Personal Development: Reflective Learning and Academic Skills Essay

This essay provides a reflective analysis of the student's learning behaviour, academic skills, and personal development plan for level 4 studies. It evaluates past learning experiences, identifies strengths and weaknesses, and outlines future interactions with classmates and tutors. The essay emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and effective study skills such as time management and active reading. It also highlights the significance of teamwork and interpersonal skills in achieving academic success. Referencing various academic journals and research, the essay underscores the need for continuous self-evaluation and the development of strategies to overcome challenges and achieve future goals, with a focus on avoiding stress and distraction during studies. This student contributed the essay to Desklib, a platform offering study tools and resources.

Institutional Affiliation(S)
[Course title]
reflective learning and development
Student Name

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Essay
This essay describes key academic skills and techniques required to be successful
at level 4 along with evaluating my own learning behaviour and experience to
determine plans for future developments. This essay will also consider the learning
points that have been internalized over my previous course that will integrate
reflections of weaknesses and strengths and initiate to outline future interactions with
classmates and tutors. While presenting few analyses of academic and formal
aspects of experience, this essay will also discuss the interpersonal elements of
learning and development in those capabilities that are required by vocational and
educational applications. Negotiating formal structures of requirements and
curriculum is another way of learning process that has been identified while going
through recent academic journals (Bankowski, 2010). A noticeable process of
transformation can be seen in higher educational levels that are away from didactic
approach and moving towards flexible and adaptable models for learning as well as
teaching. Accordingly, this reflective learning will discuss use of oral, written and
listening skills that are considered in self-management and group studies. This essay
will conclude after presenting a suitable outline of skills that will be utilised by me to
develop and provide indicative points and targets for future studies. This reflective
essay presents my own reflection where appropriate research and analysis by
authoritative resources have been made to give support to my evaluation regarding
how to get prepared for higher studies.
According to Jayanth, et al. (2014), “Academic success has a great influence
on a student’s self-esteem, motivation, and perseverance in higher education”. The
authors give emphasis on poor performance results that leads to high failure rates
that may be due to unacceptable contribution or reduced graduate throughput.
Educators and researchers therefore have always been interested in understanding
and identifying variables that contributes in providing with academic excellence (Lew
& Schmidt, 2011). From personal perspective, undertaking module 4 have involved
my consideration for identification and giving purpose along with sorting multiple
dimensions of preoccupations in my regular lifestyle. According to Madden, et al.
(2018), education provides students with appropriate “tools of mind” and when

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required these tools can be utilised to gain competence in other areas also. This
intellectual concept provides with conceivable explanation while observing students
studying different subjects that are traditionally classified as difficult or easy. Here,
they need to acquire paradigmatic tools that can assist them to learn and develop
key skills to solve problems associated with it. Thus, this fourth level of my course
will be completed “without looking back at my weaknesses” and as a higher-level
University student, my main focus will be on acquiring challenging tools to sort out
my leaning issues.
It is also significant to be aware about self-personality and self-image that are
considered as key determinants while setting objectives and construction of
parameters within which I can develop and interact effectively in classroom within
University environment. Published in 2014, a literature review on ‘Information
behaviour of university students’ demonstrates that there are many ways through
which studies are carried in universities such as libraries, usage of electronic
databases, through mobile communication and emerging technologies of leaning
and teaching (Rubinić, 2014). Furthermore, we often tend to think to set a private
domain that details our inner realm of self-made thought, strivings and values. How
much self-evident these domains look, locating social continuum is necessary in
some or the other way like pre-requisite group orientation and portfolio presentation.
This was understood by me while I was engaged in group presentation that had even
transformed my viewpoint where I have started considering and giving importance to
team work.
Igbinova (2016) refers to emotional intelligence and self-awareness as key
determinants for achieving goals through managing own feelings and emotions along
with being sensitive to influence other people to balance our own motive and drivers
with ethical behaviour and conscientious. The author further signifies the importance
of general intelligence that includes self-management, social management and self-
awareness that assist individuals to analyse the level of emotional intelligence
present for achieving desired outcome. This article has even influenced me to
consider self-awareness and emotional intelligence present within me to monitor my
cognitive abilities. However, previous semesters have illustrated to me that it is not
an option to choose and thus it can be said that interpersonal effectiveness demands
development and exercising pedagogical approach. From my previous knowledge, I

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have found that interactive learning environment and effective curriculum was
determined significantly by students that means, the learners, particularly through
willingness contribute to gain innovative knowledge. Under this statement, I would
like to consider the key aspect of next level study where I would try to develop
interpersonal ability and working skills within group dynamic.
The resolution of problems and coordination of efforts along with maximising
individual skills are added in developmental strengths that will be highly required in
former studies. As recognised in literature, when there is a demand to analyse
traditional capabilities, we must think critically and work independently since a
growing demand for such analysis has been recognised immensely in past few
decades. Transferable skills and communication along with problem solving and
team works requires careful curriculum planning (S.Ramaraju, 2012). Support
mechanisms and teaching methodologies along with assessment strategies are also
considered as range of factors that helps in forming individual effectiveness and
attitude within self-dynamism. Many of these factors are developed culturally and
can be interpreted within different frameworks like Hofstede’s Cultural Dimension
model. According to Hofstede’s dimension, each culture has peculiar behavioural
norms and tolerance that dedicates group behaviour along with providing strategic
thinking frameworks. I consider that identification of individual weaknesses and
strengths are the key factors that not only recognises individual contribution, but also
provides with building an effective team work (Akindele, 2012). Through my previous
experiences, I have undoubtably learned that working in teams is a skill itself where
pushing together in a random team of individuals cannot be considered as team
building.
After evaluating present literature and identifying key skills that makes
students gain success in higher studies, few skills have been discovered that needs
to be developed by me that includes study a little and at times and often. This is
because University calendar is structured and thus learning can be done after
completion of weekly activities only. Under such circumstances, I can discuss
materials with friends along with making additional readings regularly and soon after
each class to make use of time efficiently. Time management is utmost important
while studying for higher courses since if you are a skilled planner and organiser of
your days, it will become easier to take out sufficient time for studies. Effective time-

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management can also refer to scheduling ongoing study sessions instead of
cramming them a night before examination (Rubinić, 2014). Time management will
not only help me in feeling more relaxed during examination hours but also help me
in retaining information’s more precisely. During my previous semesters I have learnt
that taking class notes is a good skill that allows me to study more efficiently while
concentrating and participating in class lectures. Active reading is also required by
me since I lack concentration techniques and keep on sliding eyes across pages
during exam days.
According to Gettinger & Seibert (2002), “Study skills are fundamental to
academic competence”. Effective study skills not only reduce chances to failures but
also ensures taking advantage of various opportunities that are available for students
during academic sessions. For becoming an effective learner, students require wide
array of strategies related to study at their disposal and must comprehend when and
where to utilise these strategies. Many researcher and authors have documented
that enhanced study skills can be developed only after students give importance to
their study skill. Along with it, efficient student will always try and be competent to
score the needs to emphasise on maintenance and development of effective study
skills across academic levels (Rubinić, 2014). Study shows that students who have
future orientation, strong executive functioning capabilities and persistent in
performance are listed among the ones who remains successful in academics as
well as in professional fields. Students who are able to set their goals at an early
level also experience probability of maintaining higher levels without getting much
burdened. Stress and poor academic responsibilities like not attending classes and
procrastinating results in distraction where salient factors keeps students away from
reaching their goals (Gettinger & Seibert, 2002). Therefore, stress and distraction will
be strictly avoided by me during my course studies as I tend to achieve my future
goals with prominence.
The above essay has been prepared after making self-evaluation as well as
identification of skills that will be required by me for performing effectively in level 4
studies. After going through various articles and journals, it seems that there are
many factors that can affect performance of students in achieving academic success
where few of them are significant determinants. Researchers have shown intellectual

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and non-intellectual factors that can impact students desire to remain successful,
and lastly academic success of individuals.

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References
Akindele, D. O., 2012. Enhancing Teamwork and Communication Skills Among First
Year Students at the University of Botswana. TESOL Journal, 06(01), pp. 2-15.
Bankowski, E., 2010. Developing Skills for Effective Academic Presentations in EAP.
International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education , 22(02), pp.
187-196.
Gettinger, M. & Seibert, J. K., 2002. Contributions of Study Skills to Academic
Competence. School Psychology Review, 31(03), pp. 350-365.
Igbinovia, M. O., 2016. Emotional Self Awareness and Information Literacy
Competence as Correlates of Task Performance of Academic Library Personnel.
[Online]
Available at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?
article=3764&context=libphilprac
[Accessed 22 09 2018].
Jayanth, S. V. et al., 2014. Factors Contributing to Academic Performance of
Students in a Tertiary Institution in Singapore. American Journal of Educational
Research, 02(09), pp. 752-758.
Lew, M. D. & Schmidt, H. G., 2011. Self-reflection and academic performance: is
there a relationship?. Advances in Health Sciences Education, 16(04), pp. 529-545.
Madden, A. . D., Webber, S., Ford, N. & Crowder, M., 2018. The relationship
between students’ subject preferences and their information behaviour. Journal of
Documentation, 74(04), pp. 692-721.
Rubinić, D., 2014. Information behaviour of university students: a literature review.
Libellarium: journal for the research of writing, books, and cultural heritage
institutions, 07(01), pp. 11-14.
S.Ramaraju, 2012. Psychological Perspectives on Interpersonal Communication.
Journal of Arts, Science & Commerce , pp. 68-73.

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