REFLECTIVE ESSAY ON DEVELOPMENT AS A LEARNER
Reflective Essay on Development as a Learner
Introduction
Throughout this module, my development as a learner has been profound, primarily through three key topics: research referencing, time management skills, and critical thinking skills. All these areas have not only developed my academic skills but also have provided me with practical experience to cope with further problems in a university atmosphere. The paper shall discuss how these themes have influenced my development through class tasks and other academic resources. The essay will also discuss steps by which I will incorporate this change to prepare for future challenges and meet professional specifications.
Referencing
Referencing is crucial, primarily to distinguish ideas from one’s own. The University of Otago (2017) stated that referencing is the correct acknowledgment of the concept and work of another person. Initially, I was familiar with referencing, though I needed to improve in handling citation formats. Such class activities as peer review and referencing also helped me learn various referencing styles.
In one of the activities, we used different sources and were required to generate a list of references in APA style. This activity revealed some problems in my first project, for example, the incorrect position of dates for publication and the wrong author’s arrangement. Though I could only accomplish most of the tasks with help from tutors and colleagues, I did better on the subsequent attempts.
Other scholarly works, such as Neville’s (2016) The Complete Guide to Referencing and Avoiding Plagiarism, further highlighted the importance of proper citation in writing and the penalties that students face for cases of Plagiarism. This book has general information on how a particular reference can be appropriately quoted and occasions or situations when or why it has to be done. As to what entails Plagiarism, the book makes it clear to the reader and explains how different written projects can be done correctly. Besides, it familiarises them with good reference practice. I also got comprehensive instructions with examples, which helped me advance my referencing skill set.
I have had a purposeful process of developing the citational competence to the required level. Here are the questions that the article has assisted me in answering: There is a reason why referencing needs to be as accurate as possible. What should be done when citing online sources? What will I do to ensure that such a problem does not reoccur? Can I use referencing as the medium for my ideas to be expressed appropriately? Citation also increases confidence in your study and enables you to go further into the literature. This kind of referencing will be helpful for me when I am carrying out other university assignments that come under the stipulated regulations of the university.
Time Management
The second essential attribute I have developed under this module is time management skills. I found it difficult to accommodate multiple tasks and engagements; therefore, I mostly worked under pressure, produced low-quality work, and rush the last minute, especially during exams. However, I discovered how to deal with my responsibilities effectively through the discussions in the classroom, as well as through some activities associated with the topic of time management.
Among the strategies learned in class, one powerful tool was the time management matrix, whereby activities are categorized according to their criticality and priority. This method comprises four elements: weight, requirement, order, and task completion. This matrix is essential to assessing the function ordering by requirement and the importance of the tasks they will perform. In class, I was advised to sort our tasks according to matrix theory, and I could complete my work on time. For instance, when there are many assignments to complete in a week, the matrix can be employed to schedule hours of the day to conduct research, write, and edit an essay. This format also helped me complete all my work on time, and it also helped me to pay more attention to each piece than before doing it, thus doing it better.
The study of time management also justifies this approach, pointing out that efficient time management is associated with high academic success and decreased stress levels (Khajeali et al., 2021). Indeed, upon implementing these strategies, I observed considerable changes in my capacity to manage my time more efficiently and deliver improved quality work within the stipulated timeframe.
The enhancement of time management skills will be helpful during subsequent university classes, where the hours of learning material are more time-consuming, and the due dates are tighter. Thus, effective time management for planning and allocation will enable me to solve problems, perform well in my studies, minimize stress, and be professional.
Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking Knowledge is required for the unfolding of ideas and the presentation of well-argued information. Before this module, my learning method was typically more passive, meaning I used to learn by cramming instead of assimilating the knowledge. Most of the class activities included debates and critical reading exercises, which helped me learn how to assess information and reflect on matters profoundly and critically.
One of the lessons greatly impacted me when a class was organized into groups and posed the topic 'Technology and its consequences on morality.' In this exercise, one has to do a lot of research, analyze the points of view, and build the proper argument structure. It focused on the need to look at things differently and see more than one way of a given problem.
Academic sources, such as Paul and Elder's (2014) Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Professional and Personal Life, and frameworks proposed strategies to improve critical thinking skills. The elaborated concept amidst this class is the 'six stages' of cognitive processes that I came to comprehend better regarding how my mind reasons accurately, meaningfully, precisely, broadly, and somewhat. These resources helped me to learn when an opponent is not only wrong but also illogical and how to come up with a sound argument when confronted with an Appellant's argument that is anything but sound.
Critical thinking will be applicable in other university courses since they include more refined and intricate issues and their solutions. It will also improve my interaction with the literature and participation in academic discourse.
Conclusion
Therefore, I have gained a clear revelation in this module, particularly referencing, time management, and critical thinking skills. These skills have enhanced my performance in my books and equipped me to meet the challenge of future expectations in university courses. Using references correctly upholds the value of the work being done, creates efficiency in terms of time, and critical thinking enables deep evaluation and complex comprehension. They will be helpful throughout my further educational process and the achievement of the goals and objectives in the selected area of study.
Reference List
Khajeali, N., Ahmady, S., Kalantarion, M., Sharifi, F. and Yaseri, M. (2021). Relation between stress, time management, and academic achievement in preclinical medical education: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, [online] 10(1), p.32. doi:https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_600_20.
Neville, C. (2016). The complete guide to referencing and avoiding Plagiarism. London: Open University Press.
Paul, R. and Elder, L. (2014). Critical thinking: tools for taking charge of your professional and personal life. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Education.
University of Otago (2017). What is Referencing and why is it important? A Guide to Referencing Student Learning Development University of Otago. [online] Available at: https://www.otago.ac.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0030/315588/what-is-referencing-and-why-is-it-important-615365.pdf.
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