Posted: April 17th, 2015

The Impact of Background Music on Average Time Spending on Websites

Reflections on Learning

Students should reflect on how the programme, and the dissertation in particular, has added value to them and their employing organization (already entrepreneur in the music industry). The reflections report is an opportunity for the student to present a critical perspective on their skill acquisition and their learning.

This should be approximately 1,000 words and be included as an appendix in the dissertation.

Although there isn’t a prescriptive marking scheme, learners should focus on and be guided by the following criteria:

Self-Appraisal

• The learner should appraise their performance in terms of their engagement, evaluating their own learning (knowledge and skills development).
• This is a combination of what students bring from the modules on the programme, their skill development allied to these and their personal reflection based on their learning on the programme and research completed (obviously with emphasis on the research process they have just completed).

Problem –Solving

• As account of the problems encountered in carrying out the dissertation and how they were tackled. How might they have been tackled differently if the opportunity were afforded again?

Summary of Added Value

• Learning focuses on value added to the individual, their current practice, their employing organization (if relevant) and their future career. Evidence of adding value in terms of skills development should be cited.

Plans to apply / sustain the learning

• The reflective account should also include plans to sustain and extend this learning.

See below for additional proposed content specific to the dissertation.

 

Recording Self-Reflection

Whilst learning can be assimilated in a non-structured way, there is a growing requirement for the process to be recorded, with the added advantage that this tends to facilitate a more conscious and deliberate approach. The recording of reflective learning is sometimes associated with a “learning diary”, although this term can be misleading, because rather than a diary of events, the record needs to focus on a critical evaluation of experiences. As such, a diary is not mandatory but is recommended.

 

Self-Reflection and Assessment

When reflective learning is being assessed there is a clear need for the work to be analytical, which invariably means that theoretical concepts have to be employed in the analysis. It is important for the participant to demonstrate how their thinking has changed and how the newly acquired learning can be applied to a business situation – the key focus should be on the personal learning that has occurred within the individual in relation to the dissertation process, the use of sources and the dissertation formulation. There is a need to be objective in the reflective process and, above all, to avoid any tendency towards being descriptive.

Content

Self-reflection is not directly concerned with the actual detail of the dissertation, the programme, the facilities, delivery, teaching materials etc. Self-reflection is primarily concerned with the student’s individual learning wholistically in relation to the program and in particular the dissertation.

Pedler, Burgoyne & Boydell (1986) suggest that a record of reflective learning should, in addition to learning itself, include feelings, thoughts, ideas and behaviour. However, the process still needs to remain analytical, rather than descriptive. Other areas associated with content could include: changes in work patterns, personal achievements, problems encountered and how they were resolved. The focus should be on significant events.

 

The following should provide an indication of what might be analysed:

1. Process: How did you think about and refine your topic? What was of special interest to you? What strategies did you develop for finding your topic? What specific strategies did you develop for finding relevant information? Why was a particular event of specific importance? Which discoveries did you make by chance and which through planned search strategies? How has your leaning changed your existing practices?

 

2. Use of Sources: Did your assumptions about what information would be available change throughout the research process? Did you have some reasons for not selecting specific resources, even though they appeared promising? What did you learn about finding information on your topic or in your discipline? Was it necessary to move outside your discipline to find sufficient sources?

 

 

3. Dissertation Formulation: How much did the sources you used provide support for your thesis? How did you balance the evidence that you found? What was new and fresh about your findings? What surprised you? How are your findings different to the literature? How did the outcomes compare with what you expected?

 

4. Own learning: What learning styles were employed to achieve the outcome? To what extent are you more aware, confident, skilled or knowledgeable in certain areas? What changes in attitude have you noticed, either in yourself or those around you? What barriers to change did you experience and how did you overcome these? To what extent were you surprised by your actions – did you act as predicted? What do you still need to learn? What would you change about your process if you had another chance?

 

 

Process of Self-reflection

The process should be conscious, current and undertaken conscientiously. There is reduced value in undertaking a one-off retrospective analysis, for much of the detail is likely to have been lost.

If you are new to reflective learning you may wish to adopt the following procedure:

• Start by thinking about an experience you have had and select a part of it that was significant for you.
• Concentrate on the learning outcomes – what was it that you actually learned?
• Reflect on how the learning took place – listing the alternative processes that could have been used. At this stage do not concern yourself with how useful the learning may be, just note what you have actually learnt.
• Try and ascertain the depth of learning that has taken place.
• Next, consider the value of the learning to you as a person.
• Finally, illustrate the ways in which you can apply the learning to a work situation.

 

Action Plan

The reflective process should lead you to conclusions about the opportunities available and any developmental needs that may be present. The reflection and analysis outlined above should assist you in devising an action plan, so as to demonstrate how best you can further implement your learning. The plan should include time scales and target dates for any proposed action. Plans and targets need to be realistic and yet challenging and, where possible, measurable.

Be proactive in your plan and consider what you as an individual can do to progress your learning. There needs to be a coherent link between having an experience, reflection, theory and subsequent action.

 

In Summary

Whilst the self-reflective element forms part of an assessed piece of work, it should also provide a valuable tool with which to evaluate your own learning and progress your personal self-development.

The self-reflective element is focused on what has been learnt and how that learning is being applied – in short, an analysis of the added value.

 

References

Pedler M, Burgoyne J & Boydell T. (1986). A Manager’s Guide to Self-Development, Maidenhead, McGraw-Hill