Individual Reflection Report: Gibbs Model and Project Insights

This individual reflection report details a student's experience within a module, focusing on a group project and the application of the Gibbs reflective cycle. The report begins with an introduction, outlining the purpose of reflective writing and the use of the Gibbs model. The main body of the report provides a detailed account of the student's experience, including descriptions of the project, personal feelings, evaluations of both positive and negative aspects, and an analysis of the situation. The student discusses challenges faced, such as initial nervousness, difficulties in balancing work, and technical issues, alongside positive outcomes like improved communication and teamwork skills. The conclusion summarizes key learnings, identifies areas for improvement, particularly in communication and problem-solving, and outlines an action plan for future situations. The student aims to enhance skills through communication classes and learning from professionals, ultimately contributing to career growth. The report emphasizes the importance of self-reflection for identifying strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for personal and professional development.

Individual Reflection
Report
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Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7
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INTRODUCTION
Individual reflection is referred as the response to specific stimulus in case of reflective
writing. Reflection is written by a person in order to explore personal feelings, experiences and
events. It provides an opportunity to individual to consider the thoughts, feelings and events
again from a new perspective (Moritz, Hill, and Donohue, 2015). Reflective report is defined as
a piece of writing which summarises critical reflection over the subject area of student. This is an
individual reflection report in which the reflection on my own experience during the module is
included. This report intent to reflect and assess my own contribution to teamwork and the role
played by me during work on first project. By the help of this report, I will be able to identify
improvement areas. For providing reflection on my experience, I make use of Gibbs reflective
model which helps in performing the reflection in proper and systematic manner.
MAIN BODY
Individual reflection is referred as the activity of thinking regarding own behaviour and
feelings as well as the causes that might lie behind them. Reflecting of self helps an individual in
developing emotional self-awareness. It helps in gaining a better knowledge and understanding
regarding own strengths, emotions, weaknesses and its driving factors. It transforms the
experience of an individual into genuine learning regarding individual goals and values. It
challenges an individual to connect activities to objectives and create high level of thinking as
well as problem solving (Liberali, and et. al., 2012). In this, I provide my own reflection on the
experience which I get while undertaking the module. For this, I use Gibbs reflective cycle
which is one of the very popular model of reflection. This model was proposed by Graham Gibbs
which encourages individuals to think systematically regarding the experiences which they had
during a particular situation, activity and event. Use of this model for providing reflection enable
me to think regarding the event, activity or experience in more detailed manner and it make me
aware about my own actions and enable me to better adjust and change my behaviour. The cycle
includes six stages, description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and action plan. With
the help of all the stages, I am able to perform reflection in systematic manner. In relation to my
own experience during performing the project, the six stages of model are discussed below:
Description is the very first stage of the model in which my own experience about the
situation is discussed. I am a student studying in the module where my teacher assigned me with
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the task to perform a project. When the task was assigned to me, I was very nervous as this was
my first project. I didn't have any experience or knowledge about how to perform it as i never
had done such project before. Everything was very new for me and I don't even understand what
I needed to do to complete that project. However, that project need not to be performed solely as
i needed to perform it in the group. But, still I felt nervous and my confidence level and morale
became low at that time. For completing that project, a budget was assigned and we all group
members need to do proper planning about the initiation of project, its different activities and
completion of project. We all members needed to prepare a project plan, project initiation
document, risk log and risk register, work breakdown structure to identify the project activities
and determine milestones. A big responsibility was given to all of us and I want to perform that
well. But, as everything was new for me, I sometimes thought more which impacted my
confidence level and at times I lose my confidence. While performing the project, each
individual of my group was assigned with particular tasks which we all need to perform. I was
given with the responsibility to prepare a plan for overall project my gathering all the relevant
information and data on it. I was started my work but I faced many difficulties during performing
that. My group members and tutor motivated me to perform and boosted up my confidence
level.
Feelings is the second phase of reflective model in which own feelings and thoughts
regarding the experience that I got while performing the project are discussed. At the time of
performing project, I felt nervous and my confidence level was also low. At the time of initiation
of project, I committed many mistakes due to which I felt guilty and my confidence level
completely goes low. Then, my teacher and my team members supported me insist me to
perform my responsibilities. Instead of screaming on me for my mistake, they support me and
handle the situation very calmly. This increase my motivation level and also enhance my
confidence and I was able to work towards accomplishment of project aim in an effective and
efficient way. Before the situation took place, all things are normal, but when all that mistakes
happened, I lose my confidence. At that time, I also thought that what my other team members
think about me. The situations were very adverse for me, but with the help of my team members
and my teacher, I was able to complete the assigned project successfully. At the initiation of
project, some members might have thought that I was not able to complete the project
successfully, but during and ending of the project, they all appreciated me for my efforts. For the
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success of project, it was very necessary that all the team members were collectively towards
accomplishment of the same. But, as the nature, attitude and behavior of each individual is
different, the Dynamics of group created a lot of problems at times as the perceptions and
thoughts of all members were not matched due to which clashes takes place. However, with the
help of effective team working of some of the members, we all were able to deal effectively with
group dynamics and ensure the success of project.
The third stage of reflection is evaluation in which both positive and negative experiences
are discussed. By performing this project, I learnt many things. The most positive thing about all
this is that I was able to boost up my confidence level and my communication skills are also
enhanced. It also improves my team working skills which helped me in working in collaboration
and cooperation with each other and completed the project successfully. All this will also help in
my future growth and development. All the activities of the project went well and completed on
the specified time which ultimately help in ginning effective outcomes of project. However,
there are some situations in which I faced many difficulties. While performing the project, I have
to work full time, which makes it difficult to balance it with full time University. Apart from this,
the influence of coronavirus on the nation make it difficult for me to meet with individuals and
interact face to face for gathering information on the project. In addition to this, some of my
team members have not done their work on time due to which some activities were delayed, but
with collective working, we all are able to completed the project successfully on time.
Throughout performing all the activities of project, some technical issues for persistent and I was
unable to access it by my laptop and hence utilize my mobile for that. All the team members
effectively contributed to the success of the project.
Analysis is the fourth stage of cycle an individual makes sense of the situation. By
performing the overall project, there are many things which goes well and some activities which
did not go well. The collective working of all the team members helped in completion of project
successfully, but due to behavior and attitudes of some team members, some difficulties are
faced by all the members in completion of project. Some of my actions also made the situation
worse, but with the help of team members and my teacher, I was able to perform well and
contributed in completion of project successfully.
Conclusion is the fifth stage in which what I have learnt from the overall experience and
what I could have done differently is included. I learnt many things by performing this project. It
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enables me to identify my strengths and weaknesses and determine in what areas I need to work
upon. The overall experience of performing the project was good. It improves my
communication skills and team working skills which enable me to perform well in future and
also help in my career growth and development. It also helped me in getting good employment
opportunities which will leads my career towards growth. However, I realized that I could done
this project more effectively if I had good communication skills and problem solving skills. If I
had good problem solving skills, then I was able to resolve the conflicts that takes place in the
group effectively.
Action plan is the final stage of cycle in which the way and individual deal with similar
situations in future are discussed. By performing the project, I realize that I am required to work
on my communication skills. So, for improve my communication skills, I will take
communication classes and take support of professionals so that my communication skills will be
enhanced and I will be able to interact with others more effectively. Apart from this, for
enhancing my problem solving skills, I will work with professionals and seniors, and learn from
them and their actions. Improvement in these skills will help in performing the project
effectively in future. It will also help in my career growth and development.
CONCLUSION
As per the above mentioned report, it has been concluded that reflecting on own experience
will help in determining the areas of improvement. This will help in taking appropriate actions to
improve the weak areas so that an individual is able to get good opportunities in future. By
performing the project, the capabilities and abilities of an individual are increased. The
experience that an individual get form performing the project will also help in future in
performing the another projects in more effective.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Benus, R.F., Bohus, B., Koolhaas, J.M. and Van Oortmerssen, G.A., 2014. Heritable variation
for aggression as a reflection of individual coping strategies. Experientia, 47(10),
pp.1008-1019.
Moritz, B.B., Hill, A.V. and Donohue, K.L., 2015. Individual differences in the newsvendor
problem: Behavior and cognitive reflection. Journal of Operations Management, 31(1-2),
pp.72-85.
Liberali, J.M., and et. al., 2012. Individual differences in numeracy and cognitive reflection, with
implications for biases and fallacies in probability judgment. Journal of behavioral
decision making, 25(4), pp.361-381.
Lin, X., Hmelo, C., Kinzer, C.K. and Secules, T.J., 2019. Designing technology to support
reflection. Educational Technology Research and Development, 47(3), pp.43-62.
Nissilä, S.P., 2005. Individual and collective reflection: How to meet the needs of development
in teaching. European Journal of Teacher Education, 28(2), pp.209-219.
Daudelin, M.W., 2014. Learning from experience through reflection. Organizational
dynamics, 24(3), pp.36-48.
Boud, D., Cressey, P. and Docherty, P. eds., 2016. Productive reflection at work: Learning for
changing organizations. Routledge.
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