Self-Managed Learning and Skill Development

This assignment examines the importance of developing various skills for increased participation in organizational activities. It emphasizes self-managed learning as an effective tool for enhancing knowledge and abilities. The report highlights that learning is a continuous process and benefits both individuals and enterprises. Time management strategies are identified as crucial for career growth. It also suggests different learning styles to facilitate knowledge acquisition.

Personal and
Professional Development

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P 1.1 Evaluating various approaches to self managed learning..................................................1
1.2 Identifying the ways in which long term learning in personal and professional context
could be motivated......................................................................................................................2
1.3 The advantages of self managed learning to individuals and learnings...............................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
2.1 Evaluating personal skills and competencies against professional standards and
organisational objectives.............................................................................................................3
2.2 Identifying development needs and activities required to meet them...................................3
2.3 Analysing development opportunities in order to meet current and future needs................4
2.4 Personal and professional development Plan........................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................5
3.1 Process and activities that are required to facilitate development plan.................................5
3.2 Documenting development activities...................................................................................5
3.3 Reflecting personal learning against original aims and objectives.......................................6
3.4 Updating development plan based on feedback and evaluation...........................................6
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................7
4.1 Identifying solution to work based Problems........................................................................7
4.2 The ways communication take place at different level of management.............................7
4.3 Evaluating and utilizing effective time management strategies...........................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Personal and professional development is a concept or process by which person adopt in
order to develop various skills and abilities that may be requires for fostering career growth. This
processes are facilitated by person for enhancing knowledge, skills , to gain competencies and
improving performance at workplace. This process includes exploring as well as all types of
learning opportunities.
The report has focus on evaluating the approaches to self-managed learning in context of
person working in London ZOO and Park.It emphasizes on identifying various ways through
which life long learning can be encouraged. This report will assist individual in identifying
development opportunities in order to cater the need. It will include the demonstration effective
self managed learning approaches.
TASK 1
P 1.1 Evaluating various approaches to self managed learning.
Self managed learning is a concept using which management acquire and it assists
manager in order to control the activities, procedure and pace of individual learning. There are
various approaches to self managed learning that can be classified in various categories such as :
Meta learning: This strategic learning is facilitated by individual at strategic level that can be
executed fundamental modification it is referred to as Meta learning. It is required by manager to
change their attitude and mentality in order to develop various skills, enhancing knowledge and
increasing competencies. These abilities will help person in managing the activities that are
conducted for development of London ZOO and parks.
Strategic learning-This form of learning have focus on using effective measuring technique in
order to assist employee to improve the learning capacity by performing various activities. This
learning can be useful for manager when selecting or formulating strategies. It allows individual
to become highly attentive in order to learn and enhance knowledge by each and every situation.
This approach provides person an opportunity to develop strategic learning skills and allow them
to identify various effective solution to various problems that can occur is planning, development
and maintenance of various destination such as parks and Zoo.
Motivational learning- This type of learning intends to motivate manager to identify various
learning styles so they could easily increase their knowledge. This method also allows individual
1

to analyse the need of various types of resources that are required to facilitate learning and
development process.(Abbott,2014.)
KOLB theory: This theory is the best theory of learning it gives the appropriate way to learn
innovative things in a world. It explains the various persons naturally and it prefers a certain
single different types of learning styles.
Honey and Mumford theory: It includes four factors such as activist, theorist, pragmatist and
refactor. Through theses factors person can easily understand the learning styles and learn new
things that helps to increase individual knowledge and skills.
1.2 Identifying the ways in which long term learning in personal and professional context could
be motivated
The concept of life long learning is a process which continuous process that never end. It
contributes to both personal and professional development. It is requires by person to conduct
personal assessment in order to continue learning for life long. Personal assessment will help
individual in identifying own strength and weakness. It will also allow person to analyse the need
of developing various skills. I had identified that there are various skills in me that has allowed
be to increase my competencies these are effective learning abilities has allowed me to gain and
enhance my general knowledge, regular Exercise- This habit has enabled be to maintain my
health, friendly nature has provided me opportunity to share my knowledge as well as skills with
other people and to learn from colleagues experience. These abilities, so that various risks can be
eliminated. Physical exercise has enabled me to reduce stress and mediation has allowed
enhancing my observation skills. Due to Time management skills I am able to perform my task
in systematic way and I was able to complete my task on time. Development of these abilities
has provided me opportunities to control various activities. Due to these abilities I am able to
identify and capture various opportunities that can be utilized by me for my career and
professional growth. But there are still abilities that are required to be developed as this will
assist me in encouraging continuous learning. Creativity skills has allowed me to demonstrate
my creativeness and encouraged other people for adopting continuous learning attitude.
Swot analysis is effective tool that has provided me a chance to continue my personal as
well as professional development process. Self-reflective learning has motivated me to develop
more personal as well as professional abilities so that I could perform my duties in effective
manner at workplace.(Trorey, 2017.)
2

 Seminar: this is the best way to increase the person knowledge and skills. It provides the
way to communicate with each other and share their own ideas to others. It helps to
increase the level of communication and problem solving skills.
 Reading: this is the another way to enhance individual knowledge. Person can easily read
journals and books to increase their knowledge. It also helps to increase the level of
reading and wiring skills.
 Qualification: individual can easily learn from different sources but if they have good
qualification means they have capability to learn innovative things from different
learning styles.
 More experience: Person have the experience in different area so they can easily learn
various things from outer environment. Person can learn from different sources such as
internet, reading etc.
1.3 The advantages of self managed learning to individuals and learnings
There are various advantages of self managed learning to person and travel and tour
industry enterprise. Self managed learning is effective as this is achieved by individual
experience, learning, training and hard working. Such type of learning is developed by person
without professional supports. This form of learning is facilitated by individual in order to retain
knowledge for long period and assist person in their personal as well as professional
development process. The growth, success and performance of Tour and travel company is
totally dependent on its workforce abilities. The enterprise is totally dependent on its manager
abilities for making very significant decision related to business. Self managed learning allow
firm to employ highly talented , skilled and knowledgeable employees. Self managed workers
encourage organisation to expand their business by facilitating innovation process. It also allows
business entity to serve better quality of products and services to customer and enable firm to
fulfil its various objectives. These type of people have positive influence on other employees and
allows manager to maintain healthy working environment.(Korthagen,2017)
There are different types of benefits for the individual they can easily learn different things from
various sources such as seminars, internet etc. It helps to increase their own knowledge and
skills. By improving the knowledge and skills they can give more contribution to work together
in a firm. It gives higher performance to the company.
3

There are various benefits of a company is that if employees has good and effective knowledge
about the things then it will give more effort to the work. Employee gives innovative ideas to the
manger to get higher performance and productivity in the world.
TASK 2
2.1 Evaluating personal skills and competencies against professional standards and
organisational objectives
Presently I posses various abilities and competencies which is helping me in my personal
and professional development. I am using these skills to fulfil my responsibility as manager at
London Zoo and Park. As these skills has allowed me to increase my contribution in achieving
organisational goals and objective that is development of destination, increasing revenue etc..
Various qualities has allowed me to become participative in various activities and provided me
opportunity to become part of decision making process. Due to Marketing skills I have given the
other opportunities to execute various other projects related to development of various other
historic destinations.
Time management skills-These abilities has allowed me to complete my task on time and save
time for reviewing my performance. These qualities have provided me chance to get satisfaction
from work and enable me to produce desired results. Due to these skills I am able to complete
my task before deadline and has assisted me in reducing work pressure. I have learned to
prioritize my work and develop my focus on most significant task. Time management skills has
allowed me to complete my project of destination management on time and I have been awarded
with incentives for completion of work before time and in effective manner.
Communication skills-I posses effective communication abilities as this has enabled me to share
my views, ideas , information and knowledge with other person at workplace. These qualities
have provided me an opportunity to enhance my knowledge and maintain healthy relationship
with other people in society or in organisation. Communication skills have provided me a chance
to influence and motivate other people in organisation. But I believe that I need to improve my
communication qualities as I sometimes make grammatical mistakes.(Gale, Schröder, and Gilbert,
2017.)Communication abilities has enabled to define the roles as well as responsibilities of my
subordinate and I am able to motivate other employees to perform their given job i.e.
development and promotion of London Zoo and parks.
4

2.2 Identifying development needs and activities required to meet them
There are various abilities that are still required by me to develop in order to foster
personal and professional growth.
Skills Activities
Communication skills
These abilities would assist me in defining
roles and responsibilities of subordinates
related to executing parks and Zoo project.
I need to take part in various seminars,
conferences, debates and reading newspaper,
books and magazines. I need to practice
speaking in Public.
Leadership Qualities
So that I could provide direction to workforce
that is working in Zoos .
This could be increased by taking admission in
various institution, by participating in group
activity and observing the skills of team
leaders. These abilities can also be developed
by taking initiative to complete given task and
fulfilling responsibilities.
Technical skills This can be developed by reading books,
executing practical projects related to various
developments and participating in training
programmes.
2.3 Analysing development opportunities in order to meet current and future needs
There are many development opportunities which can be used to cater present and future
needs. There are several books are present in market which can be utilize for enhancing
knowledge and developing various abilities. This books allow individual to enhance their
learning by identifying the practical experience shared by authors. Use of technology such as
internet is the best source for gaining learning. This source can be used by individual for
identifying effective learning style and exploring opportunities to enhance knowledge.
Interaction with other people will allow person to learn from other mistakes so that such errors
could be avoided. If person want to explore and captures various opportunities it is required by
them to formulate effective learning plan or strategy. Participating in training programmes ,
seminars , and conference can provide person a chance to enhance their knowledge and identify
5

the needs to develop various abilities. Observing qualities of leader and participating in group
activity allows individual to gain leadership qualities that can help them to become effective
leader. Time management abilities get be developed through by establishing small targets that
could be set for short period.(Schaufeli,Maslach and Marek,eds., 2017)
Effective development plan gives the way to increase the level of personal and professional
development. Individual needs to create development plan and based on the planning activites an
individual can easily increase their knowledge and skills.
2.4 Personal and professional development Plan
Personal and professional plan can assist individual in identifying the needs and
importance of developing various abilities. I have planned to become more participative in
various activities at workplace where I will take initiative to take various responsibilities related
to work through this I will get a chance to explore and capture various opportunities related to
enhancing my knowledge. I have decided that I will take personal coaching for developing
communication abilities. I will be more participative in organising and various events at work
place as this will allow me to demonstrate my creativity and innovation skills. MY present focus
is on developing and enhancing technical knowledge as with the help of this skill I would be able
to improve my efficiency and increasing productivity. It will allow me to ensure effective
outcome. I can take admission in educational institution in order to gain knowledge about
various fields that are related to my job such as marketing , management etc. This quality will
provide me chance to improve my performance at workplace.(Gladding, 2017.)Planning to
conduct investigation in order to analysing the techniques for managing various activities and to
identify various activities that can be conducted at various destination as this will provide my
organisation a chance to attract more number of visitors.
Skills Activities Time Scale
Technical skills Reading books, participating
in practical activities, Training,
6 to 8 months
Communication skills Reading newspaper daily,
participating in debate,
2 to 4 weeks
6

practising speaking while
reading. Personal coaching
Management and Marketing
skills
Online coaching, research,
observing marketing activities
conducted by other person
2 to 3 weeks
Time management skills Setting short term goals 6 to 8 months
TASK 3
3.1 Process and activities that are required to facilitate development plan
There are various process and activities that are required to be executed in order to
facilitate development plan. I have planned to study in comfortable environment. I had set short
term goals for me that is required to be achieve within particular time span. For instance I have
decided to complete my management degree within two years which is the duration of course. I
have planned to continue my job in tour and travel companyas I believe that I can explore and
capture various opportunities related to my career. I will conduct self-asstement procedure timely
as this will allow me to improve my strength and overcoming my weaknesses. This will assist
me in improving my performance and getting appreciated at workplace. I have planned to
execute performance evaluation procedure in order to identify gap in performance. I will take
initiatives in order to develop between various skills as this will allow me to gain expertise.
Further activities such as I need to be participative in various training programs, seeking advice
as well as supports from my colleagues, friends as well as family members. I have decided to
take participation in various debates, seeking feedback from visitors arriving at London Zoo and
park. This will assist me in improving my communication skills.(Walker, 2017)
3.2 Documenting development activities
Planning related to development activities can be represented on the basis of time scale.
Based on the time scale of the plan person can easily increase their knowledge and skills. It
includes appropriate plan for the activities that is to be done at a time. Different styles helps to
increase the level of personal and professional development. Based on the time scale only
individual can learn innovative thing that helps to increase level of professional development.
7

3.3 Reflecting personal learning against original aims and objectives
The activities that I have included in my personal development plan has allowed me to
achieve various career objectives and goals. The activities such as setting short term goals that
has been initiated by me in order to develop time management skills in me has provided me
opportunity to experience the winning. This has assisted me in developing self confidence in me
and have provided me way through which I could develop my focus on important task. As due I
used to seek support from other such family members , friends to take major decision for me. But
self confidence that was gained through activities conducted for time management has allowed
me to develop self confidence and I have potential to make my own decisions. I have learned
from time management skills to divide task in various categories due to which I am able to
reduce work pressure. I have got a chance to review my performance and get satisfaction from
my work. Conducting activities for developing management and marketing qualities has enabled
me to become effective manager and execute management activities at destination in systematic
manner.
Participating in group activities has allowed me to gain experience and to identify the
needs as well as expectation of people. It has provided me opportunity to observe behaviour and
influence the behaviour of other people in positive way. (Raider-Roth, 2017)
3.4 Updating development plan based on feedback and evaluation
The feedback that I have gained from my colleagues and friend is that I need to work on
my communication skills. The other initiative that I need to take is that to work on my behaviour
as a leader as this can have great effect on team members and team performance. I have to
improve my leadership Qualities. The effective way to enhance this skill is self-managed
learning. They have recommended me that in order to improve my abilities I should increase my
participation in various activities as this Wil allow me to develop self confidence and motivation
in me. Gaining technical and innovation skills will provide me an opportunity to differentiate my
abilities from other employees and fostering my career growth when working with Such a Big
industry such as travel; and tourism that has several sectors.(Coldwell, 2017)
TASK 4
4.1 Identifying solution to work based Problems
Travel and tourism is a Leading industry the problem that is faced by organisation is that
its clients are complaining about the quality of environment at Zoo and park and also about
8

cleanliness. It has identified that this issue has been faced by firm due to lack of effective
training to employees. Human resource manager in travel company does posses effective skills
that the reason company is unable to higher talented and skilled employees which has great
effect on the working efficiency of organisation. Due to lack of management abilities , manger at
London zoo and mark is unable to organise various activities for firm which as due to which the
organisation has to face various short term losses.
Employees in travel and hospitality industry is required to undergo training related to
customer management as this will enable them to deliver effective devices and good quality
products to customers. Manager in tour operator company is required to enhance their knowledge
about management activities and need to develop managerial skills. It is essential for manager to
perform their task in organised and professional manner as this will assist them in motivating
other people in organisation to increase their contribution in achieving goals for enterprise.
Human resource manger in travel industry that have the accountability to maintain London Zoo
and park is required to identify various motivational technique that will help them in influencing
people and encouraging them to work for benefit of organisation.(Martin, 2017.)
Employees not have good management skills so a manager needs to give training and
development to them that helps to increase their skills in a firm.
Employees have lack of knowledge and they do not have appropriate communication skills so by
conducting seminars and conferences in an entity it gives more profit to the employees as well as
to an organization.
4.2 The ways communication take place at different level of management
There are various types of communication styles that can be adopted for interacting with
various people working at different level of organisation.
Open communication-This form of communication is used by individual for interacting with
colleagues and friends that are working at same level of management. This type of
communication is adopted by those people who are working in group to achieve same goals or
objectives. Open communication providers individual working in group to share their views ,
ideas for solving various problems of team.
Reserved communication- This type of communication generally take place between manager or
subordinates, among followers and leader. Such type of interaction is confidential in nature.
9

Indirect communication- This type of communication take place between top level management
and employees working at lower level. In such type of communication human resource manger is
accountable for ensuring the flow of information between top and lower level of management.
This form of communication also takes place between stakeholders and top management with
lower level executives. In such types of communication message is passed by superior
management to the consumers.
Direct communication- This type of communication generally used between boss and workers.
This type of communication is adopted by boss in order to provide direction to its subordinate.
Such form of communication is generally transparent and clear.(Taylor, 2017)
4.3 Evaluating and utilizing effective time management strategies
Effective time management strategies are really very important to be possess in order to
achieve success and foster career growth. As every individual wants to get task completed on
time and has desired to achieve satisfaction from task. Time management assist individual in
achieving their personal and professional goals and objectives. It allows person to make balance
between personal and professional life. Effective time management strategies-
Setting short term goals-This strategy will help individual to complete work on time in effective
and efficient way. Prioritization of work allows them to identify the significant task and save
time for reviewing performance. It also provides person an opportunity to reduce work pressure
and experience winning. Time management strategy will enable them to learn more things and
develop advance skills that can be used by them for performing their task at higher level of
management.
Planning a schedule- This will provide individual a chance to conduct task in organised as well
as systematic manner and enable them to ensure effective outcome.(Hardingham,2017)
CONCLUSION
`It has been concluded from the report that developing various skills help individual in
increasing their participation in various activities of organisation. Self managed learning is the
effective tool that can be used by person for enhancing their knowledge and gaining various
abilities. It has been concluded from project that learning is a continuous process and it does not
have ending. Self managed learning has beneficial for both enterprise and individual.
Development of skills allow person to achieve personal and professional goals and objectives.
10

Time management strategy is very essential skills that is to be possessed by person in order to
foster career growth.
` The report has suggested the various learning style that can be used by person for
generating knowledge.
REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Abbott, A., 2014. The system of professions: An essay on the division of expert labor. University of
Chicago Press.
Trorey, G., 2017. Professional development and institutional needs. Taylor & Francis.
Korthagen, F., 2017. Inconvenient truths about teacher learning: towards professional development
3.0. Teachers and Teaching, 23(4), pp.387-405.
Gale, C., Schröder, T. and Gilbert, P., 2017. ‘Do You Practice What You Preach?’A Qualitative
Exploration of Therapists' Personal Practice of Compassion Focused Therapy. Clinical psychology &
psychotherapy, 24(1), pp.171-185.
Schaufeli, W.B., Maslach, C. and Marek, T. eds., 2017. Professional burnout: Recent developments in
theory and research. Taylor & Francis.
Gladding, S.T., 2017. The counseling dictionary. John Wiley & Sons.
Walker, K., 2017. Why continuing professional development is so important. IQ: The RIM Quarterly, 33(2),
p.4.
11

Raider-Roth, M.B., 2017. Professional Development in Relational Learning Communities: Teachers in
Connection. Teachers College Press.
Coldwell, M., 2017. Exploring the influence of professional development on teacher careers: A path model
approach. Teaching and teacher education, 61, pp.189-198.
Martin, J., 2017. Personal relationships and professional results: The positive impact of transformational
leaders on academic librarians. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 43(2), pp.108-115.
Taylor, P., 2017. Learning about professional growth through listening to teachers. Professional
development in education, 43(1), pp.87-105.
Hardingham, A., 2017. The coach's coach: Personal development for personal developers. Kogan Page
Publishers.
12