University Module Reflective Essay: Improving Teamwork & Collaboration

This reflective essay delves into the author's experiences with teamwork and collaboration during a university module, utilizing Gibb's reflective model to analyze the situation. The essay recounts a project involving the creation of a marketing presentation with unfamiliar teammates, highlighting initial excitement followed by challenges due to differing writing styles and communication gaps. The reflection covers feelings of frustration and subsequent motivation, evaluation of team dynamics, and analysis of the situation using concepts like Belbin team roles and Groupthink theory. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of leadership, understanding team member strengths and weaknesses, and the need for improved communication. An action plan outlines strategies for future teamwork scenarios, focusing on better task allocation and proactive interaction to enhance collaborative outcomes. Desklib provides access to similar solved assignments and resources.

Assignment B Reflective
essay

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Reflective essay can be understood as a type of writing style which is used by individuals
for describing experience from life and sharing some thoughts on them in an effective manner
(Bell, Wilcoxen and Steiner, 2022). This experience explore personal ideas, feelings as well as
opinions regarding a specified event in life which has affected learners in a significant manner.
Purpose of reflective essay is to provide a platform to individuals which help them to recount
their life experiences and explore skills that are learned from those. Reflective practices allows
learners to adapt to differentiated lessons which suit them in a significant manner. This is based
on my learnings which I have gained from module enrolled in university by me. This reflective
essay comprises of knowledge about the Gibb's reflective model for structuring this in an
effective manner. It essentially involves looking back at past experience or idea which help in
critically analysing the event in a strategic manner. This project report focuses on developing a
situation which I was encounter at the university while attending a module. This has helped me
to enhance knowledge about the team work and collaborative practices in a strategic manner.
Idea of this reflective model to develop a systematised reflection as well as isolate feelings.
Scope of this essay is to provide knowledge about the reflective practices undertaken by learners
in a significant manner.
MAIN BODY
Reflective practices are considered as vital for individuals as it allows them to recognise
their strengths as well as weakness which help them to guide their on-going learning experiences
in an effective manner (Chase, Morabito and Abrams, 2020). Through reflecting their view
points, students can develop their skills in regards with self-directed learning, improve
motivation as well as improvise quality of work in an effective manner. It also aid in conducting
productive relationship, enhance emotional intelligence and improve capacity to respond in a
strategic manner. It enables learners to build their competencies in regards with varied situations
in an effective manner. Reflection help learners in developing their competencies as well as
review their effectiveness instead of just doing the things in a routine manner.
Reflective practices aid learners in discovering relevancy as well as meaning in a lesson
which can help them to enhance connections among educational experiences and real-life aspects
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(Demmans Epp, Akcayir and Phirangee, 2019). It ensures to enhance insights as well as helps in
creating pathways in regards with future learning in an effective manner. It can be used in
teaching in a well-conceptualised manner which aid teachers in accumulating, recording and
assimilating information sets in a strategic manner. Teachers who uses reflective learning
practices can explore their teaching through critical thinking which helps in developing attitudes
as well as awareness which can benefit them professional growth in an effective manner.
Gibb's reflective cycle is cyclic framework which is used by learners for exploring their
past experiences and recording it in a journal for enhancing knowledge as well as skills in an
effective manner (Jaffe, 2018). It offers a framework which helps in examining experiences
through repeated experiments which allows varied things to learn as well as plan reflection in a
strategic manner. It originally advocated and used for repeated experiences by learners. It aid
individuals in ensuring to make improvements for enhancing skills in an effective manner.
Varied stages of Gibb's reflective model are as follows:
Description- At this stage, a specified situation is described in detail which provides
answers to varied questions such as what was happened, who were present while doing task,
what was the outcome of the situation and many more (Klein and Miraglia, 2017). When I have
enrolled myself in business management module at university, I had been given a task of creating
a presentation of principles of marketing with 3 other team mates. I have been engaged in a team
with whom I was not familiar with before. At first, we perform some kind of research about our
topic and bifurcated our tasks in an effective manner. We have assumed that we can complete the
given task in two days before deadline. However, when we concluded our writings before
deadline, we have found that our writing styles are different in a significant manner. We have to
sit and write our project one more time by avoiding our personal work. We were able to perform
it one time and submit it to professor on due date. Our work gets affected in an adverse manner
due to lack of communication and different writing styles. One of my teammate has some
personal work to skip the task. But at last she managed to come which help us to compete the
given project on timeline and submit it on due date in an effective manner.
Feelings- At this phase, individuals explore their feelings as well as thoughts which they
have experienced while performing the specified tasks. This comprises of thoughts which are felt
by learners before, during and after the tasks has been performed (Maharsi, 2019). At first, I was
quite happy and excited for this new task and working with new team members. However, when
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our project gets messed up due to our different writing styles, I got little frustrated that time. Our
team work has provided us little motivation for completing the task in an effective manner. We
have bifurcated work again and start with same zeal which helped me to do our task in a strategic
manner. At first, I was little nervous as this was the first time I have to perform this type of group
task. I also do not know about the strengths and weaknesses of my team members so that I can
bifurcate the tasks in an effective manner. During the project, I get access to learn varied aspect
of the given project in relation to marketing. This has enhanced my varied competencies such as
research and time management skills. I feel that I can manage my work on time and even before
deadline in a strategic manner.
Evaluation- At this stage, work of team members gets evaluated in an effective manner.
It is the phase where whereby individuals try to be objective as well as honest regarding task. It
is the time where both positive as well as negative aspects of situations are assessed in relation to
specified task (Mann and Walsh, 2017). I have evaluated that my team members are enthusiastic
in our task. We have started it with a wrong phase due to differentiated writing styles and we
have to complete it before deadline. Positive aspect of our team work is that we worked in a
collaborative as well as productive manner which helps us to complete the task on time in a
strategic manner. All the team members participate positively and work harder till evening for
submitting the project on time before deadline. This has also contributed significantly in group
ethics while performing the tasks. Things which does not well comprises of bifurcation of tasks
and lack of proper communication between us. I have evaluated that we are lost in understanding
the concept of our project rather than bifurcating the activities by knowing strengths and
weaknesses of my team members. In the entire situation, I have evaluated that some things gets
wrong and some right but this all has impacted in enhancing in our team work , productivity and
collaborative skills.
Analysis- This step is concerned with making sense what had happened from learning
experiences of individuals (Price and Deveci, 2022). This stage provides an opportunity to
extract meaning out of the given situation. At this point, academic literature can also be used in
an effective manner for better understanding of varied concepts in a strategic manner. It provides
answers to questions such as which things go well and what aspects did not go well while
performing the task in an effective manner. I have analysed that our initial division of work has
contributed negatively in our task. This has taken a lot of our time as we have to modify our
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project in an effective manner. I have analysed while performing the tasks assigned in project
that I am good in research skills but lacks in showing my leadership abilities in a strategic
manner. I do not had any prior experience before engaging in this task regarding team work,
doing research and many more. I have also analyse that our knowledge regarding the given
project gets enhanced while rewriting it. I got to read about some literature work which helped
me to understand the situation in a preferred style.
Belbin team roles assume that each individual in a team has definite set of strengths as
well as weaknesses while doing their work in a group (Wilson, Crenshaw and Yoder-Wise,
2022). I have evaluated that effective team work as well as work delegation can be enhanced
through differentiated strengths of team members. I think Groupthink theory can also go with
this particular situation in a strategic manner.
Groupthink can be understood as a situation where individuals do not raise their voices or
opinions while decision has been taken (Schmidt, 2022). This situation arises when they do not
have their point of view and do not want to extend it due to hesitation.
Characteristics of group think comprises of collective rationlisation as well as illusion of
invulnerability which help team members to perform their tasks in an effective manner
(Rucinski, 2020). I have analysed that being aware of groupthink practices will help me to make
critical decision in an effective manner.
Conclusion- At this stage, situations gets summarised in regards with what has happened
while doing a particular task. This is the point whereby learnings are get summarised and actions
can be taught which can improve outcomes in future. This section provides to varied questions
such as learnings from the situation, skills which are developed to handle the situation in a better
manner. I learned that it is imperative for a team member to act as a leader while bifurcating the
tasks of a group assignment in a strategic manner. Team members should have knowledge about
the weaknesses as well as strengths of each other for proper bifurcation of activities in a strategic
manner. I have also learnt that Belbin team roles provides a framework which help in segregating
the tasks in an effective manner. I have also analysed that team work can be done in strategic
manner with proper collaborative skills of each individuals. Groupthink is also considered as
important for gaining an understanding about the assumptions as well as expectations of
individuals in a strategic manner. We have to bifurcate the things well while initiating the project
in a strategic manner. This has make our project little more time-consuming as well as increases
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our hard work in a significant manner. I have analysed that I can be a good motivator as I
encourage my team to perform our work on time.
Action plan- At this phase, individuals think and plan what they can do differently in
regards with similar or related situation at later time. This action plan help individuals in
performing the task in a different manner at future times (Zulfikar and Mujiburrahman, 2018). It
also led to plan and take steps in accordance with how specified skills can be achieved through
action plan in an effective manner. I have ascertained that when next time, I will be engaged in
team work I will try to evaluate strengths as well as weaknesses of my team members for
bifurcating the tasks in an effective manner. I would also try to conduct proper interaction with
team members in order to avoid any sort of mistake due to communication gap. I will also
suggest to determine the writing style of project, even we should write introduction or first
section together. I am feeling confident that my first experience of group task will help me to
learn about different attitude of individuals in an effective manner. In this experience, I have
gained my knowledge about some literature review topics such as groupthink and Belbin team
roles which would help me in enhancing my learning outcome in an effective manner. I can also
provide guidance to any other team in my university module on the basis of my past experience
in an effective manner. I have enhanced my research and time management skills during this
project. I want to enhance my communication skills in order to bridge the interaction gap with
my teammates next time. I have analysed that I can use groupthink method for coming at best
possible outcomes in case of disagreement in an effective manner. For enhancing my
communication skills, I will participate in debates and listen to lectures at university. I should
analyse motivational forces of varied individuals working in a team in an effective manner. I
learnt that it is imperative for learners to develop critical thinking as well as improve future
performance in an effective manner.
CONCLUSION
From the above presented information, it has been concluded that reflective practices are
considered as imperative for learners as it aid them to explore their learning experiences in an
effective manner. Gibb's reflective cycle is understood as cyclic framework which help learners
in exploring their learning experience in a strategic manner. It is imperative for learners to gain
an understanding about the reflective practices in a strategic manner which help them to explore
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their past experiences as well as learning outcomes. Gibb's reflective cycle have comprises of
varied phases such as description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and action plan.
Reflective learning help learners in synthesizing new data sets which is often used for making
improvements in reading comprehension and enhance performance. Reflective practices allows
learners in gaining better understanding about what is working and what not in an effective
manner. It is imperative for individuals to practice self-reflection on a constant manner which
helps them to discover their strengths, areas of development, building stronger relationships,
improve leadership skills and many more. It is important for individuals to learn the process of
using Gibb's reflective cycle which help them to structure their thoughts and past experiences in
an effective manner. It is imperative for individuals to assess their strengths, weaknesses,
priorities as well as discovering ways for improving work practices in a strategic manner.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Bell, J., Wilcoxen, C. and Steiner, A., 2022. Mentoring and Coaching through Induction to
Develop Reflective Practices in Beginning Teachers. The New Educator. pp.1-25.
Chase, E., Morabito, N. P. and Abrams, S. S., 2020. Reflecting on Reflective Practices.
In Writing in Education (pp. 65-92). Brill.
Demmans Epp, C., Akcayir, G. and Phirangee, K., 2019. Think twice: exploring the effect of
reflective practices with peer review on reflective writing and writing quality in
computer-science education. Reflective Practice. 20(4). pp.533-547.
Jaffe, J., 2018. Philanthropy's Reflective Practices.
Klein, S. R. and Miraglia, K. M., 2017. Developing visually reflective practices: An integrated
model for self-study. Art Education. 70(2). pp.25-30.
Maharsi, I., 2019, May. Pre-Service Teachers' Reflective Practices through Teaching Practicum
E-portfolios. In Proceedings of the 2019 5th International Conference on Education and
Training Technologies (pp. 125-129).
Mann, S. and Walsh, S., 2017. Reflective practice in English language teaching: Research-based
principles and practices. Routledge.
Price, H. and Deveci, Y., 2022. ‘One size does not fit all’: understanding the situated nature of
reflective practices. Journal of Social Work Practice. 36(2). pp.227-240.
Rucinski, D. A., 2020. Standards of reflective practice. In Standards for Instructional (pp. 77-
90). Routledge.
Schmidt, C., 2022. The reflective practices of early and late career educators. Research Studies
in Education. 44(1). pp.110-126.
Wilson, R.C., Crenshaw, J.T. and Yoder-Wise, P.S., 2022. Call to Action: Prioritizing Reflective
Practices for Leadership Success.
Zulfikar, T. and Mujiburrahman, 2018. Understanding own teaching: becoming reflective
teachers through reflective journals. Reflective Practice. 19(1). pp.1-13.
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