Activity 1
1. Below are a list of skills and abilities. Complete an audit of where you are now. Record this in your learning journal/portfolio.
Rate yourself (1=Not very well developed; 3=very well developed)
| Skills and Abilities |
1 |
2 |
3 |
| Team Work | \ / | ||
| Manage Time | \ / | ||
| Listen to Others | \ / | ||
| Computer Skills | \ / | ||
| Take Notes | \ / | ||
| Problem Solve | \ / | ||
| Debate Formally & Informally | \ / | ||
| Evaluate Information | \ / | ||
| Make Presentations | \ / |
Although it is important to identify where we are now, it is not enough to stop there. We need to reflect upon how we can develop the skills where we are less confident and how we can transfer the skills in which we are confident and competent.
Activity 2
Complete the audit below, using the information from the table above.
| Recognition | Reflection | Action |
| Skills already developed | How will I use these | How do I know (evidence)** |
| Teamwork | To cooperate with other students and colleagues effectively to complete a task or assignment. | Social Work Elective – largely team based work where I participate fully and contribute meaningfully to converstaions |
| Manage Time | To prepare for assignments and complete TDT’s in a manner which will largely help with my assignments. | I am able to manage my time between academic reading, a part time job and a social life. |
| Listen to Others | To have the ability to see the other side of the argument and understand that other people have different opinions. | |
| Computer Skills | To complete further online research for assignments and to plan future lessons. | Setting up Eportfolio required a certain degree of computer knowledge… |
| Organize and Plan | To effectively meet deadlines in a timely fashion. | THroughout first year my assignments were always completely promptly. |
| Take Responsibility | To assure that my work is truly my own, and when I need to do something that it is completed. | I have had the motivation and responsibility for my own work and ensuring that as much as possible is completed to a high standard |
** This section should be completed as you identify when/where/how you have used/developed these skills.
Unit B: Managing my Learning
| Recognition/ Reflection | Action |
| What helps my learning? | How can I utilise this? |
| Example: “Discussing the topic with others” | · Set up a study group of like-minded peers
· Engage with the online community |
| Having a quiet environment to study. | Create a study space in my house which is peaceful. |
| Having PowerPoint notes to look at after lectures to reinforce my lecture notetaking. | Check Blackboard daily to find PowerPoints. |
| Colourful condensed notes. | Review notes post-lecture and colour coordinate them. |
| Being tested on key facts | Get family or friends to go through key information with me |
| Writing information out | Rewrite lecture and PowerPoint notes |
| Speaking to others when I have a grasp of my own ideas | Have study/revision sessions with peers to reinforce and further establish my knowledge. |
| Recognition/Reflection | Action | |
| What hinders my learning? | How can I address this factor? | |
| Example: “I’m easily distracted” | · Study in a place where distractions are minimal
· Read lecture notes before the lecture and then take notes lectures to keep me focused |
|
| Can lose concentration quickly | Ensure I’m constantly taking notes in lectures to keep me on track | |
| When articles/ lessons go on a tangent | Stay ultimately focussed on the subject at hand, and try not to let my mind wander | |
| Talking to others while trying to learn new things | Learn in a quiet environment before discussing with others when more competent on the subject | |
| Long pages with lots of large paragraphs | Try to focus on the academic reading in the first instance and make notes which are more appealing for me to revisit | |
| Texts with lots of complex language | Stay focussed and make sure any words I do not know are noted and looked up in a dictionary | |
| One type of research | Have a range of references both online and from academic books and journals | |
18/9/16 – Second year
Reviewing the above information I would say that these skills are still ones that I have and ones I am less confident in, I am trying to improve. For example, computer skills, taking notes and problem solving were all rated at 2. Out of these I think the one that has improved the most is my computer skills. Working through first year on the eportfolio and other computer based TDTs has made me feel more confident. This was also helped by my school placement, where I attended 2 after school workshops on the introduction of coding earlier in schools.
I still feel that the skills I rated at a 1 are still my weaker skills, however, I think that in terms of general confidence, I have improved since first year. Having had a successful placement, I am more confident in returning to the university.
