Developing Academic Skills: A Reflection Report (Foundation Year)

This report reflects on the development of key academic skills—teamwork, presentation, and communication—during a foundation year. The student uses Kolb's learning cycle and other reflective models to analyze experiences and identify areas for improvement. The report details how the student applied these skills in practical scenarios, such as team projects, presentations, and customer interactions. It also outlines the importance of these skills across various industries and integrates theories like Tuckman's team building and Mehrabian's communication theory. The conclusion emphasizes the significance of reflection in learning and the continuous improvement of academic skills for personal, social, and professional success. The report includes references to support the analysis.

Academic Writing

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................1
Paragraph 1 – Team Work...........................................................................................................1
Paragraph 2 – Presentation ..........................................................................................................2
Paragraph 3 – Communication ....................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Reflection is the process of analysing self-thinking process and tell about it to others. It
basically helps in evaluation of learning in the context of “Why” and “How” and what need to be
done in order to improve the learning (Beech, McGill and Brockbank, 2017). It helps in
analysing the past in order to learn from past mistakes and make sure that in future that mistakes
will not happen. It also helps in self-awareness which is important for any individual. It helps in
personal and professional learning which is useful in analysation of own progression. Reflection
is considered to be a cyclical process and to explain this process, there are so many models
proposed by various theorists (Evans, 2016). Report will highlight on 3 academic skills which
developed during the foundation year by using Kolb’s learning cycle.
MAIN BODY
Paragraph 1 – Team Work
Teamwork skills refers to those individual skills by which they do collaborate with their
team and provide the best work ignoring any personal conflicts (Valentine, Nembhard and
Edmondson, 2015).
Kolb's learning cycle have 4 stages which can be apply to develop the teamwork skills.
These 4 stages are as follows -
1. Concrete Experience – In this stage, a task is assign to my team. This task couldn't
complete on time.
2. Reflective Observation – In this stage, team observed that there were so many conflicts
and miscommunication between team members.
3. Abstract Conceptualization – In this stage, team members started informal
communication and meetings in order to understand each other, reduce the
misunderstandings and remove the conflicts
4. Active Experimentation – In this stage, team will analysis about what they learned from
the tasks and how will they apply this experience in practical approach in the future.
For the improvement of Teamwork skills, I will do follow some points which are
mentioning below -
 I will try to understand the behaviour of my another team members.
 I will do informal communication and informal meetings with them.
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Teamwork skills helps me to understand and co-operate with my future team. It will help
me to focus on the team tasks and avoid personal disputes.
There are various industries, in which teamwork skills are required such as Sale Industry,
Retail Industry, Telecom Industry, Mining Industry, Hotel Industry and Healthcare Industry etc.
By using Tuckman team buidling theory, I found that this model is based on 4 aspects.
These 4 aspects are as follows -
FORMING – In this stage, team was given a task which could not be complete.
STORMING – In this stage, Team started to address the reason behind the incompletion of tasks
and asked for different ideas to improve it.
NORMING – In this stage, norms are made on informal communication and meetings so that
team members can understand each other.
PERFORMING – After Norming stage, team members started begin to understand each other
which lead to new task completion which was assign to the team.
Paragraph 2 – Presentation
Presentation skills are those skills which is required to reflect from the time, when
presentation is start and till the end when deliver the presentation to the audiences. Presentation
skills cover structure of presentation, slides designs, voice, body language and presence of mind
etc. (Dolan, 2017).
Kolb's learning cycle have 4 stages which can be apply to develop the presentation skills.
These 4 stages are as follows -
1. Concrete Experience – I have a 5 minute presentation which I gave poorly.
2. Reflective Observation – I observe that I spoke for over 5 minutes and my body language
was not as per my presentation. This has made bad impact on my co-worker and they
misinterpreted.
3. Abstract Conceptualization – I learnt from my manager and tutor and got some advice
about presentation techniques and tried to improve my presentation skills.
4. Active Experimentation – After that, I prepared my presentation in advance and practiced
that how to present.
For the improvement -
 I start making a plan about my presentation regarding contents and designs which help
me to gain attention of my audiences to whom I have to show presentation.
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 I use 10-20-30 rule for my presentation slides which make my presentation effectively
and attractive. Not more than 10 slides are cover with contains. My font size is mostly 30
point. And my overall presentation is for 20 minutes, not more than this.
It will help me in making any kind of presentation for my future company and easily
explain about the company, its products and services and its progression to the employees or
managers.
There are various industries, in which presentation are required such as Education
industry, hospital industry, sales industries, financial services industry, digital marketing industry
and goods industry etc.
By using Gibbs' reflective theory, I found that
DESCRIPTION – I had a presentation for 5 minutes which was over 5 minutes.
FEELINGS – I made bad impression on my audience and they were not happy.
EVALUATING – That mistake was happened due to lack of knowledge about presentation
techniques and tips.
ANALYSIS – I learnt about the techniques and tips so that I can give good presentation.
CONCLUSION – I need to developed my presentation skills so that I can get more opportunities
in my future.
ACTION PLAN - I am starting prepare my presentation in advance and practice that how to
present.
Paragraph 3 – Communication
Communication skills are those skills and qualities which make communication better
and effectively. Communication skills involves interpersonal communication, verbal
communication, non-verbal communication, listening and speaking skills (Delamain and Spring,
2017.).
Kolb's learning cycle have 4 stages which can be apply to develop the communication
skills. These 4 stages are as follows -
1. Concrete Experience – My manager ask me to communicate with customers regarding
products, in which I failed due to nervousness and lack of confidence.
2. Reflective Observation – I observed that I am introvert and not ready to open with
anyone.
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3. Abstract Conceptualization – I tried to communicate with my team members, my another
workers and practised for easily open with anyone.
4. Active Experimentation – After that, I met with another consumer, explain him about
products and he was impressed with me.
For the improvement in my communication skills, I follow some points which are mentioning
below -
 I check my message twice before send it to the receiver.
 To communicate effectively, I pay attention on using the non-verbal communication such
as eye contact, body postures, tone, attitude and space between me and another person.
Communication is an important skill that make people a good leader and manager.
This skills help me to communicate with anyone in my future, which lead me to work in
happy environment.
In every industries, communication must be needed. Without communication, no industry
and business can't survive.
According to the Mehrabian's communication theory, Communicator has to follow "the
7%-38%-55% rule” for making communication skils. In effective communication, 7% words are
understood by spoken words, 38% are understood by voice and 55% are understood by body
language. Due to lack of confidence and nervousness, I was forgetting the words, my voice was
timidly and not clear and my body language was not comfortable and didn't match with my
spoken words and facial expression. This all lead to communication breakdown.
CONCLUSION
From the above study, it has been summarized that Academic skills involves organizing
new information in proper way, retaining important information, effectively reading and
listening knowledge and writing or making efficient notes. Learning various study/academic
skills not only improves your leaning ability but also helps in achieving success in personal,
social and professional life. Learning comes from mistakes and experiences, which must be
reflected. Reflection learning allows individual to do practices and become expert in particular
field.
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REFERENCES
Beech, N., McGill, I. and Brockbank, A., 2017. Reflective learning in practice. In Reflective
learning in practice. (pp. 30-40). Routledge.
Delamain, C. and Spring, J., 2017. Developing baseline communication skills. Routledge.
Dolan, R., 2017. Effective presentation skills. FEMS microbiology letters. 364(24). p.fnx235.
Evans, D., 2016. Practice learning in the caring professions. Routledge.
Valentine, M.A., Nembhard, I.M. and Edmondson, A.C., 2015. Measuring teamwork in health
care settings: a review of survey instruments. Medical care. 53(4). pp.e16-e30.
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