras, J.A., Edwards‐Maddox, S., Hall, A. and Lee, M.A., 2020. Effects of reflective
practice on baccalaureate nursing students’ stress, anxiety and competency: An integrative
review. Worldviews on Evidence‐Based Nursing, 17(3), pp.239-245.
Fathelrahman, A., 2019. Using reflection to improve distance learning course delivery: a case
study of teaching a management information systems course. Open Learning: The Journal of
Open, Distance and e-Learning, 34(2), pp.176-186.
Grant, A.M., 2022. Reflection, note‐taking and coaching: If it ain't written, it ain't
coaching!. Coaching Practiced, pp.71-83.
Johnson, S.R. and Stage, F.K., 2018. Academic engagement and student success: Do high-impact
practices mean higher graduation rates?. The Journal of Higher Education, 89(5), pp.753-781.
Matsuo, M. and Nagata, M., 2020. A revised model of experiential learning with a debriefing
checklist. International Journal of Training and Development, 24(2), pp.144-153.
Williams, K., Woolliams, M. and Spiro, J., 2020. Reflective writing. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Zwozdiak-Myers, P., 2018. The teacher's reflective practice handbook: Becoming an extended
professional through capturing evidence-informed practice. Routledge.
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