Reflective Report on Academic Study Skills using Kolb's Learning Cycle

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Academic Study Skills
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Reflection.........................................................................................................................................4
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
Reference list.................................................................................................................................10
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Introduction
Every individual learns new concepts and methods in their everyday life that should be reflected
upon by them in order to evaluate their actions and the manner in which the new knowledge can
be implemented to improve efficiency. Reflection is the process of analyzing an individual’s own
actions and experiences in order to understand the result and determine the manner in which the
consequences can be improved. It allows people to involve in a procedure of continuous learning
from one’s own experiences and actions. Reflective practices are very beneficial as it boosts
confidence and makes a person more qualified and proactive in their life. It allows the closure of
the gap between practice and theory of action. Different models can be used for reflective
practices such as Gibb’s reflective cycle, Rolfe’s framework for reflective practice, Johns’ model
for structured reflection, Kolb’s learning cycle, etc.
In this study, Kolb’s learning cycle has been used for reflecting upon academic work. This model
has been chosen as it allows an analysis of everyday experiences and facilitates learning from
those experiences. It considers learning and improvement as an integral part of the process. In
the opinion of Kolb, the learning process follows a cycle or pattern that comprises of four stages.
The stages are Concrete experience, Reflective Observation, Abstract conceptualization, and
Active experimentation. This assignment will discuss in detail, using Kolb’s learning cycle, the
skills learned while completing the module. It will analyze the manner in which the academic
work was effectively managed. It evaluates the integration of information from different sources
in order to support and enhance the academic content. It will also portray an understanding of
referencing and plagiarism that was required for conducting the assignment works effectively.
These will be discussed through different stages of Kolb’s learning cycle to ensure successful
reflection.
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Reflection
Kolb’s learning cycle was developed in 1984 by David Kolb through which he developed a
learning style inventory. The model focuses on the internal cognitive process of the learner
(Konak et al., 2014). According to Kolb, the learning process comprises of acquiring abstract
concepts and theories that can be applied in different situations. In this theory, new concepts are
developed through impetus for new experiences. While doing my academic work, many news
things were taught and practiced for the successful completion of the assignment. The process of
reflection for the academic assignment has been discussed below systematically by using the
four-stage model of Kolb’s learning cycle (Kolb, 2014).
Concrete experience
People face many experiences during their everyday life, which forms the base for reflective
practices. The experiences can be acquired from school, work, home or anywhere in order to
initiate the learning process (Dixon, 2017). During this module, I had a different kind of
experiences such as the development of interpersonal skills, presentation, teamwork, writing,
reading, referencing etc. I also experienced management issues that were improved with
adequate guidance from my teacher. I also developed the ability to put forward an academic
argument. It taught me time management so that the different tasks and activities can be
accommodated within the available time and none of the deadlines is missed. I learned to
develop my own strategies and time management plan that will enable me to improve my
efficiency. The experiences that I gained during this module were through the mediums of
discussion with teacher, materials and relevant notes provided during the module, Ulearn,
feedback, summative assessment, formative assessment, homework, class tasks etc.
The various tasks and activities performed for the effective completion of the module enriched
my experience. These experiences will form the building blocks of my reflections and allow me
to understand the manner in which I can improve myself and my actions to ensure that the tasks
are performed in an improved manner in the future (Chan, 2012). It will facilitate enhancing my
productivity and skills, which will make me more capable of performing different assignments in
the future. The experiences that were acquired during the process will help me in initiating the
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process of reflection and analyze the mistakes I have made during the module. It will enable me
to critically think about the course of actions and the outcomes I received and understand the
change in outcomes that could have occurred due to a slight change in actions or the manner in
which the activity was performed (Clow, 2012)..
Reflective observation
Reflective observation forms the second stage of the Kolb’s learning cycle that aims to reflect on
the experiences in order to observe the actions performed and the experience gained during the
process. This process comes naturally to some people while some inculcate this habit in order to
learn from their own actions and experiences (Jarvis, 2012). Many people record their
experiences and reflection in order to maintain a record of it. I belong to that group who had to
inculcate this habit while completing this module in order to improve myself. I began to reflect
on the minor everyday experiences; to begin with the practice and soon I started applying the
habit to my schoolwork and assignments.
This step helped me reflect on the mistakes I made in the different tasks and activities such as
making presentations, referencing form correct sources, the need for references and where it
should be used etc. It made me understand that I was wasting my time and was unable to make
most of the lectures provided by my tutor, as those will be beneficial for me in completing my
assignment successfully. It made me think about the different manner in which I can make notes
in order to make the most of the lectures and remember the information provided. Even in the
group task, there were certain conflicts among the members as they had contrasting opinions,
which made the completion of the task difficult and time-consuming. The observation made me
understand the measures in which I could have made my presentations more effective and deliver
the information with more confidence (Tomkins and Ulus, 2016).
Abstract conceptualization
The third stage comprises of interpreting those experiences to understand and develop new ideas
or make modifications in the existing process of completing activities. It results in the
development of hypotheses that can be implemented in the future if similar instances or
situations arise (Poore et al., 2014). It allows making plans and decisions about modifications in
the existing abstract concept to ensure that the actions can be performed in a better manner to
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enhance the outcomes and improve the productivity of an individual. While reflecting about the
experience gained during this module, I realized that there are alternative ways in which I can
make use of referencing and use different websites for citations (Passarelli and Kolb, 2012)..
Conceptualization also helped me in developing a hypothesis for the making and delivering of
the presentations to make it more effective by including diagrams, images, and keep the content
short and relevant. It has made me understand that I can use a planner in order to manage my
time effectively and ensure no wastage of time. Reflective practices made me understand that I
can use flash notes, use sticky notes etc to record the information provided by my teacher during
the lectures. It also helped in developing a hypothesis for solving the conflicts in teamwork by
listening to the opinion of each member and then reaching a conclusion by including the majority
of views that are relevant for the task or activity. These measures will make me improve my
productive by enhancing my knowledge about the different measures that can be adopted for
conducting the tasks and activities in an efficient manner (Boud et al., 2013).
Active experimentation
In the last stage of the Kolb’s learning cycle, the hypotheses developed in the previous stage are
implemented to understand their effectiveness in practical situations. The experience that will be
acquired due to the implementation of the modifications or hypotheses will either challenge or
support the situation (Kolb and Kolb, 2012). This, in turn, will further develop other
understanding and knowledge and lead us to devise new measures or hypotheses that will prove
more effective. It is essential to reflect upon the effectiveness of the hypotheses otherwise the
learning process will be restricted and the process will stagnate at stage 1 of the model.
Continuous learning can be implemented ted through repeated reflection, interpretation and
testing the hypotheses (Bergsteiner and Avery, 2014).
Reflection on my own experiences made me determine alternative measures that can be adopted
to improve the efficiency of the activities. In my next assignment, I used more diagrams and
images that made the presentations more visually attractive while ensuring that the content was
short and relevant to the topic to make the audience interested in the presentation. I rehearsed the
manner in which I would deliver the presentation, which allowed me to the presentation in a
more confident manner before the audience. Use of planner, sticky notes and flash notes made
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time and activity management easier and I was able to use my time appropriately. The next
assignment did not consist of a group task due to which I was unable to implement my
hypotheses in that area of reflection to understand its effectiveness.
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Conclusion
Kolb’s learning cycle is an effective model for reflective practices as it helps in analyzing the
experience in order to interpret them and develop a hypothesis in order to improve the course of
action in the future. The learning cycle ensures a continuous learning process through successful
reflection and implementations of alternate ways. The cycle presents a circular process that will
help individuals in improving their knowledge through continuous reflection about an
individual’s own actions and experiences. The activities and tasks included in this module have
helped in improving my productivity and enhance my capabilities so that I can perform the tasks
in an improved and effective manner in the future.
The module taught me about reflective practices that enabled me to learn from my own
experiences by developing new ideas and perspectives about the manner in which the tasks and
activities are performed. The process of reflection was implemented in my academic work to
help me in improving my performance and knowledge making me more efficient and capable.
Reflection of academic work made me analyze my mistakes, determine the manner in which I
can deliver better presentations with confidence in order to make the audience engrossed in it,
and give them a topic to think about even after the presentation is over. It made me understand
the use and importance of the planner as it helped me in managing my tasks and activities and
sort them as per their deadline and priority. Using sticky notes allowed me to make the most of
the information provided by my teacher during the lectures and flash notes helped to memorize
the chief points easily. These measures have facilitated improving my skills and capabilities to
ensure that I perform better in my next tasks and assignments. It has enhanced my potential and
helped me develop my critical thinking to solve the different issues that arise during
assignments.
The habit of reflective thinking will be further practiced in a different range of activities to
ensure uninterrupted learning process and continuous improvement of existing potentials. The
hypotheses that were not implemented in the assignments will be implemented in future
assignments to test their effectiveness. If they prove ineffective, then another hypothesis will be
developed to improve the manner in which the tasks are performed in order to get better results.
It will ensure that the learning process continues to help to acquire new knowledge and
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techniques for conducting tasks effectively. The other assignments and different activities of
everyday life will be further evaluated through reflective practices as it will help in improving
my skills and potentials and improve the efficiency of everyday activities. I will be able to
perform the activities and tasks in a better manner and it will enhance my performance in both
academic works as well as in personal life. This enhancement of skills will help me in future
when I will pursue my higher studies or start working.
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Reference list
Bergsteiner, H. and Avery, G.C., 2014. The twin-cycle experiential learning model:
reconceptualising Kolb's theory. Studies in Continuing Education, 36(3), pp.257-274.
Boud, D., Keogh, R. and Walker, D., 2013. Reflection: Turning experience into learning.
Routledge.
Chan, C.K.Y., 2012. Exploring an experiential learning project through Kolb's Learning Theory
using a qualitative research method. European Journal of Engineering Education, 37(4), pp.405-
415.
Clow, D., 2012, April. The learning analytics cycle: closing the loop effectively. In Proceedings
of the 2nd international conference on learning analytics and knowledge (pp. 134-138). ACM.
Dixon, N.M., 2017. The organizational learning cycle: How we can learn collectively.
Routledge.
Jarvis, P., 2012. Adult learning in the social context. Routledge.
Kolb, A. and Kolb, D.A., 2012. Kolb’s learning styles. In Encyclopedia of the Sciences of
Learning (pp. 1698-1703). Springer, Boston, MA.
Kolb, D.A., 2014. Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development.
FT press.
Konak, A., Clark, T.K. and Nasereddin, M., 2014. Using Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle to
improve student learning in virtual computer laboratories. Computers & Education, 72, pp.11-22.
Passarelli, A.M. and Kolb, D.A., 2012. Using experiential learning theory to promote student
learning and development in programs of education abroad. Student learning abroad: What our
students are learning, what they’re not, and what we can do about it, pp.137-161.
Poore, J.A., Cullen, D.L. and Schaar, G.L., 2014. Simulation-based interprofessional education
guided by Kolb's experiential learning theory. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 10(5), pp.e241-
e247.
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Tomkins, L. and Ulus, E., 2016. ‘Oh, was that “experiential learning”?!’Spaces, synergies and
surprises with Kolb’s learning cycle. Management Learning, 47(2), pp.158-178.
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