Project 1: Reflective Analysis, SWOT, and Personal Development Plan

This project presents a comprehensive personal development plan, beginning with an introduction to reflective learning and its significance in self-assessment. Part A delves into a reflective structure, analyzing the student's learning styles—visual, auditory, and tactile—across various scenarios like essay writing, reflective thinking, and interview skills. A self-SWOT analysis highlights the student's strengths (visualisation, thorough planning) and weaknesses (distraction, lack of oral expressiveness), followed by an ability planning section focused on improving concentration and public speaking. Part B outlines a personal development plan, including a detailed SWOT analysis based on the reflective section, setting SMART goals to improve concentration and reduce the fear of public speaking. The student sets short, medium, and long-term objectives aimed at eliminating weaknesses and developing new skills, aligning these objectives with their university course and future career aspirations. The project concludes with references to relevant academic sources.

Project
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Part A – Reflective Structure...........................................................................................................3
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................5
References........................................................................................................................................6
Introduction......................................................................................................................................7
Part B Personal development plan...................................................................................................7
Stage 1 Personal Analysis......................................................................................................7
Stage 2 Setting goals..............................................................................................................8
Stage 3 Personal objectives....................................................................................................9
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................9
References......................................................................................................................................10
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Introduction
Reflective learning refers to learning experienced from the self-assessment (Fullana and
et.al., 2016). Every person has different skill set and trajectory to development. Below mentioned
assessment is aimed at developing a reflective profile based on self skills and capabilities. Based
on which, a self SWOT analysis has also been conducted.
Part A – Reflective Structure
Reflection about self is required for improving learning and professional development of
self (Cendon, 2016). Below mentioned is my personalised learning needs on the basis of my
learning styles (What's Your Learning Style? The Results, 2020) as demonstrated below:
Learning Style Score
Auditory 35.00%
Visual 60.00%
Tactile 5.00%
Topic: Personalised learning
My learning style: I learn better by reading or seeing pictures as I remember visuals in my
head more than any other style.
It means: It means that I learn better by visualising things.
Topic: How to write an essay/report/project
My learning style: I need silence around me to develop a mental environment in which I can
assess and present multiple aspects related to a topic in a sequential and logical manner.
It means: It means that I get easily distracted by sounds around me when I'm trying to
concentrate.
Topic: Reflective thinking
My learning style: I'm a visual learner and when I have to reflect upon my learnings, I imagine
things and then arrange them in a logical manner mentally.
It means: It means that I need to observe a lot of things around me to develop a mental base.
Topic: Conducting SWOT Analysis
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My learning style: I write down key words and skills that I have, based upon the instructions
so that I don't miss out important things.
It means: It means that I plan out things in mind first before producing them on paper in detail.
Topic: Preparing personal development plan
My learning style: To prepare my PDP, I prefer analysing my SWOT and pre-decided targets
for future to decide how to shape my plan (Gould and Taylor, 2017).
It means: It means that I'm thorough mental planner and plans out things in advance to decide
my life course and how I would like to shape it up.
Topic: Interview Skills
My learning style: Interview skills includes good listening and observations skills. I like to be
pre-prepared about the topic of interview.
It means: It means that it takes me a while to get comfortable in front of interviewers and I've
to keenly observe and listen to interviewer so that I do not miss out anything in nervousness.
Topic: Oral Presentation skills
My learning style: When I've to make a presentation, I like to be pre-prepared about its topic,
content and the probable questions that are expected to follow.
It means: It means that I'm not orally expressive so I like to deliver pre-decided and pre-
structured presentation and responses.
Topic: Writing skills
My learning style: To develop my writing skills, I prefer practise lots of questions by writing
some or the other thing about them (Fernández-Peña and et.al., 2016).
It means: It means that I like to learn about so many things and to remember them for long, I
prefer practising them in writing so that they are etched in my memory for long time.
Topic: Referencing skills/Avoiding plagiarism
My learning style: I use different websites to learn how to reference properly and how to avoid
plagiarism.
It means: I believe in diversifying my sources of taking references and learning things to write
them in my own words.
Assessment of own strengths/weaknesses and addressing learning needs:
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Strengths: My ability to visualise and imagine things – As a visual learner, it helps me in mental
planning, arranging and delivering. My thorough planning – As it helps me in presentations and interviews more than
anything else.
 My belief in original writing – I try to write as much original content so that I can avoid
plagiarism and the outcome is actually a reflection of my learning (Ghanizadeh, 2017).
Weaknesses: I get easily distracted – I'm not able to concentrate with distracting sounds around me
that reduces my productivity and quality.
 I am not orally expressive – I'm not comfortable in public speaking and this goes against
me during presentations and interviews.
Ability planning:
I'm a thorough planner who believes in concept of original writing. For it, I need to
concentrate much in a silent environment to visualise things. I aim to reduce my distraction level
and work on my public speaking skills.
Ability to organise and structure text:
Firstly, I'll be prioritising my weaknesses to be reduced and them eliminated with the
help of my strengths. Simultaneously, I plan to improve my strengths and develop new skills so
that I can enhance my opportunities in life.
Conclusion
In the above assessment, I analysed my learning styles in various situations and
developed learning needs based on it. I also conducted a self-SWOT analysis and concluded that
I'm a visual learner and my biggest strength is my visual projection but when I'm distracted, I'm
not able to project, which turns into my biggest weakness as I get easily distracted. I need to
work on my weaknesses so that no opportunity is missed in life.
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References
Books and Journal
Cendon, E., 2016. Bridging theory and practice: reflective learning in higher education. In
Handbook of Research on Quality Assurance and Value Management in Higher
Education (pp. 304-324). IGI Global.
Fernández-Peña, R. and et.al., 2016. The evaluation of reflective learning from the nursing
student's point of view: A mixed method approach. Nurse Education Today. 44. pp.59-
65.
Fullana, J. and et.al., 2016. Reflective learning in higher education: A qualitative study on
students’ perceptions. Studies in Higher Education. 41(6). pp.1008-1022.
Ghanizadeh, A., 2017. The interplay between reflective thinking, critical thinking, self-
monitoring, and academic achievement in higher education. Higher Education. 74(1).
pp.101-114.
Gould, N. and Taylor, I., 2017. Reflective learning for social work: research, theory and
practice. Routledge.
Online
What's Your Learning Style? The Results. 2020. [Online]. Available
through:<http://www.educationplanner.org/students/self-assessments/learning-styles-
quiz.shtml?event=results&A=7&V=12&T=1>
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Introduction
Personalised learning is aimed at developing customised strengths, needs, skills and
interests. This assessment aims at developing personal development plan on the basis of self
analysis made in reflection part of the assessment earlier. Further, goals and objectives have been
defined to become an effective learner.
Part B Personal development plan
Personal development plan refers to the outlined planning of self-development of a
person on the basis of strengths and weaknesses, with a defined aim and objective to develop
(Lesley, 2018).
Stage 1 Personal Analysis
Below mentioned personal SWOT analysis is based on the learning styles and their
analysis above:
Strength - It refers to assessment of strengths identified during reflection. Visual learner – I imagine and visualise things and therefore, I use pictures, diagrams and
graphs to understand new concepts. This really helps me developing stories and artistic
concepts. Also, I'm able to analyse various aspects related to a topic which can be easily
mentally linked and developed. Thorough planner – I write down key words and skills for the things I need to plan out.
Even during interview I listen to questions keenly and answer only after making mental
notes. This helps me in hiding my nervousness in front of others.
 Planned original writing – I imagine and develop thoughts on my own while writing as I
believe this not only improves my writing skills but also reduces chances of plagiarism.
My skills to develop mental notes helps me in that (Assiter, 2017).
Weaknesses - It refers to assessment of weaknesses identified during reflection. Easily distracted - I need to concentrate hard to introspect things so that I don't miss out
anything and if in mid I get to listen to background noise, I get distracted. Then, it gets
difficult for me to produce a quality output.
 Not expressive - I'm not much of an expressive person and believes in wrapping my
statement in few words. Therefore, it gets difficult for me when I've to explain things for
long as well as when I've to speak in public.
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Opportunities – I'm flexible in approach and is keen to improve my personality. This
helps me in availing opportunities that comes my way. For example, I do get easily distracted.
However, when I call out things loudly to concentrate, I'm able to tune out distractions. and also,
visualise all those things that I hear and sometimes new and creative thoughts are constructed.
Threats - It gets difficult for me to understand something which I'm not able to visualise.
Also, since I'm not so expressive person, it feels like walking a tightrope when I've to present
something orally in front of so many people without preparing.
Stage 2 Setting goals
Setting goals refers to defining clear objectives as to how and where a person wants to
reach (Mayhew and et.al., 2016). To set up clear objectives, it is important to define SMART
goals. SMART technique refers to setting up of goals which are specific and relevant. They must
be defined in some ways that they are easy to measure and achieve. And, most importantly, they
must be time bound.
SMART Objectives: “ I want to improve my concentration level by 50% and reduce my
fear of public speaking by 50% within an year.”
Goal setting
 Learning objective – Based on self-reflections and SWOT analysis, I realised that my
visual imaginary learning is my biggest creative strength. However, my strength is
compromised when I get distracted. Therefore, to retain and improve my creative
strength, I must improve my concentration level. Also, I need to learn art of public
speaking.
 Measures to achieve objectives – To improve my concentration level, I plan to meditate
and work with mild background music so that I'm gradually able to concentrate with
sounds around me by tuning distractions out (Lim, 2020). To learn art of public speaking,
I plan to socialise more and talk to more and more people around me. I will try to present
my thoughts in public whenever I get a chance to do so. For example, in class during
lectures or during presentations and interviews.
 Measure of success – The day I'll be able to concentrate with low sounds around me, I'll
be able to understand that I've made progress in improving my concentration level and
the day I'll be able to tune out noise around me without speaking things out loud, I'll
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understand I've achieved my target. For public speaking, quantum of reduction in my
hesitation and nervousness while facing interviewer and public in impromptu or
extempore speeches, will let me know that I've been able to achieve my success.
 Target dates to measure and achieve objective -
- Improve concentration level – within 3 months
- Reduced fear of one-to-one interaction like interview – within 6 months
- Reduced fear of public speaking – within one year
Stage 3 Personal objectives
My personal objectives are related to my weaknesses as they are my priority to be
achieved as of now (Smith, 2020). Although, I have targeted to reduce my weaknesses, I aim to
eliminate them altogether so that they can no more act as threat on my opportunities and self-
development.
Short term objectives – During short term i.e. within six months, I aim to reduce my
weaknesses so that I can aim to eliminate them altogether. I aim to incorporate these learning
needs while studying for my university course.
Medium terms objectives – During medium term i.e. within an year, I aim to eliminate
my weaknesses. I aim to be excellent public speaker even for extempores and also, I aim to
strengthen my strong points and develop new skills that will be helpful to me post studies
completion from university.
Long term objectives - Long term objectives refers to those objectives which are aimed
at after completion of university studies (Quaye, Harper and Pendakur, 2019). I aim to excel at
my profession and therefore, I will work on building all those necessary skills that are required to
be excellent professional and in the meanwhile, gather necessary practical experience.
Conclusion
From the above assessment, I came to know about my strengths and weaknesses and their
scope and impact upon my personal development cycle. All this has helped me in developing a
personal development plan which is aimed at enhancing my strengths and eliminating my
weaknesses to have a brighter future.
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References
Books and Journal
Assiter, A. ed., 2017. Transferable skills in higher education. Routledge.
Lesley, P., 2018. The university challenge (2004): higher education markets and social
stratification. Routledge.
Lim, D., 2020. Quality assurance in higher education: A study of developing countries.
Routledge.
Mayhew, M.J. and et.al., 2016. How college affects students: 21st century evidence that higher
education works. John Wiley & Sons.
Quaye, S.J., Harper, S.R. and Pendakur, S.L. Eds., 2019. Student engagement in higher
education: Theoretical perspectives and practical approaches for diverse populations.
Routledge.
Smith, D.G., 2020. Diversity's promise for higher education: Making it work. JHU Press.
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