Reflective Journal: Personal Learning and Experiences

This reflective journal discusses the personal learning and experiences gained during a module, focusing on topics such as sustainability, digital marketing, cross-cultural management, and innovative technologies in the tourism and hospitality sector. The 4R model of reflection (report, relate, reason, and recommendation) is used to systematically reflect on the learning experience. The journal concludes with recommendations for improving communication skills and confidence level.

Reflective journal
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Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
Report..........................................................................................................................................3
Relate...........................................................................................................................................4
Reason..........................................................................................................................................4
Recommendation.........................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7
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INTRODUCTION
Reflective journal is referred as a means of recording personal experiences, thoughts and ideas
along with insights and reflection a student have in the process of learning of a course. It is a
document written by the learner to record their learning progress (Allan and Driscoll, 2014). This
is a reflective report based on the learning that I gain during the module. In order to provide
reflection in a systematic way, 4R model of reflection is used which includes four steps, report,
relate, reason and recommendation. It includes reflection about my experience that I get while
undertaking module and learning from the subject taught to me.
MAIN BODY
Reflection is referred as a process that enable an individual to make meaning of events and
experiences that they get. It encourages in individual to think about personal reaction to any issue
raised during the course. It is the personal record of learning experiences that a person gets in a
particular situation or event. There are several models through which an individual can perform
reflection in systematic way. For reflecting on my own learning experience, I use 4R model of
reflection which is a cyclic model that represent main notion that reflection leads to learning.
This model consists of four steps report, relate, reason and recommendation (Bassot, 2016).
Description of these stages in context of my own learning during the module are mentioned
below:
Report
I am a student undertaking the module during which my tutor assigned me with the
assessment in which I need to reflect on my own learning and experience which I get by
undertaking the module. At the time of studying in the module, my tutor taught me several topics
including sustainability, digital marketing, cross cultural management, innovative technologies,
tourism research methodologies etc. All these topics are very crucial for tourism and hospitality
sector. Initially, I have no idea about the topics, and faced difficulties when my tutor taught to
me. But after sometime, I was able to understand what was taught in the class by my teacher.
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After undertaking the module, I got understanding about the importance of sustainability for
organisations in hospitality and tourism sector along with the use of innovative technologies and
digital marketing in their growth and success. I learnt that it is very necessary for an organisation
to use innovative technologies in order to get competitive advantage in market. Apart from this,
digital marketing is very popular now a days and learning about digital marketing helped in
improving my knowledge base and enable me to get good employment opportunities in future. I
learnt that digital marketing is the utilisation of mobile devices, search engines, social media and
internet along with other channels that helps organisation in reaching to consumers. This module
helped me in learning about digital technology and its significance for hospitality and travel and
tourism sector (Börjesson, Cedersund and Bengtsson, 2015).
Relate
I learnt many things from this module and this also helps in improving my skills and
knowledge base. When my teacher assigned me with the assessment, it was difficult for me to
complete the assessment successfully and I was very nervous at the initiation as I am not
assigned with any such assessment before. This was the very first time for me to learn about the
new subjects. But after sometime, I enjoyed to studied in the module. So many things I was able
to learn by undertaking the module. I get learning about different new topics including
innovative technologies, tourism research methodologies, sustainability, cross cultural
management, digital marketing etc. I also learnt that how significant these are for me to get
employment in hospitality or travel and tourism sector in future. This module helped me in
improving my research and team working skills. However, I faced some difficulties during the
module due to my weak communication skills. I was not able to stand in front of class and ask
any doubts confidently to my teacher. And due to my weak communication skills, I was not able
to interact with my classmates and discuss about the topics (Pasternak, and Rigoni, 2015). This
also weakens my confidence level. But, with the help of my tutor and classmates, I was then able
to communicate appropriately and with some confidence with others. They encourage me and
help me in improving my communication skills and confidence level which helped me in
performed my assigned task appropriately during the module. The learning which I get from this
module will help me in my professional life.
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Reason
The learning about digital marketing will help me in market the products and services of
the organisation effectively. Apart from this, I am going to implement this learning in workplace
at the time of performing my roles and responsibility. If I will get employment in hospitality or
tourism industry, the learning about sustainability will help me in developing various strategies
that help an organisation in attaining sustainability in market. Learning about cross cultural
management will assist me in managing diverse workforce in the organisation that will lead the
organisation to success (Naber, and Wyatt, 2014). In future, the learning from the subject will
help me in getting good employment in a reputed organisation. This learning will fuel my career
growth and helps me in getting success in my professional life. In hospitality or tourism industry,
it is very necessary for organisations to bring constant innovation and use sustainable ways to get
success in market. Through the skills and knowledge that I get from the module, I will able to
accomplish all the goals and objectives of the company by implementing my learning to my
work in an effective way. The main advantage of learning the subject is that in current
competitive market environment, almost all the organisations use digital marketing to market its
products and services. The knowledge about this subject area which provides me an opportunity
to execute my learning in in improving the marketing efforts of company. The overall learning
which I got from the module provided me the advantage to improve my knowledge base and get
success in career.
Recommendation
After undertaking the module, I realised that there are some skills which I need to improve
and work upon. Like my communication skills are not so effective, so I realise that I need to
work upon that and improve the communication skills so that I will be able to communicate with
others effectively. As communication is very important in both personal as well as professional
life, I need to work upon that. For improving my communication skills, I will take
communication classes and will also take help of online sessions. This will help in improving my
communication skills (Ross, 2014). Apart from this, I also need to improve my confidence level.
For this, I will take more participation in group activities, public speaking etc. This will help me
in growing my confidence level in an effective manner.
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CONCLUSION
As per the above mentioned report, it has been concluded that the crucial aspect of
writing a reflective journal issue encourage an individual to initiate to think regarding their own
thinking. By reflecting on the own learning, an individual will able to determine the areas of
improvements which will further help in their development both personally as well as
professionally.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Allan, E.G. and Driscoll, D.L., 2014. The three-fold benefit of reflective writing: Improving
program assessment, student learning, and faculty professional development. Assessing
Writing, 21, pp.37-55.
Bassot, B., 2016. The reflective journal. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Börjesson, U., Cedersund, E. and Bengtsson, S., 2015. Reflection in action: Implications for care
work. Reflective Practice, 16(2), pp.285-295.
Pasternak, D.L. and Rigoni, K.K., 2015. Teaching reflective writing: thoughts on developing a
reflective writing framework to support teacher candidates. Teaching/Writing: the journal
of writing teacher education, 4(1), p.5.
Naber, J. and Wyatt, T.H., 2014. The effect of reflective writing interventions on the critical
thinking skills and dispositions of baccalaureate nursing students. Nurse Education
Today, 34(1), pp.67-72.
Ross, J., 2014. Performing the reflective self: audience awareness in high-stakes
reflection. Studies in Higher Education, 39(2), pp.219-232.
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