Reflective Journal on Business Skills Development & Learning Plan

This assignment is a weekly reflective journal detailing a student's learning and development in a business skills module. The journal covers various topics, including an introduction to the module, the importance of reflection using models like Kolb's and Gibbs', personal SWOT analysis, academic writing skills, effective communication through writing, utilizing library resources, recording business transactions, presentation skills, interview and goal-setting skills, and employability skills. The student reflects on their strengths and weaknesses, identifies areas for improvement, and outlines plans to develop these skills through various activities, seminars, and online resources. The ultimate goal is to enhance academic performance and career readiness. Desklib offers more solved assignments and past papers for students.

1
Introduction:
This template should be used to record your reflections on the weekly sessions.
Please use the spaces provided to reflect on what was discussed in class, what
you gained from the session; did you find the content useful, how can you relate

2
it to your studies at university as a business student. You will also need to
discuss how you intend to further develop the skills discussed in class. This is a
continuous process and should be completed during the module and not at the
end.
In week 8 you will be expected to submit what you have completed so far, via
Blackboard, in order to receive feedback. You will then complete weeks 9 and
10 and summatively submit the journal in week 14.
The Weekly Reflective Journal will be used in conjunction with your Personal
Learning and Development Plan and Interview to work out the final grade for
this module. Submission of all parts of the assessment are required in order to
receive a grade.
Week 1
Please describe in less than 200 words what was discussed in this session and how you
plan to develop these skills.
In first week of module I have gained knowledge about the basic introduction of this
module that help me to understand the things that are covered throughout the learning process. In
this week I have gained the knowledge and understanding regarding the course and helps me to
realise that I have to work for improve my skilled in order to complete defined task in efficient
manner. I have learned that academic success in the ability to practicalise the theoretical,
conceptualisation as well as subject knowledge with specific goal and objective. Along with that I
have learned about the concept and benefits of personalised learning to attain personal and
professional goals and objectives. This session helps me to analyse my strengths and weaknesses
so, I have take appropriate actions to become effective learner, implement study plan and prepare
personalise learning plan (Al-Chalabi, and Crisan, 2020). I have used various online electronic
resources such as Emerald, Ebscohost and other that improve my learning and knowledge. This
session is divided into three parts that includes reflective journal, personal learning and
development plan and personal learning and development interview that facilitates me to perform
efficiently in other academic sessions.
Week 2
Please describe in less than 200 words what was discussed in this session and how you
plan to develop these skill
In second week of module, I have learned about the importance of reflection that help
me to express my learning and experience to others in understandable manner with
efficiency. I have learned about various reflective models or frameworks such as Kolb's
learning cycle and Gibbs reflective cycle that help me to reflect all my inner thoughts and
learning about the concepts and experiences. As reflective learning helps me to make the
transition from passive to active learners. I have prepared self-reflection that enable me to
express my feelings to others(Chow, and Luzzeri, 2019). During the module, I have analysed
that reflection helps me to explore and examine my feelings, perspectives, experience and

3
actions. As I am not good in expressing my thoughts and concepts clearly so, I paid attention
on learning and practising different reflective frameworks properly that helps me to improve
the skill of reflection.
Week 3
Please describe in less than 200 words what was discussed in this session and how you
plan to develop these skills.
In my academics, I have learned about the personal swot analysis that helps me analyse my
internal factors such as strengths and weakness as well as external factors such as opportunities
and threats. I have examined my self to analyse strengthen factors such as I am good in decision-
making, punctual and had strong communication that help me to attain determined goals and
objectives. On the other hand, I am weak in time management skill that impacts my overall
personality and working. Ability to learn new things help me to attain career development
opportunities and advancement in technology and missing classes has become threat for me in
future. This helps me to prepare action plans for improving weak skills and attain determined goals
and objectives with efficiency and effectiveness (Resnawati, Kristiawan, and Sari, 2020). To
develop this skill, I have taken participation in various activities such as preparing my own swot
analysis and reflect on my future goals that enable me to analyse future opportunities and threats
that impacts my learning and outcomes.
Week 4
Please describe in less than 200 words what was discussed in this session and how you
plan to develop these skills.
During my studies, I have learnt about academic writing that help me to convey my ideas,
thoughts and concepts to others in most efficient and effective manner. In this module, I have

4
studied features of academic writing such as it is presented in logical manner, supported by
evidence and expressed following the conversation of academic language. Academic writing
helps me to perform better in exams and secure good marks. To improve my writing skill, I
have use proper vocabulary, grammar and select effective type of academic writing style. I have
participated in professional workshops and get feedback from experts that help me to improve
academic writing skill in my personality (Day, 2018). I have tried to structure the writing format
in well-defined paragraphs, heading and subheading that clearly reflect the core meaning of
content.
Week 5
Please describe in less than 200 words what was discussed in this session and how you
plan to develop these skills.
In this module, I have gain knowledge about writing skill which is the most important part of
communication. Effective writing skill helps to communicate message to others with clarity
in order to maintain mutual understanding. I have analysed that there are various skills are
required for better writing such as strong grammar skill, research, technical writing skill,
collaboration and communication. It is the skill that I need to improve for performing good in
my academic session and get good marks in examination. I have used reliable and authentic
sources or did in-depth research to write content (Nadeem, and Nadeem, 2019). I have taken
various online seminars and courses to improve my writing skill. I focused on presenting the
content in well organised structure and proof read whole content to minimize grammatical
errors. Effective writing skill will help me to express my ideas and through to other with high
clarity.
Week 6
Please describe in less than 200 words what was discussed in this session and how you
plan to develop these skills.
While joining the classes in this week, I come to know about the introduction of UWL library
that help me to perform my academic work with more efficiency and effectiveness. In this

5
module, I have learnt that learning is the process that is related to gaining new information
and managing it in sequential manner that helps whole university students to in their
academic studies, improving skills, behaviour and gaining knowledge. During this session, I
have learnt how to access study material through using black board library search as well as
download books. It helps me to gain reliable study material that enable me to gain higher
marks in examination (Grela, 2019). I am not good in research skill that unable me to gain
systematic and sequential information from sources. To improve this skill, I researched data,
analysed it and than take it for learning.
Week 7
Please describe in less than 200 words what was discussed in this session and how you
plan to develop these skills. Use a minimum of one academic source and reference this.
In this week, I have gained knowledge regarding recording business transitions which is the
multiple-step process. I have analysed that it is the basic method that is used by the
businesses for recording their transition in journal entry that are easy to record and
understand. In this session, I come to understand that business can done transaction on
various ways such as bills payables, bills receivables, payroll entries and journal entries.
Learning of these methods improved my professional or financial knowledge and enable me
to perform all recording operations in business with great efficiency. I am not good in
accounting that impacts my performance and efficiency in business so, I have taken various
actions to improve this skill (Penn,and Pennix, 2017). I have concentrates on learning various
accounting techniques such as double entry system, big data and basic terms related to
finance. I have taken internships and seminars that help me develop the skill of recording
business transaction in efficient manner.
Week 8
Please describe in less than 200 words what was discussed in this session and how you
plan to develop these skills. Use a minimum of one academic source and reference this.
This journal should be formatively submitted for feedback, via Blackboard, at the end of this week.
In this week of module, I have learnt presentation skills which is the most important skill that

6
help me in my academic work and convey ideas, toughs and concepts to others in presentable
manner. I have performed various activities in this module that enhance my knowledge and
learning regarding key elements of successful presentation, common presentation pitfalls, how
to prepare presentation and how to work into business presentation. I analysed that in
presentation it is important to make eye content with all viewers and engage them with
presentation till the end. To improve presentation skill, I have practice speaking in front of
others, use less text and more visuals in presentation that make it attractive (Gromova, 2019). I
have welcomed views to ask questions during presentation and maintains eye contact with
audience throughout presentation. I have also worked on my body language, gestures and keep
presentation short. I took all lectures and seminars regularly that help me to improve my
presentation skill.
Week 9
Please describe in less than 200 words what was discussed in this session and how you
plan to develop these skills. Use a minimum of one academic source and reference
In this module, I have learnt interview and goal setting skills that helps establish smart goals
which lead in the direction of attaining career objectives with efficiency. Interview skills are the
actions that enables a more effective throughout the interview process for new position. I have
analysed that interview skills are the ability to connect the role requirements with personal and
professional experience. I have improved my interview skill through reviewing my resume,
searching about the company, go through the job description and practice of interview. It helps
me to reduce hesitation during interview and enable to perform better. To improve my goal
setting skill, I have analysed my personal goals and ensure that these goals and specific,
measurable, realistic and time bound. Interview and goals setting skills lead my efforts and
actions in right direction (Hanus, and Havelková, 2019). I have prepared common interview
questions that are asked in every interview and pay attention on personal appearance as well.

7
Week 10
Please describe in less than 200 words what was discussed in this session and how you
plan to develop these skills. Use a minimum of one academic source and reference this.
In the last session of module, I have learnt about the employability skills and competencies
that is the set of achievements such as skills, understanding and personal attributes that
helps graduates to gain employability as well as become successful in their chosen
occupation. I have focused on learning various skills such as teamwork skill,
communication skill, professionalism and become self motivated that help me to get the
job that matches my educational profile. To improve the employability skill I have worked
on my soft skills, prepare clear and attractive CV and be prepare for interview (Misra, and
Khurana, 2018). I have taken various online seminars that polished my interview skills that
directly or indirectly improve my employability skills.
Personal Development Plan
Name:
Degree pathway:
Part 1 – Personal Analysis
Strengths Areas for further development
 I have strong communication skill
that helps me to communicate my
ideas, thoughts and concepts to
others in clear and understandable
manner.
 I am not good in presentation skill
that affect my overall performance
in academic and professional life. It
is the area that required
improvement to influence others and

8
 I am good in academic writing skill
that is the most important source of
communication. It allows me to
communicate clear meaning of
content.
engage them throughout the
presentation.
 Recording business transaction also
the weak area of mine because it
requires financial knowledge and
understanding.
Opportunities Threats
 Effective interview and goal setting
skills bring various opportunities in
my life because having these skills
enable me to get crack interview and
get desirable job in reputed
organisation.
 I have analysed that strong
employability skill helps me to gain
career opportunities. It allow me to
gain employment in organisation as
per educational qualification.
 Intense competition level in
employment is the biggest threat
that affect my career goals and
objectives.
 Pandemic such as Covid-19 also
created various threat to my studies
because colleges and universities are
closed due to situations that
negatively impacts my studies.
Part 2 - Setting goals
What do I
want to learn?
What do I
have to do?
How will I
measure
success?
Target date for
review?
Presentation skill I have taken
various seminars,
regular lecture and
online classes to
improve my
presentation skill
that help me to
convey my ideas
I will measure the
improvement or
success in gaining
presentation skill
through evaluating
the interest and
engagement level of
audience in
23/08/22

9
and thoughts to
others with
efficiency.
presentation.
Recording business
transaction skill
I have participated
in various financial
seminars that are
organised by
university that
improves my
knowledge and
understanding of
accounting system.
I will evaluate the
success of
improvement in this
skill through checking
the effectiveness of
transaction that are
recorded by me.
25/10/22
Time-management
skill
I have prepared
time-table and
schedule to perform
determined task in
defined period of
time.
I analysed the success
of time-management
through evaluating
the work and time gap
between estimated
and real outcomes.
30/12/22
Part 3 – Personal Objectives
Short-term goals (next 12 months)
 To wake-up early in the morning.
 To get good marks in mid-term examinations.
 To attend a personality development programmes.
Medium term goals (next 2-3 years)
 To gain good marks in final examinations.
 To achieve diploma or certificate on computer.
 To learn new skills and competencies that create career opportunities.

10
Longer term goals (beyond 3 years)
 To gain good leadership position in reputed organisation.
 To buy new house and car.
 To get college degree with good marks.

11
References
Online and Journals:
Al-Chalabi, H.K.M. and Crisan, G.C., 2020, January. A Model of a Weighted Agent System
for Personalised E-Learning Curriculum. In Modelling and Development of
Intelligent Systems: 6th International Conference, MDIS 2019, Sibiu, Romania,
October 3–5, 2019, Revised Selected Papers (Vol. 1126, p. 3). Springer Nature.
Chow, G.M. and Luzzeri, M., 2019. Post-event reflection: a tool to facilitate self-awareness,
self-monitoring, and self-regulation in athletes. Journal of Sport Psychology in
Action, 10(2), pp.106-118.
Resnawati, A., Kristiawan, M. and Sari, A.P., 2020. Swot analysis of teacher’s professional
competency. International Journal of Progressive Sciences and Technologies, 20(1),
pp.17-25.
Day, T., 2018. Success in academic writing. Bloomsbury Academic.
Nadeem, M.A. and Nadeem, T., 2019. Evaluating effects of think pair share technique on the
descriptive writing skill of secondary school learners. Journal of Educational
Research, 22(2), pp.184-200.
Grela, A., 2019. Manuscript jigsaw–how to help students write dissertations.
Penn, I.A. and Pennix, G.B., 2017. Records management handbook. Routledge.
Gromova, D.A., 2019. The Skill of Summarising within the Skill-oriented Programme in
Business School. Journal of International Scientific Publications: Language,
Individual & Society, 13, pp.109-116.
Hanus, M. and Havelková, L., 2019. Teachers’ concepts of map-skill development. Journal of
geography, 118(3), pp.101-116.
Misra, R.K. and Khurana, K., 2018. Analysis of employability skill gap in information
technology professionals. International Journal of Human Capital and Information
Technology Professionals (IJHCITP), 9(3), pp.53-69.