Reflective Journal: Improving Study and Employability Skills

This reflective journal discusses how completing specific tasks contributed to improving study and employability skills. It explores the use of the Gibbs reflection model and highlights the importance of communication, time management, and problem-solving skills. The journal concludes with an action plan for future development.

REFLECTIVE JOURNAL
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION-..............................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7
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INTRODUCTION
For personal growth and development, it is necessary to gain various types of study skills
and knowledge. This is because it helps in competing with others and in professional
development (Azhar and Zainuddin, 2017). There are variety of skills that needs to be possessed
by individual. It includes time management, communication, etc. the skills are gained through
experience or by doing task. This report is reflective journal which will describe about how
completion of specific task contributed in improving study and employability skills.
MAIN BODY
It is necessary to evaluate experience of individual so that learning and achievement are
identified. The cycle helps people to think effectively and in systematic manner. the model was
developed by Graham Gibbs in 1988. It is considered as a good way to work by an experience. It
begins with description and with the action plan. Between that there is a cycle that can be
explained below. (Gibbs reflection model, 2016).
Description
This is the first and foremost step that describes the situation in detail without mentioning
the conclusion. Such as what happened, when it happened and many more. It involves the full
description that is include while making the presentation. At present, I am working on a topic
CSR. Through this topic I gain the idea about the concept of the CSR and how it is accountable
to achieve the goals of a firm (Bruno and Dell’Aversana, 2017). I have prepared group
presentation that helped me or carry out the proper ideas and skills regarding CSR.
Communication skills plays a major role of an individual whether it is verbal communication or
written communication. Team leader communicate with me about CSR and its various aspects
Feeling- It is a phase regarding the feelings as this step describes about the feeling and thoughts
of someone mention in the first step. The intention of this topic is not to discuss the various
feeling within detail as there is no judgement that is done on the basis of emotion. Here the most
vital goal of this phase is awareness. Because it is the most difficult job for the individuals for
talking about the feelings. Earlier I was not aware about that my communication skills are weak
and while talking to my team leader I realised that I feel very shy and hesitate while discussing
the topic (Zulfikar and Mujiburrahman, 2018). Than my team leader advice me in doing
research on topic CSR so I got to know how to do research collect and analysis data in this way
my research skills was improved so within future. I will be able to do research for collecting data
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on various different topics. This will improves my professional learning in my career growth
and I will be delighted. For me this phase will improves my quality of actions as well as
activities within an appropriate manner (Donyaie and Afshar, 2019). However, while preparing
the group presentation I got an opportunity improve my ideas as well as knowledge and various
types of the activities taken place to the CSR operations. It assist my thought process as well as
improves my thought process that will enhance the quality of actions and operations that can be
taken on the basis of the topic CSR within the organization.
Evaluation – Within this step an individual evaluates that within step 1 and 2 the experience was
good or worst as which approach worked well and if not and than why not. Through the first and
second step I got realize that , team work is very vital as within the first step I got realised that
without the help of my leaders and co-workers was unable to remove my hesitation regarding
Verbal communication and also with the second step I got to learn about how to do research on
topic CSR as my leader helped me to guide that while doing any research key word is very
necessary and this helps me to search about the topic and shows that team work is very crucial
while doling any task within a team (Dumlao and Pinatacan, 2019). I got to learn about
different types of verbal and written communication. It enabled me to get insight that how to
communicate with others and in what way. besides that, I started interacting with team members.
I contributed by analysing data and presenting it in proper way. in group, other member
contributed by writing report, assigning roles, etc. o, each one contributed in different way. here,
I learned that how tasks are organised in team working. It will impoverish my outcomes
regarding the quality and also able to increase my grasping power so that I can understand the
concepts, ideas as data that are much more related mu study skills.
Analysis- As per this phase it learns about the what an individual learn from the situation. It
includes about the reaction that a person gave throughout the situation or idea. The analysis of
the CSR activities assist me to carry out to improve my skills basis on the time management
skills as because of this presentation I am well aware about the time management as my team
works on this project timely and my team leaders gives direction to work timely and attend the
meeting on time as well as this also improves my self management skills as dong tasks on
deadlines enhances these skills (Majid, 2016). While carrying out the presentation on the various
key points of the CSR as its aspects regarding the cost control, improves the brand of a firm as
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well as attract the top quality talent has been carried out within this process. It will improve me
and my group members to take the actions which are precise and correct.
Conclusion – in this it is describe about that entire reflection cycle. It helps in looking back at
experience and then analysing things. so, I analysed that while working in team I was effectively
able to contribute towards my goals. the most positive thing that I learned is working in team and
managing task on time. moreover, with help of my team member I prepared a schedule and
worked accordingly (Park, Kim, and Park, 2019). Furthermore, in this way I was able to finish
my task in given time. but there was some negative experience as well that I learned from it.
many times I faced problems while working in team. thus, I was not able to solve problem
because my skills were weak. For this I took help of my team member and solve problem. So,
sometimes I was not able to finish my work on set date and consequently it led to delay in further
task as well. hence, it was difficult for me to manage time. thus, I realised that I need to improve
my problem solving skills so that I am able to analyse situation and identify solutions to solve it.
Action plan- it is last stage where actions are developed for future work. this is based on overall
Gibbs model. Thus, I need to gain effective and more knowledge on use of ICT in doing any
task or project. so, for this I require to attend some training sessions and seminars which will
enhance my study skills. Apart from it, in future if similar project comes I will do in it more
effective way. this will help me in boosting my overall career growth and development (Sharma,
2018). Moreover, I need to develop a personal development plan which will support me in
finding out weak areas and taking measures to improve my skills.
So, I came to conclusion that I learned many new skills and knowledge. It supported me
in working in efficient way in team. However, I got to know about use of ICT tools like smart
phone, e mail, etc. in communicating with others and what type of method is to be used. In future
I will be able to use those tools in my study work. I will also support others and give suggestions
on how to enhance skills.
CONCLUSION-
From the above study it had been summarized that in order to take the effectiveness,
selected Gibbs model able to undertake the actions that are considered worth an effective
manner. There are different stages in model such as description, feeling, evaluation, analysis, etc.
here, I learned and gained knowledge about various types of study skills that is communication,
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time management, problem solving, etc. so, in future I need to develop a PDP which will help
me in enhancing my weak areas.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Azhar, R.F.B.R. and Zainuddin, Z.I.B., 2017. Reflective Approaches in Medical Imaging
Education: An Initial Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ALLIED HEALTH
SCIENCES, 1(1).
Bruno, A. and Dell’Aversana, G., 2017. Reflective practice for psychology students: the use of
reflective journal feedback in higher education. Psychology Learning & Teaching, 16(2),
pp.248-260.
Donyaie, S. and Afshar, H.S., 2019. EFL Teachers' Reflective Journal Writing: Barriers and
Boosters. Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research, 7(3), pp.71-90.
Dumlao, R.P. and Pinatacan, J.R., 2019. From Practice to Writing: Using Reflective Journal
Instruction in Enhancing Pre-Service Teachers’ Professional Developments. International
Journal of Instruction, 12(4), pp.459-478.
Majid, F.A., 2016. The use of reflective journals in outcome-based education during the teaching
practicum. Malaysian Journal of ELT Research, 4(1), p.11.
Park, A.Y., Kim, J.O. and Park, H.R., 2019. Effects of Writing Reflection Journal on Learning
Attitude and Reflective Thinking Level in Students Taking a Clinical Training. Medico-
Legal Update, 19(1), pp.586-591.
Sharma, J., 2018. REFLECTIVE JOURNAL–A MEANS TO DEVELOP LEARNERS INTO
REFLECTIVE PRACTITIONERS. New Horizon, 3(1), p.1.
Zulfikar, T. and Mujiburrahman, 2018. Understanding own teaching: becoming reflective
teachers through reflective journals. Reflective Practice, 19(1), pp.1-13
Online
Gibbs reflection model, 2016. [online] Available through : <
https://www.toolshero.com/management/gibbs-reflective-cycle-graham-gibbs/>
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