Personal and Professional Development: A Reflective Journal

This reflective journal explores personal and professional development through the use of the Gibbs Reflective Cycle. It discusses the stages of the cycle and how it helps individuals learn from their experiences and improve their skills. The journal focuses on the topic of corporate social responsibility and its role in personal and professional development.

PPD

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Personal or professional development is the process of learning and it can be for
individual as well as organization. During learning period, a person face several challenges to
achieve their goals and objectives (Albin-Clark and et.al., 2018). By facing all the challenges and
fulfil their desires associate with need of development for an individual as well as entire group.
With the help of academic learning, individual able to develop their skills and capability which
provide future opportunities to grow. This assignment based on contribution of a person to
improve their employability and study skills. For the better understanding of this reflective
journals, Gibbs Model selected which include various stages that help in experience the
learning. By using this model, individual able to learn from their experience which helps in
personal as well as professional development.
MAIN BODY
Gibbs Reflective Cycle: This model can be used in several ways such as individual can
use this model after any activity and identify their performance with the help of this tool. This
reflective cycle introduce by Graham Gibbs in 1988 in their book that us “Learning By Doing”.
It help the people to learn from their experience and different situations when they are not doing
well in their field (Gibbs Reflective Cycle, 2020). There are some steps which helps in
understanding entire situations and how they can make it more better for themselves. These steps
are description of situation, what exactly person feel that time, evaluation, conclusion of that
event, action which can be adopted by individual in their academics as well as in organization.
This module is all about the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices which conducted
by organization for sustainable development, there are various challenges which required to
overcome for better competitive business environment. With the help of Gibbs model, individual
share their experience and learning by using six stages of this reflective cycle which are
discussed below:
Description: While completing my task which assigned by my teacher in order to gain
insights knowledge regarding corporate social responsibility and how it is beneficial for
organisations to resolve challenges which they faces during operations (Choy and Chua, 2019).
Main purpose of this module was to enhance individual learning which further helps in personal
or professional development. I had to prepare a presentation which include the role of manager

and how they helps in professional development to formulate CSR activities. Initially, I had very
less knowledge related to CSR practices and its essentials.
This assignment helps me to improve my knowledge as well as learning or make me able
to generate such employability skills like team work because it was group presentation, so I had
to work with four people where I have to make coordination or corporate with them to complete
this group task. Other four participants helping me to gain versatile information along with facts
& figures that is essential to proceed our academic work into right path. In addition, this task
improve research skills of each group member because we all are go through from lot of books,
company's website, article, journal, article etc. to get better understanding of that particular
subject.
Feelings: In the process of verbal communication where I was present my topic that is
CSR and that time I realised, I do not have proper verbal communication skill as well as
proficient knowledge regarding subject. Rather than finding appropriate solution for it, I focused
on listening other and emphasis my ability. Lack of information affect my work or collected
content which I can improve it (DiPaola and Wagner, 2018). Entire process of presenting my
group task make me nervous or stressful because it is essential for academic purpose. In addition,
with the help of team work and my mentor's guidance assist me to improve to get deep insight
related to my topic. When I was learn my topics, that time I am regularly in touch with other
team mates which helps me to proceed my work properly. After giving my presentation, I was
feeling relaxed and I was quite confident that my performance is well and even my mentor also
very impressed with my performance. This module helps me to gain some new skills which
helping me in my academics as well as in my career. Such as effective communication which
improve my confidence as well as to speak in front of many people. In addition, before
conducting this modal I was enable to understand situations or use problem solving skill
appropriately. But this task helps me to improve my self and make me able to resolve challenges
which I was facing during group presentation of my subject.
Evaluation: In my academic period, I am learning lot of positive or negative things.
During my academic learning process, I was facing several situations where I was implementing
my skills and ability to address the issues and support my actions. In the class discussion, I was
used to hesitate because I am unable to share my problems and difficulties which I was facing
during the process of my task. It was affecting my overall image in the class as well as self

confidence. But, when I go through with subject, it will increases my interest which arise some
questions that required to ask with tutor to resolve it (Prestridge, 2019). This curiosity helps me
manage my hesitation and ask questions openly to my teacher. In addition, it was motivating me
to complete entire task before deadline and other members helps me too, to manage or develop
my skills to perform my role in this group work.
Analysis: With the help of intense research or effective communication helps me to
perform my task and coordinate with other team members to acquire important knowledge
related to topic. Due to lack of confidence and personal opinion become issues for me and affect
my performance in initial days. This will create difference in my overall performance which I
analysed but in future it make me able to improve my ability or perform better. In order to
generate effective result, I was using ICT skills that is Information and Communication
Technology. This skills helps me to collect information about CSR activities and it was provide
deeper understanding. In addition, also find the ways to minimise its impact on business and
entire environment as well (Ragan, 2018). During the presentation, I was confident because I
have enough knowledge to handle queries of audience. Effective research skill helps me to to
resolve problems which organizations faces. In the question & answer round, rather than
hesitation I was properly respond with eye constant and deliver my aspect to the person who ask
me questions.
Conclusion: While conducting this task, I am learning lot of things which provide me
better understanding of the subjects. This coursework helps me to manage my work along with
other team members, so it was improving my time management skill. I am enjoying my work
because the topics was different and make me able to understand essential requirement of CSR
and how it helps in improving company's productivity as well as profitability. In the entire
process, I learn lot of things and from hesitation to become confidant person who can openly
speak is the great journey. This module helps me to provide adequate knowledge which further
helps in my personal as well as professional development through generating various skill set
such as communication, team work, problems solving, time management, ICT etc. In addition,
self discipline is most important in group activity because it allow you to perform well or
complete task in the given time period to maximise their efficiency or effectiveness.
Action plan: For future, if similar kind of situation I face, so I will deal with it, along
with more enthusiastic way. Use of ICT technology helps me to manage or secure information

and further it is utilize to produce effective outcomes (Wagner and et.al., 2018). It helps in
minimising negative impact of my work because it further affect my personal as well as
professional development. With the help of this model, I developed my problem solving skill but
still it required more practice or critical thinking process. Learn new technology will aid the
performance or helps in acquiring new skill for the future development. These skills provide me
better future opportunities to grow and make me more productive to complete any task
effectively.
CONCLUSION
From the above discussion it has been concluded that personal or professional
development is very essential for individual which make people self aware and able to find
direction to move forward. It is the continuous learning process which helps the individual in
their academic as well as professional life. With the help of Gibbs reflation cycle model,
individual able to learn from their experience and improve their skill set which is used in future.

REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Albin-Clark, J. and et.al., 2018. Relationships in early childhood education–beyond the
professional into the personal within the teacher–child dyad: relationships ‘that ripple in
the pond’. Early Child Development and Care. 188(2). pp.88-101.
Choy, W. K. and Chua, P. M., 2019. Professional development. In School Leadership and
Educational Change in Singapore(pp. 69-86). Springer, Cham.
DiPaola, M. and Wagner, C. A., 2018. Improving instruction through supervision, evaluation,
and professional development. IAP.
Prestridge, S., 2019. Categorising teachers’ use of social media for their professional learning: A
self-generating professional learning paradigm. Computers & education. 129. pp.143-
158.
Ragan, D. D., 2018. A Structured Course for Personal and Professional Development. Honors in
Practice. 14. pp.43-57.
Wagner, J. P. and et.al., 2018. Professional use of social media among surgeons: results of a
multi-institutional study. Journal of surgical education. 75(3). pp.804-810.
Online
Gibbs Reflective Cycle. 2020. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://www.toolshero.com/management/gibbs-reflective-cycle-graham-gibbs/>