Reflective Journal: Analyzing a Group Project's Successes and Flaws

This reflective journal documents a student's experience in a collaborative project, emphasizing the creative process, personal contributions, and team dynamics. The journal highlights the importance of negotiation in selecting a project theme and assigning roles, with team members actively communicating and sharing materials via Google Drive. The student reflects on their role in fostering team spirit, interpreting narratives in slides, and maintaining communication among members. The best aspects of the project included strong team bonding and shared stress management. The journal also acknowledges glitches encountered and assesses the strengths and flaws of the project presentation, including areas for improvement in oral presentation skills. The student provides a self-critique, acknowledging their contributions to collaboration and research while overall meeting the project criteria. Desklib provides access to similar student-contributed assignments and study resources.

Running head: REFLECTIVE JOURNAL
REFLECTIVE JOURNAL
Student’s Name
University Name
Author’s Name

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Table of Contents
Explanation of the creative process.............................................................................3
Personal Contribution...................................................................................................3
Best Aspects of the creative process...........................................................................4
Glitches in the course of the Project.............................................................................4
Strengths and flaws in the actual project presentation.................................................4
Criticism of my own work..............................................................................................5
Reference List...............................................................................................................6

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Explanation of the creative process
Creative process that was undertaken by our group had been based upon
negotiation. At first all of our group members met in the class and discussed over
various available themes and finally the theme that most people agreed upon was
chosen. In the next step, the volunteers for the four critical roles were chosen. These
are architect, narrative, themes and art design. Again, for each of these roles a
backing up collaborator was selected. Our group members promptly stared posting
important components of the given assignment, the slides, hand-outs, brief outline of
the intersecting narratives and shared the same materials over Google Drive.
According to Bilgin, Karakuyu and Ay (2015), effective communication helps to
highlight any hidden issues in any project. Many times group members raised issues
or commented about the materials posted by the members who started to post the
original document and/or material. Alongside following this formal process, we also
met as a group working on a common project for two times, to update the progress
on the project work.
Personal Contribution
I suppose the most significant contribution that I made in launching the project
was combining the collaborative spirit of the team members. Since the first time, the
entire project team has met, mine as well other team members’ active interest was to
ensure our 100% dedication towards the work. I presumed that I should not take up
the role of being the jury foreman. My demographics and personal attribute did not
assure me to take up the role. As per Jin, Y. and Hong, L., (2016), a participant
should be aware of personal weightage. Besides that, on previous occasions, my
work has been to create an interpretation prevalent in the narrative in all the slides
that my fellow group members has selected for the project presentation. A subtle and
delicate artistic interpretation of all the slides prepared by us was required by our
group. All of us were aware of the fact that it was not necessary to artistically design
every slide before knowing which ones were going to make it to the final
presentation. I also delivered the role of keeping the communication regarding the
latest progress on the project work, intact among the group members by means of
sending group emails. However, I was also personally responsible for the
presentation of the narrative of the group presentation, as it is expressed in the art

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work in the book. Two of our project team members were absent during the tenure of
the completion of the project. However, I personally took up the charge of ensuring
that those two team members did never miss any beat.
Best Aspects of the creative process
There is no hesitation about the fact that the team spirit and the bonding in our group
played a key role in framing the project. Often, in order to fulfil certain critical roles
we split in groups of two or three. Again, at times, we worked as a compact unit also.
This helped to foster a sense of integration in us and we could evenly share the
stress associated with group work as well as other stress like few glitches in work
like problems in finding a common meeting room or the last minute changes in the
project technique and getting the changes to work properly.
Glitches in the course of the Project
I feel that all of the team members have put up a harmonious performance in
the project and reflected their experience and expertise.
Strengths and flaws in the actual project presentation
The presentation of our project built its strength upon some observations of
other project groups who shared the same with us. One important fact that we
learned is that in the beginning of the presentation we were supposed to introduce
the members and prominently state the theme of the project. The impact of our
presentation was alleviated by the statement of each of the team members regarding
what roles they performed in the course of preparation of the project. Jones (2014),
also states that these factors are essential in a presentation. The group presentation
was done by all the team members (specific sections by each). We adjusted, altered
but never exceeded the time limits. However, I personally feel that we did well by
refraining from be4ing sarcastic or humorous and cracking jokes, rather giving it a
professional touch, matching the weight of the delegates and judges analysing our
projects.
However, one area of lacking during the presentation was the oral
presentation. Poonpon (2017), considers this as the most delicate part of a project.
One of the members was kneeling over a chair for having a better look at the stage

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and most importantly, one of the team members could not establish eye contact with
the onlookers and delegates.
Criticism of my own work
I would give myself full marks for performing a tangible role in the group and keeping
collaboration. I was nearly perfect in studying and researching for my assigned job
role in the project. On the whole, I suppose I met the criteria commendably.

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Reference List
Bilgin, I., Karakuyu, Y. and Ay, Y., 2015. The effects of project based learning on
undergraduate students’ achievement and self-efficacy beliefs towards science
teaching. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education, 11(3),
pp.469-477.
Jin, Y. and Hong, L., 2016. Study on Formative Assessment Applied in the
Preparation Stage of College English Presentation. In Proceedings of The Fifth
Northeast Asia International Symposium on Language, Literature and Translation (p.
730).
Jones, B.A., 2014. ADDIE Model (Instructional Design).
Poonpon, K., 2017. Enhancing English skills through project-based learning. The
English Teacher, p.10.