Reflective Essay: Personal Development and Learning in the Module

This reflective essay delves into the author's personal development as a learner within a module, exploring the skills and competencies acquired, such as academic writing, PESTLE and SWOT analysis, and IT skills. The essay discusses both positive and negative aspects of the learning experience, highlighting areas of strength and areas needing improvement. The author reflects on how these experiences have shaped their understanding and application of professional concepts. Furthermore, the essay outlines approaches to address future challenges and expectations in university courses, including training simulations and utilizing conferences and journals to enhance skills. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of regular reflection and proactive strategies for continuous improvement and professional growth, providing a valuable perspective on effective learning and development within an academic context.

REFLECTIVE
ESSAY

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
How and why have I developed as a learner....................................................................................1
Approach towards future challenges and expectations of a university course................................2
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................3
References........................................................................................................................................4

Introduction
Reflection is an important procedures which assists people in evaluating their past and
current tasks and performances which helps them in developing required competence and skills
for their future (Hilsdon, 2012). Below is an essential reflection associated with a module, which
reflects the reasons and activities which assisted in development as a learner. Furthermore, the
reflection also covers how future challenges and university course expectations will be
undertaken and addressed
How and why have I developed as a learner
Being a learner means being open to acquire better knowledge about different concepts
and always be eager and accepting towards enhancing the skills for future career roles (Brooman
and Darwent, 2012). The module has been a very helping experience towards developing my
personality as a learner and ensuring that I appropriately and effectively grow personally and
professionally.
There had been several teachings within the module which lasted about 5 weeks, where
several skills and competencies were communicated to the students for them to experience how
certain factors are understood and applied in the real world context. Certain frameworks,
academic writing, and several communication and presentation skills were emphasised upon
within the module which were directed towards increasing the learning capabilities within
students. The frameworks include PESTLE analysis, which is a model that is applied to assess
the influencing factors within a company's external environment. Furthermore, SWOT analysis is
another appropriate approach which is directed towards analysing internal competencies and
weaknesses of a firm and external threats and opportunities. The academic writing part included
certain essentials that are necessary to be adhered to in context of presenting the information and
reports in a correct, precise and professional context. In addition to this, IT skills were taught
which were related to how different technological and digital software and programmes are used.
In the module, during its beginning, I was very much anxious as I was excited and
motivated about learning different concepts and theories that would be helping me in
development as a learner in appropriate academic and professional manner. Moreover, the
feeling mostly related positive throughout the module, as I was very much effective in learning
1

certain contributing aspects that were subjected towards a constant development of different
concepts and abilities.
In relation with the overall module, some negative and positive elements shaped up my
learning process effectively (Husebø, O'Regan and Nestel, 2015). The reason for the same is that
there are several skills and aspects in which I was very much effective, while there were some
which still reflects a broad scope of improvement. Taking about the effective ones, I was very
much effective in gathering the data and analysing the same in context of applying them within
the frameworks. Moreover, in terms of PESTLE analysis, I used the skill of gathering and
interpreting data in a way which provided me guidance in applying this framework well.
Furthermore, another skill which I was quite effective in was in relation to using the language
while performing academic writing, which helped me in delivering the content in a very
prominent manner.
However, there were certain negative aspects related to the module as well. For example,
my IT skills have been quite weak, which provided hindrances in relation to working with
different software and programmes. In addition to this, despite of my English skills being good, I
was very much ineffective when it came to academic writing. This is because I tend to use
phrases and certain words quite repeatedly within my work, along with using certain jargon, that
reflected ineffectively in context of professionalism in my work. Moreover, my presentation
lacked the flow, which became very much ineffective for readers to understand the connectivity
and relevancy of my information. In addition, I was also quite weak within SWOT analysis, as I
found it complex to understand its application effectively.
However, despite these factors, the overall experience had been very much effective
when it came to enhancing the scope of improvement, in context with learning (Tsingos, Bosnic-
Anticevich and Smith, 2014). This is because I got exposed to learning so much about certain
concepts, theories and competencies, which expanded my mind frame in relation to applying
certain professional concepts into daily practice. Hence, my development as a learner had been
very much ensured by working within the module.
Approach towards future challenges and expectations of a university course
For an individual, it is highly crucial that certain approaches are developed and adhered
to in context of enhancing the scope of improvement in past inefficiencies. Furthermore,
2

adopting some of these methods could also be contributing towards addressing future challenges
and expectations from a specific university course.
In my context, the very first approach for me in development of my IT skills would be
training by simulations (Duong, 2015). This would allow me in perfectly aligning the concepts
with real time application, along with necessary guidance and walk-through. Furthermore, in
relation with concepts and models like SWOT analysis, I would be approaching certain
conferences and journals, that would help me in understanding how the concept actually works
in real time. In addition to this, related towards presentation, I would be undertaking my teacher's
guidance and their feedbacks in order to improvise my skills and enhance the flow within the
information. Furthermore, all these activities and procedures would be very much contributing in
relation to helping me with addressing future challenges associated with my learning, as well as
several expectations of a prominent course within the university, which would help me prosper
my academic and professional capabilities and growth within my future career.
Conclusion
Thus, it could be concluded from the above essay, that reflection must be utilised in a
very prominent and regular manner which assists an individual in completely reflecting upon
their experiences and modify their current actions for growth as a learner. Moreover, in relation
to addressing the future challenges, people must adopt certain approaches such as trainings or
conferences, which would help them in enhancing their competence against these complexities
and work in a highly professional manner towards these aspects.
3

References
Books and Journals
Brooman, S. and Darwent, S., 2012. A positive view of first-year undergraduate reflective
diaries: Focusing on what students can do. Reflective Practice. 13(4). pp.517-531.
Duong, M.T., 2015. A portfolio-based learner autonomy development model in an efl writing
course (Doctoral dissertation, School of Foreign Languages. Institute of Social
Technology. Suranaree University of Technology).
Hilsdon, J., 2012. Rethinking reflection. The Journal of Practice Teaching and Learning, 6(1),
pp.57-70.
Husebø, S.E., O'Regan, S. and Nestel, D., 2015. Reflective practice and its role in simulation.
Clinical Simulation in Nursing. 11(8). pp.368-375.
Tsingos, C., Bosnic-Anticevich, S. and Smith, L., 2014. Reflective practice and its implications
for pharmacy education. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. 78(1). p.18.
4