FND 3012 E-Portfolio: Self-Reflection and Academic Skills Report

This report presents a self-reflection on academic and IT skills development, employing a SWOT analysis to assess strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and utilizing the Gibbs reflection model to analyze personal experiences and learning. The SWOT analysis identifies strong communication and listening skills, while weaknesses include decision-making and risk aversion. Opportunities lie in technological advancements and globalization, countered by threats from economic uncertainties and job market competition. The reflection delves into personal, professional, and academic settings, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and lifelong learning. The Gibbs model facilitates a structured analysis of experiences, focusing on description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, and action planning, leading to insights for future improvement and skill enhancement. The document is available on Desklib, a platform providing study tools and solved assignments for students.

Self reflection and
Academic Skill
Development

Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
SWOT analysis:...........................................................................................................................................3
Strengths:.................................................................................................................................................3
Weaknesses:............................................................................................................................................4
Opportunities:..........................................................................................................................................4
Threats:....................................................................................................................................................5
Reflection....................................................................................................................................................5
Introduction.............................................................................................................................................5
Reflection practice and its importance in self development.....................................................................6
Gibbs reflection model............................................................................................................................6
Conclusion...............................................................................................................................................8
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................8
References...................................................................................................................................................9

Introduction
Self reflection refers to analyzing self such as working habits, academic performance and
more. In simple words, reflection is all about thinking about self. Here, a person analyze own
skills & capabilities with an aim to structure suitable strategies to grow in the career in the future
period of time. In academic context, one is required to develop several skills to attain success.
These skills are essential to grow tremendous amount of success in the future career (Balwant,
2021). The present study is based on self reflection and academic skills. Here, I will perform self
analysis through SWOT where I will cover necessary strengths, weaknesses, opportunities as
well as threats. Apart from this, my self reflection will also include in the given report.
SWOT analysis:
SWOT analysis is a tool that is applied for personal analysis. In context of self analysis,
SWOT is an important tool. It includes the strengths, capabilities, skills of an individual along
with the weak points to make further improvements. Further, opportunities are also included in
SWOT analysis so that one can grow in the future period of time (Kim and Shin, 2020).
Additionally, it also included the threats from uncertainties and future circumstances. In present
context, my SWOT analysis is given below:
Strengths:
 My communication skills are up to the mark which makes me enable to interact with
other in an effective manner. I realized that I am able to interact with stranger profoundly.
This skill makes me enable to maintain better relationship with others. In addition,
communication skills are helpful in boosting my confidence during public speaking. It
minimized my fear of public speaking and will help in future growth & enhancement of
my career. Due to the effective communication skills, I am able to put a positive
impression on others. In addition, this skills will make me enable in terms of attaining
significant amount of growth and success in the future period of time.
 I listen well before speaking so that I can give proper reply to others. This skill helps me I
communicating with others profoundly. While communicating, I first listen what the
other person is saying and then revert properly. My listening skills are helpful in

enhancing my career significantly so that I can attain tremendous amount of success in
future period of time. Further, listening skills are also helpful in providing appropriate
reply to other people in order to minimize the ambiguity in significant manner.
Weaknesses:
 My decision-making skills are not up to the mark hence I am unable to take effective
decisions in timely manner. I used to analyze ample of facts before taking a particular
decision. However, it helps in taking a suitable decision but also enhances the time of the
overall decision-making process. This skill affects my potential of taking timely decisions
and also affects the ability to perform the assigned work effectively within the
organization. Additionally, it affects my potential of performing assigned duties
effectively at the workplace.
 I am a cautious person who believes in planning. I always try to make necessary plans to
avoid the risks in the future period of time. I do not take enough risk which directly
affects my potential to attain success in future. I get anxious while I have to face the
risks. For this purpose, I structure suitable plans in order to avoid the future risks
profoundly. In addition to this, I get frustrated when I have to face the challenges. I
cannot think positively in adverse circumstances. my negative attitude also create
negative image in the mind of other individuals. This will affect my future image
adversely.
Opportunities:
 Increasing technological development is a significant opportunity to make an
enriching career. Nowadays, there are several advanced and new technologies have
been introduced in the market place. These techniques are effective and helpful in
performing the assigned work in a profound way. I am looking forward to avail the
opportunity of technological development. For this purpose, I will join different
sessions and workshops to improve my technical knowledge. This will not only
improve my knowledge regarding technical aspects but will also make me enable to
make a bright career in the future.

 In the present era, the globalization has been created several opportunities for the
individuals. To avail such opportunities, it is important to have necessary skills &
knowledge. In this situation, I have opportunity to get a good job at a decent position
at one of the well-known SMEs. Here, I can easily avail this opportunity by learning
new skills & capabilities. Apart from this, it will allow me to make an enriching
career with an aim to ensure growth in the future period of time.
Threats:
 The present environment is highly uncertain. Nowadays, the Brexit, COVID-19 and other
such uncertain events have been created an ambiguous environment across the world. It is
quite complex, to gain success in such uncertain environment. Here, the uncertainties
caused by such events will put a major impact on my future career. I will face huge
threats due to the uncertainties caused by different events such as COVID-19, Brexit and
more. These threats will put a direct impact on my future career that will affect my career
progress in the future period of time.
 In the present era, there is extensive competition present in the job market. It is quite
difficult to get a good job in such tough competition. To get a good job, it is imperative to
have necessary skills like communication, presentation and more. In this context, I will
face threat related to employment. To sustain within the job, it is highly important to
learn new skills. Without learning new skills, it is quite complex for me to get and sustain
in the job.
Reflection
Introduction
Reflection is an important practice to perform analysis about own capabilities, knowledge
and skills. Here, reflection is related with self evaluation so that one get to know about own
strong & weak points to make further improvements (Dunning, Heath and Suls, 2018). In the
present part of the report, a reflection has been included that will cover my own self-analysis
using different model such as Gibbs reflection cycle. The model will cover necessary skills in
terms of personal, professional and academic setting.

Reflection practice and its importance in self development
Reflection is the key to self awareness as it allows an individual to neutrally understand
the thoughts, feelings and more. While engaging in the self-development, one is likely to develop
inner witness in order to analyze own performance significantly. Basically, these are the abilities
to analyze own performance so that the improvements can be done in the future period of time.
In other words, reflection is about seeing oneself in the mirror to get a deeper knowledge about
own appearance (Ebil, Salleh and Shahrill, 2020). Reflective practice has significant benefits in
terms of creating self awareness. It allows an individual to assess own performance so that
further improvements can be done. Apart from this, it helps in facilitating life long learning
through identification of personal strengths and weaknesses in an efficient manner. After
undertaking the self reflection, it is possible to carry out different activities in order to improve
the weak areas potentially. Further, it also helps in better & effective decision-making so that one
can grow in the future career in significant manner.
In the given scenario, I am trying to analyze my own strengths, weaknesses so that I can
undertake necessary strategies to make improvements in my future practice. Through self
reflection, I analyze my strengths so that I get to know about my capabilities, knowledge and
skills. In addition to this self reflection also make me enable to understand my weakpoints so that
I can make further enhancements in my performance.
Gibbs reflection model
Gibbs reflective cycle model is a framework that was developed by Graham Gibbs by
focusing on repeated experience. The respective model has six different stages which are helpful
to engage on a particular learning experience. It is an easy model that is often used to analyze
own skills and competencies throughout a particular situation (Gupta, 2021). Here, the six
different stages of the respective model are given below:
Description: This is the first step of the respective model wherein people are likely to
describe their experiences about a particular situation. This stage is related to know the situation
rather making the conclusions. There is focus on getting the relevant information to get factual
information regarding the situation. Generally, it covers what has happened, where in happened ,
what did happen and more (Wosnitza and et. al., 2018). In my context, I have been gone through
with several situations where I utilized my capabilities and skills to get rid from the particular

situation. While facing the circumstances, I realized that I need to enhance my skills and
capabilities at higher level to deal with such kind of situations effectively.
Feelings: It is the second step of the respective model in which people are likely to
describe their thoughts, opinions and more. In addition to this, they demonstrate the impact of
situation on their experience. The main aim of this element to explore the thoughts of individuals
regarding a particular situation (Kim, 2017). In the present context, I felt anxious while dealing
with the issues. In addition to this, I also got worried regarding the future impact of the situation.
Evaluation: The third step of gibbs reflection model is evaluation. Here, people are
likely to evaluate their experience in positive or negative way. At this stage, one needs to
understand that what worked well or what did not work well. Here, the individuals needs to think
the positive and negative aspects of situation so that effective decisions can be taken. Apart from
this, one also needs to evaluate own contribution during the situation (Lanaj, Foulk and Erez,
2019). In the given context, I positively contributed in the situation so that I can get the positive
outcomes in an efficient manner. Along with me, other team member also contributed in the
success of the situation.
Analysis: It is the fourth yet crucial stage of the respective model. Here, people think and
try to make sense of the given situation. Apart from focusing on the details, individuals also
extract meaning from the situation. Under this stage, it is evaluate what went well and what
caused mishappenings. In this, it is crucial to analyze why did the situation go well and the sense
one can make out of the situation. In this context, I realized that I really performed well during
the entire situation and I developed significant knowledge & skills to ensure growth in future.
Conclusion: After analysis, the next step is conclusion. Here, people are likely to think
about their learnings throughout the situation. Here, they consider what they did during the
situation and how they could have been improved their performance. Generally, it covers
learnings during the situation (Wang and et. al., 2021). In present context, I learned several skills
& competencies that will help me in terms of growing in the future career in an efficient manner.
Apart from this, the situation could be handles in positive manner by maintaining positive
attitude throughout the situation.

Action plan: It is the final step of gibbs reflection model wherein people determine that
how they will deal with the same situation in the future period of time. Here, the individuals are
likely to prepare an action plan to deal with the situation effectively in future (Silva, Peixoto and
Salvador, 2021).
Conclusion
It is concluded that self reflection is an important practice that is followed by me to
analyze my performance significantly. Here, I have been implemented gibbs reflection model to
assess my behavior throughout the situation.
Conclusion
Out of the above-mentioned information, it is found that Self reflection refers to
analyzing self such as working habits, academic performance and more. Further, reflection is all
about thinking about self. Here, a person analyze own skills & capabilities with an aim to
structure suitable strategies to grow in the career in the future period of time.

References
Books and journals
Balwant, P.T., 2021. Teaching flexible leadership via an experiential learning exercise: A
simulation and self-reflection. Journal of Education for Business, pp.1-13.
Dunning, D., Heath, C. and Suls, J.M., 2018. Reflections on self-reflection: Contemplating
flawed self-judgments in the clinic, classroom, and office cubicle. Perspectives on
Psychological Science, 13(2), pp.185-189.
Ebil, S., Salleh, S.M. and Shahrill, M., 2020. The use of E-portfolio for self-reflection to promote
learning: A case of TVET students. Education and Information Technologies, 25(6),
pp.5797-5814.
Gupta, S.S., 2021. Mapping the Design and Facilitation of Critical Self-Reflection in a
Culminating Clinical Course for Early Childhood Special Education Teacher
Candidates. The New Educator, pp.1-19.
Kim, J.H. and Shin, H.S., 2020. Effects of self-reflection-focused career course on career search
efficacy, career maturity, and career adaptability in nursing students: A mixed methods
study. Journal of Professional Nursing, 36(5), pp.395-403.
Kim, H., 2017. A Korean Confucian Way of Life and Thought: The Chasŏngnok (Record of Self
Reflection).
Lanaj, K., Foulk, T.A. and Erez, A., 2019. Energizing leaders via self-reflection: A within-
person field experiment. Journal of Applied Psychology, 104(1), p.1.
Silva, C., Peixoto, F. and Salvador, L., 2021. “To give someone a fish or teach them how to
fish?”: effects of a self-reflection tool on orthographic performance in Portuguese
children. Reading and Writing, 34(10), pp.2481-2503.
Wang and et. al., 2021. Bionic Polyurethane with a Reversible Core–Sheath for Real-Time On-
Demand Performance Adjustment and Fluorescence Self-Reflection. ACS Applied
Materials & Interfaces, 13(45), pp.54375-54385.

Wosnitza and et. al., 2018. Enhancing teacher resilience: from self-reflection to professional
development. In Resilience in Education (pp. 275-288). Springer, Cham.