Reflection for Critical Thinking and Academic Performance

Discuss about the Learning and Communicating Online for Immersive Environment.

Reflection has a positive role in student’s life by fostering critical thinking as well as help learners, develop professional values and skills (Lew and Schmidt 2011). By looking into past learning experience, students are able to engage in informed and thoughtful deliberations on actions and behaviors that ultimately enhance academic performance (Barnard 2011). Similarly, Helyer (2015) acknowledge that students can reflect consciously with a goal of understanding events in their lives that ultimately help enhance the meaning of what was learned. Furthermore, research conducted by Cavilla (2017) reveals that a reflection is a tool for enhancing metacognition, motivation, and students’ academic performance. As such, reflecting on learning and communicating online will enhance my understanding of the unit as well as help in identifying my weak areas for correction. In that regard, this report will highlight personal development through reflection on what I learned from the unit and future work skills.

Information and communication technologies enable learners to acquire skills that are instrumental in future working environments (Genlott and Grönlund 2013). Learning this unit has equipped me with more skills communication, organization, writing, computer, time management, teamwork, research, and problem-solving skills. In that regard, for my future work skills, communication and teamwork skills really stand out. Notably, employers require workers who can come up with solutions facing the organization and articulate them well. Accordingly, many students have been consulting me on areas they do not understand and thus I have gained more confidence in helping other students solve their academic problems as I sharpen my literary skills. Besides, I have sharpened my teamwork skills, which is critical to any organization as it inspires achieving set goals and organizational vision and mission. Working closely with other students and instructors is proving to work wonders. Whenever I explain concepts to students, I not only feel more confident but also nurtures my communication strategies and teamwork techniques.

Learning and communicating online makes me gain more confident in handling current technologies that are the driving force of studies and career. Through this unit, I have gone an extra mile on learning the basics of website building. As such, I can now blog and create content that will enhance my writing skills to become successful in my master’s studies. Again, I am also in a position of contributing to revolutionizing working environment by assigning roles and responsibilities online to help cut costs. In essence, this unit has helped me acquire communication and team playing abilities that are key to advancing career growth. Moreover, I have acquired skills to search authentic jobs, handle aptitude tests, and secure the best opportunities for personal growth. 

Acquiring Future Work Skills through Online Learning

Consistent with Ni (2013); Sung, Chang, and Liu (2016), online learning helps students understand and remember the concepts and content since there is the breaking of class monotony. Essentially, my knowledge of research has greatly improved. In particular, I have learned on various search engines, for example, how to reframe a sentence for easier searching, and how to access credible materials to cite and reference. Moreover, I have learned that peer-reviewed articles are one of the best sources to reference since they are scholarly written and have credible approvals. My confidence to handle online assignments has immensely improved too. Looking back, I was very naïve at the beginning of the unit but after going through the unit for a month, I developed more interest that worked to my advantage. In addition, the tutor’s passion and dedication to guide us in this unit positively impacted on my understanding of online learning. The tips I received my lecturer inspired my new love for online learning more than ever.

From what I have learned this far, my future learning will entirely be online. Learning online allows me to do other things as I study. For instance, through distance learning, I can work part-time and undertake my master’s program, unlike full-time studies which require me to be physically present in class for learning to take place. Furthermore, within the next four years after graduating, I shall have acquired 3-4 years working experience and my master’s degree. As such, I will position myself for more opportunities career-wise. Additionally, I intend to do more research on how to improve online learning to help weak students realize their potential upon dedicating themselves to studies. Helping others will enable me to acquire more research and communication skills, which are crucial in enhancing my performance at a personal level as well as duties assigned to me in my career journey (Barmaki and Hughes 2018).

According to Van der Hoek, Groeneveld, and Kuipers (2016); Asmus et al. (2015), setting performance goals and working in teams exemplify development. Accordingly, I have set a goal of scoring a distinction in this unit and become a consultant among my fellow students. Concerning scoring a distinction, I have keenly listened to teaching process that has really helped me understand this unit more. Having said that, I am also working with other students, identifying and discussing our weak areas to help one another. In that regard, I have become a great team player in this unit and my colleagues are constantly asking me questions on concepts they do not understand. Moreover, Tuckman’s teamwork theory helped me engage with other students to sharpen my skills in online research and learning. According to the theory, the process of learning entails forming, storming, norming, and performing (Wilson 2010) that has helped me engage with my colleagues constructively on becoming a consultant as well as gearing to scoring a distinction.

Improving Knowledge Retention and Research Skills

Notably, scoring a distinction in this unit will improve my overall grade to graduate with first class honors that will enable me to secure a scholarship and enroll for master’s degree thereafter. Again, becoming a consultant among students will boost my confidence to embrace challenging tasks in my future working environment. With improved confidence and a great team player, I will be able to head various departments and ultimately become operations manager in my organization. Analytically, high scores and consulting by other students nurture my talents of becoming a better manager and a problem solver. Additionally, consultations by other students nurtures my communication and teamwork skills that are a necessity for career growth. Furthermore, this online unit is preparing to embrace online working, particularly virtual working for increased organizational performance.

My overall course goal is to graduate with first class honors and to emerge the best student in our class. Learning and communicating online unit has helped me to acquire research skills that are proving instrumental in other units. Since the beginning of the semester, handling other assignments have been easy owing to improved research skills. Intrinsically, my performance has greatly improved. These improvements are helping me get grades that will enable me score first class at the end of my course. Notably, learning through videos and PowerPoint presentations have been of help immensely. Blackboard videos illustrate concepts that are easy to understand and comprehend. On the other hand, topping my class a positive sign of success. Being consulted on this online units show that I better understand the unit than other students. Ideally, replicating this superiority in other units is a sure way of topping the class upon graduation or even at the end of the next semester.

Of note, achieving this unit and course goals will impact my future studies and career positively. Accordingly, emerging top student with a distinction means that I will be the first student to be considered on scholarship opportunities to further my studies (Binder, Davis, and Bloom 2016). Again, on recruitment for job opportunities, I will be among top contenders to secure jobs in global companies. Naturally, high score reiterate that I am sharp and can learn quickly. As such, I will be able to grasp career concepts faster, apply, perform better and secure promotions within a short period. In short, scoring good grades improves my chances of excelling better as a beginner in my career prospects. Having said that, a good performance will elevate my paycheck, for instance, joining a company with first class and master’s degree puts me in a prime position of negotiating my pay and ultimately career growth.

Setting Performance Goals and Working in Teams

Conclusion

Reflection is a tool for enhancing metacognition and performance among students. Learning and communicating online has indeed been very critical in understanding concepts on distance learning. Besides, through this unit, I have acquired communication, problem-solving and team playing skills that are important in my future studies and career growth. Through this unit, I have set personal goals of graduating with first class and secure scholarship opportunities. Additionally, I have aspired to boost my confidence as other students consult me on what they do not understand about online learning. Other skills acquired include research, which is critical as I advance my master’s degree and future career prospects. To this end, reflection has helped me learn more about myself, identifying my strengths and weaknesses will surely help me improve performance as well as set smart career and education goals. Learning and communicating online is the best way to acquire knowledge.

References

Asmus, S., Karl, F., Mohnen, A. and Reinhart, G., 2015. The impact of goal-setting on worker performance-empirical evidence from a real-effort production experiment. Procedia CIRP, 26, pp.127-132.

Barmaki, R. and Hughes, C.E., 2018. Embodiment analytics of practicing teachers in a virtual immersive environment. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning.

Barnard, J., 2011. Reflection on a personal journey: learning journals in use. Enhancing Learning in the Social Sciences, 3(3), pp.1-21.

Binder, A.J., Davis, D.B. and Bloom, N., 2016. Career Funneling: How Elite Students Learn to Define and Desire ‘‘Prestigious’’Jobs. Sociology of Education, 89(1), pp.20-39.

Cavilla, D., 2017. The Effects of Student Reflection on Academic Performance and Motivation. SAGE Open, 7(3), p.2158244017733790.

Genlott, A.A. and Grönlund, Å., 2013. Improving literacy skills through learning reading by writing: The iWTR method presented and tested. Computers & Education, 67, pp.98-104.

Helyer, R., 2015. Learning through reflection: the critical role of reflection in work-based learning (WBL). Journal of Work-Applied Management, 7(1), pp.15-27.

Lew, M.D. and Schmidt, H.G., 2011. Self-reflection and academic performance: is there a relationship?. Advances in Health Sciences Education, 16(4), p.529.

Ni, A.Y., 2013. Comparing the effectiveness of classroom and online learning: Teaching research methods. Journal of Public Affairs Education, pp.199-215.

Sung, Y.T., Chang, K.E. and Liu, T.C., 2016. The effects of integrating mobile devices with teaching and learning on students’ learning performance: A meta-analysis and research synthesis. Computers & Education, 94, pp.252-275.

Van der Hoek, M., Groeneveld, S. and Kuipers, B., 2016. Goal Setting in Teams: Goal Clarity and Team Performance in the Public Sector. Review of Public Personnel Administration, p.0734371X16682815.

Wilson, C., 2010. Bruce Tuckman’s Forming, Storming, Norming & Performing, Team development Model. Pridobljeno, 28(8), p.2013.