Personal & Professional Growth: Reflective Journal on University Life

This reflective journal explores the author's personal and professional development during their university experience, focusing on the acquisition of employability and study skills such as communication, research, ICT usage, teamwork, time management, and problem-solving. The author utilizes Gibb's reflective cycle to analyze their experiences, particularly a group assignment, and identifies areas for future improvement. The journal details the author's feelings, evaluation of positive and negative aspects, and analysis of the situation from different perspectives. An action plan is included to hone identified skills, emphasizing the importance of teamwork, communication, and continuous learning. The conclusion highlights the benefits of reflective journaling and the application of Gibb's model in facilitating personal and professional growth.

Personal and
Professional Development

Contents
Contents...........................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Reflective journal can be described as an account which consists of working details of an
individual and used for tracking their progress in an effective manner (Harvey and Carpenter,
2020). It is beneficial for recording learning experience of individuals in a critical way. It permits
individuals to record their thoughts, personal and learning experience for remembrance. It
provides varied opportunities to look a similar situation from differential perspectives. It also
assists individuals in learning from their past experiences in order to align with future.
Continuous professional development can be understood as practice whereby knowledge as well
as experience are documented in a precise way which is helpful in personal development.
This project highlights the understanding of varied skills which are helpful in employability and
study which are developed through attending university modules. This also depicts varied phases
of Gibb’s reflective cycle which helps in enhancing knowledge about writing a reflective journal.
MAIN BODY
In my university curriculum, I got the chance to learn many skills which helps me in
personal as well as professional development in coming years. In order to enhance my writing
skills in reflective journal, Gibb’s reflective model is chosen by me. Gibb’s reflective model is a
framework which provides a structure for learning and recording personal experiences in an
efficient manner (Hildebrand, 2018). It also help individuals in evaluating their experiences and
assists them in improving the required skills. This model has guided me to write my university
experience through the use of its six steps. Following is my learning experiences which I got by
attending lectures in university curriculum through Gibb’s reflective cycle.
Description- This step is related with registering relevant information about learning
experiences that has an influence on one’s life (Pugh and Broome, 2020). I joined university and
enrol myself in business studies subject as it was a familiar for me. I used to go university and
attend various lectures on differential subjects such as management, statistics, accountancy and
many more. It get started from first group assignment at university level whereby I and my
classmate are asked to research about topic of marketing and resent it through power point
presentation. I have decided to bifurcate the assignments into small tasks which help us to
research only one element. We have decided to write our parts and at last compile our work.
However, we forgot to determine the writing style that is to be followed in the whole assignment
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and have made a mess by writing in different styles. Then we sit together and make corrections.
This practice helped me in learning team work and problem-solving skills. This particular task
also helped me in enhancing my research skills as I always enjoys this in past projects.
Feeling- This step is related with analysing and thinking about the feelings of individuals
during a specified event (Rowe, 2017). In initial days of my university, I felt very low as it was
all new environment for me and I have to cope up with that trough my skills and knowledge. I
was quite excited and happy when I started to write about my part of assignment. But when I
realised that our assignment is not going well. I felt quite frustrated as it waste my efforts. I was
not any more exited and motivated to rewrite the assignment. However, when I start to rewrite
my task, I have realised that I had made some mistakes and rewriting helped me in improving
those. Through this I learned to communicate my thoughts through writing to my professor.
Later on, I realised that mistakes are not bad thing even, they help us in realising our potential.
Ultimately, I was happy to analyse and correct my mistakes on time.
Evaluation- This phase of reflective learning focuses on assessing all the negative and
positive aspects of situation where one seeks to realize their full potential (Schwartz and Et. Al.,
2019). When I moved to university, I met with different kinds of people having differential
backgrounds and interests. I have to interact them in order to enhance my ability of networking.
Through my group assignment, I got to interact with some of them and founded them having a
decent, caring and helpful nature. That’s why I and my group were able to fulfil the project
requirements before the deadline. We have done the task in different formats using differential
writing styles that has taken our efforts and time in a significant manner. This project has also
provided an opportunity to work on my information and communication technology skills as
after writing on specified topic, I have to prepare presentation slide in power point. It also helps
me in enhancing my computing knowledge.
Analysis- This phase of reflective learning paves the way to assess the situation while
thinking about it from different perspective (Vangrieken and Et. Al., 2017). It is a step where
individuals can get a chance to extract the meaning from the specified events. In group
assignment which I have done in my university curriculum, I realised that our initial phase of
bifurcating task is a good step. As I segregate the tasks according to self-identified capabilities of
every group members about which they have told me earlier. I learned that individual’s efforts
are very necessary while working in a team. I even go through some of literature works which
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helps in better understanding of the situation. As per Belbin teamwork theory, every member has
some sort of strengths and weaknesses. There is a need to identify those strengths while
delegating tasks to team members. I got so stressed and frustrated when our assignment goes in
wrong direction at its initial phase. However, me and my team members have managed
throughout the situation and completed the given assignment on time.
Conclusion- This section of reflective learning summarises what an individual has
performed during a specified event (von Suchodoletz and Et. Al., 2018). At first, I felt very
nervous when group assignment is assigned to me as I do not know my team members. At the
initial stage, we are not aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses for effective delegation
of task activities. Even we are not aware of different writing styles and formats. Later on, we
have corrected our mistakes take full use of our wasted efforts. Ultimately, I was able to perform
nicely in my first group assignment and capable of performing the project at the earliest. I
learned how to manage time while performing my part in group assignment. Even after facing
failure at the initial stage of assignment, I felt so frustrated but this situation has also provided
me the opportunity of self-management.
Action plan- It is considered as a significant phase for individuals as this step helps them in
gaining the knowledge about their available strengths and skills. This action plan is beneficial for
them as it aids in improvising the desired skills in an effective manner. Whenever, I got the
chance to perform group assignments again, I will ask strengths and skills from team members
before delegating work to them. This helps me to enhance my communication skills and also act
as an ice breaker for interacting with team members. Secondly, I would like to enhance my
teamwork skills by giving chance to every team member to give their opinion on bifurcation of
activities. If any problem arises like different writing styles, I would suggest to write initial
matter of project by sitting together at one place. I learned from my mistakes and won’t do it
again. This project has enhances my research skills which can be used in my employability in
coming years after completing my university curriculum. I also learned to co-ordinate with my
team members in order to submit assignment on a timely basis. I would like to enhance my
networking skills in order to better interact with varied people. These skills will help in my
employability skills. I will also to use Belbin teamwork model in bifurcating piece of work
among team members in future.
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CONCLUSION
From the above presented information, it has been concluded that reflective journal helps
individuals in documenting their learning experiences for gaining in-depth knowledge reading
personal as well as professional development. Gibb’s reflective cycle can be understood as a
framework which motivates individuals in recording their learning experiences as well as
assisting them in improvising their strengths or skills by preparing an action plan. Through this
varied new skills like teamwork, communication, problem-solving etc. can be documented for
future learning. This is beneficial for individuals in enhancing their skills and being motivated
throughout their learning experience. Description phase of Gibb’s reflective model describes the
specified situation and learning experiences in a precise manner. It is important for writer to
know their target audience and provide a clear, descriptive and precise report while using Gibb’s
reflective framework.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Harvey, S. and Carpenter, J. P., 2020. Genesis and change in physical educators’ use of social
media for professional development and learning. Journal of Teaching in Physical
Education. 39(4). pp.445-453.
Hildebrand, J., 2018. Bridging the gap: A training module in personal and professional
development. Routledge.
Pugh, M. and Broome, N., 2020. Dialogical coaching: An experiential approach to personal and
professional development. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research.
72(3). p.223.
Rowe, G., 2017. Personal and professional development. The Handbook for Nursing Associates
and Assistant Practitioners, p.40.
Schwartz, K. and Et. Al., 2019. Early childhood teachers’ lives in context: Implications for
professional development in under‐resourced areas. American Journal of Community
Psychology. 63(3-4). pp.270-285.
Vangrieken, K. and Et. Al., 2017. Teacher communities as a context for professional
development: A systematic review. Teaching and teacher education. 61. pp.47-59.
von Suchodoletz, A. and Et. Al., 2018. Personal and contextual factors associated with growth in
preschool teachers' self-efficacy beliefs during a longitudinal professional development
study. Teaching and Teacher Education. 75. pp.278-289.
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