Reflection Essay: Analyzing Group Dynamics and Presentation Experience

This reflection essay examines a student's experience in a group presentation, focusing on the dynamics of teamwork and the application of the Gibbs reflective cycle. The essay details the group's process, including task delegation, communication, and the challenges faced during the presentati...Read More

Reflection essay

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Reflection....................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Reflection is the change in the direction and present own views or experience of some
incident. Therefore, it is the way where a writer examines or writes about those experience by
exploring how it is changed, developed and grown from those experience. In the same way, the
report is also based upon the reflection using Gibbs model in which it describes, reflect and
analyse the group dynamics practice of working in a group. The entire report, basically reflect
the experience by using a model that clearly demonstrate the overall occurrence.
MAIN BODY
Reflection
Reflection is simple process by which a writer share their experience and there are
different tools and model that helps to writing a reflection in an easy manner. For this reason,
Gibbs model of reflection is used, which clearly shows all the experience in proper phases
(Stonehouse, 2019). The Gibbs Reflective cycle makes people think about a particular
experience, event in more detail form, further it also make them aware of their own action and
provide the ways to adjust or change their behavior as well. Therefore, It also presents both
negative and positive impact of that event so that people can easily learn from it. In the same
way, the reflection of group presentation is present in the cycle which is as mentioned below:
Description: The group work is prepared on the presentation of how a community
garden could be used as a response to each group member's individual social issues of concern.
Therefore, in this project there were six people and I know three person and remaining two who I
had just met. Further, it was my first group work and I am quite exciting to interact with new one
and share my knowledge as well with them. As per the view of Kotchen and Segerson (2019) for
performing the work in the group, it is quite essential to first interact with others so that it
provide a chance to develop better communication with each other and know every team
members effectively. Further, for all of us, it is completely new experience to work in a group
and thus, my overall experience in this project is quite good and interesting because I get a
chance to know other members, except my friends. It is also state by .. that working together in a
group involves some content that also refers to primary task and process and some individual and
group interactions as well.
In our group project work, I also analyses that every member of the team contribute their
best part to make it successful but still there are some loopholes which affect our working and
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creates some obstacles as well. For this, each one of us, delegate the task as per our strength such
that I have a good communication skills so I choose to convey the ideas of our project in front of
others and on the other side, the facilitation of Olivia was outstanding and in the same way, each
member of out team chooses the task as per our strength. So that the symposium is successful
delivered to others.
Feeling: it is stated by Allsop (2019) that while presenting in the group, every individual
being assessed by some emotional reactions such as fear of failure and they are not able to meet
the personal expectations. In the same way, we all have anxiety whether we perform our
conference in better way or not. But somehow we feel good because we are ready to face all the
challenges in a group and able to present it better way than others. On the other side, theories
such as Cognitive theory states that the thoughts are some primary determinants of an emotions
and behaviors and it is the common statement of the mental process which further compare the
way through which the human mind functions. At initial level, when we all are meet for the
induction, all of us feel hesitate how to say anything, but then Olivia come and start giving her
introduction in order to break the silence of our group. Next, during this stage we all feel
comfortable with each other and then we all start sharing our strength and weaknesses with each
other in order to maintain the level of compatibility and feel comfortable within a team.
Apart from this, it is stated by Woolley, Aggarwal and Malone (2015) that the team
becomes more effective only when everyone's roles and task are understood and even when the
participants also feel valued and can easily express their view points in a team without hesitation.
In the same way, we also done by start making each members comfortable at initial level and
also by using Tuckman's first stages of team development i.e. Forming, in which task are defined
and that helps to increase the level of group performance. In the same way, the experience which
I gathered from the group is quite provide new learning for future group work practice as well
and I also feel that community work is that one area which requites an effective team players
who able to reach proper decision and the same members I also have in my team. Therefore, my
feeling regarding symposium is excellent and learning.
Evaluation: during our symposium, I evaluated so many good and bad things, such that
the overall contribution of all team members is excellent but among all, the facilitation by Olivia
is well done. Initially I evaluated that using Tuckman stages of team development will be helpful
be helpful to begin our team and thus, this symposium also began powerfully with a Acting of a
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group beginning where one of the team member's capacity to join was impacted Because of their
different mobility needs. Apart from this, I also evaluated that we have good communication and
I also posses some leadership skills that help to lead the entire team in better way. As per the
view of Panadero and et.al., (2015) that while working in the group, the members should posses
the leadership skills and also contribute their best to perform the task in better way. Such that
cooperating with a team and having similar goals also enabling the result that are beneficial for
the individual and whole group dynamic and it also helps to maximize own learning as well.
In addition to this, I also evaluated that group dynamics in which group imbalance was
also addressed by our team and one question was also asked from the cultural point of view and
in revert back, one of the team member response in positive manner that creates good impact
upon audience such that many of them understand the answer. On the other side, I also evaluated
that some of the team member are not contributing their best and even did not understand their
work responsibility and this affect the group dynamics in negative way and also leads to creates
conflicts as well. Apart from this, I evaluated that there was a good consideration of the idea of
community that also start by exploring my choice of community and I chooses the African
Community and at last I evaluate that it is the good and clear connection to life's characteristics
during a discussion.
Analysis: From the symposium, I analyses that there are some areas which needs to be
improved while working in the group and this also help to be more effective in a team. Such that
learning is also defined as what happens when an individual can do or think which a person
cannot think before and in the same way, during our group presentation I analyses that there are
some conflicts during our performance that seems to be odd and this lead to affect the
presentation in adverse manner. Even I also analyses that due to nervousness, some of the group
members lose the confidence and as a result, they are not present themselves in loud voice and it
would be good to be more prepared about the group's needs to use microphones to those
members who speaks silent such that their voice is not heard by one side of lecture theater.
Through the group presentation, I analyses that I raise some skills such that communication, time
management skills and interaction. But on the other side, we still need some guidance or
opportunity regarding how to connect to literature and learning about the social inclusion, social
disability. Apart from this, due to lack of research skills, my team is not performing at its best.
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Moreover, I also analyses that there are some areas of improvement which needs to be
improved as per time and as a result, it will help to improve our future presentation. However, it
is also analyzed by Forsyth, (2018) while working in the team for first time, there is a need to
determine the key strength and weaknesses and an individual should develop the strategies to
overcome the issues as well so that it helps in their future projects as well. On the other side, I
further analyses that by working in a group, I raise my team work abilities, patience and
confidence but apart from this, some of the members also feel nervousness when presenting in
large group of mass. This directly affect the working and team strength as well.
Conclusion: from the overall, it is further concluded that working in a group is far better
than working individual. It is so because when a person working in a group, then they will share
the experience, views from each other and also develop new ideas that help to reach with defined
goals. From this, I concluded that overall my experience during symposium is quite good
because I enhance my learning and interaction Skills. Further, through this I also analyze my
strength and weaknesses and helps me to understand about the group dynamics and my personal
reaction to the symposium assessment. It has been conclude that initially we all are not aware
about each other strength and weaknesses, but as we were start interacting with each other, then
we come to know the importance of working in a group.
In addition to this, it is also concluded that person's unconscious feeling of low status and
inability to compete also affect the working in a team. Such that during the presentation, I also
feel the same, because at the time of presentation, we all feel quite nervous and hesitate whether
the presentation will be delivered in perfect way or not, an this lead to low down the status.
Further, through this, I feel positive during the whole presentation and I also learn different
things that also help me in my future as well.
Action Plan: In this symposium, I identify different areas of improvement while working
in a group and it is quite essential that it should be improved with defined time. Such that, build
confidence so that each group member can easily perform well for their future presentation as
well. For that reason, I also start presenting small presentation in front of some peoples so that I
raise my confidence level. Another, there is a chances of raising conflicts and it is quite common
when we are performing in a team. Therefore, as per the view of Barsade and Knight (2015)
conflict is not about the disagreement but it is the tension that sometimes affect the group
performance in negative way. In order to improve this, I start working on my communication so
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that it will help to overcome the problem of communication. For that, I start attending some
training session and present small presentation in front of others that will help me to raise my
communication level, that directly affect the overall performance in positive way, this method
also help in my future presentation and through an effective communication, I can easily deliver
or convey the messages to others without any obstacles.
In addition to this, when working in a group, there are other issues arises and this should
also be overcome such that I faces the problem of lack of research skills that also affect my entire
presentation in some adverse way and to improve this, I start attending classes and by finding
expert and through their help, I tackling any topic and start researching on it. This habit helps me
to improve the research skills and through effective research skills, I start presenting good
presentation because of having enough knowledge on that particular topic (ways to improve the
research skills, 2018). In this way, if these skills are improved then it helps in the future
presentation as well and thus, the chances of delivering in symposium in automatically increases.
CONCLUSION
By summing up above report, it has been concluded that reflective process helps to
reflect and analysis the group work experience. Through this report, group dynamics are easily
understand and using Gibbs reflective model will also help to present my experience in far better
and clear way. Further, the report also concluded that an effective group work also includes
similar values and goals, and even by working in group will also help to increase collaborative
decision-making and participation. Moreover, through the report it is also conclude that working
in a team will helps to enhance communication skills and can determine the weaknesses as well.
Through Gibbs model, action plan, those weaknesses can be easily overcome and that will help
to improve the future work as well.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Allsop, J. S., 2019. Coordination and collective performance: exploring teamwork as an
emergent property(Doctoral dissertation, University of Aberdeen).
Barsade, S. G. and Knight, A. P., 2015. Group affect. Annu. Rev. Organ. Psychol. Organ.
Behav.. 2(1). pp.21-46.
Forsyth, D. R., 2018. Group dynamics. Cengage Learning.
Kotchen, M. J. and Segerson, K., 2019. On the use of group performance and rights for
environmental protection and resource management. Proceedings of the National Academy
of Sciences.116(12). pp.5285-5292.
Panadero, E. and et.al., 2015. How individual self-regulation affects group regulation and
performance: A shared regulation intervention. Small Group Research.46(4). pp.431-454.
Stonehouse, D., 2019. Reflection and you. British Journal of Healthcare Assistants.13(4).
pp.182-184.
Woolley, A. W., Aggarwal, I. and Malone, T. W., 2015. Collective intelligence and group
performance. Current Directions in Psychological Science.24(6). pp.420-424.
Online
ways to improve the research skills. 2018. [Online]. Available through:
<https://uhcl.libguides.com/improving>.
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