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 |
| negotiation | X | ||
| team work | X | ||
| self discipline | X | ||
| organise and plan | X | ||
| set personal goals | X | ||
| take risks | X | ||
| share opinions openly | X | ||
| act as a leader | X | ||
| manage time | X |
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)** |
| Share opinions openly | I hope to use this skill to contribute and participate in as many activities as possible to help develop and expand my understanding of all aspects to the course. | |
| Set personal goals | I feel this skill will help me to set realistic goals and ambitions so that I can achieve to my highest ability | |
| Act as a leader | When it is required of me, I aim to use my leadership skills to successfully head group activities and create an equal learning environment where people can feel free and confident to contribute to the best of their ability. | |
| Self discipline | To help create and stick to a study timetable to ensure I work to my best ability and reach my full potential | |
| Manage time | To be able to effectively balance both my social and academic life to make the most of my time at university | |
| Team work | To successfully work with other people when performing as part of a team and to contribute as much and as well as I can. |
** This section should be completed as you identify when/where/how you have used/developed these skills.
| 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 |
| Working in a calm and relaxing environment | · Dedicating specific time to study in the library |
| Feeling organised and in control of my studying | · Keep an up to date ‘to do list’ to help me feel on top of things· File my work in a well thought out and organised fashion |
| Listening to music to help me zone in and concentrate | · Design a specific playlist of songs that I find help me focus |
| Working as part of a group | · Set up a study group of like minded people who have similar learning techniques to me |
| Having healthy food to snack on when studying | · Ensuring I take fruit etc to the library when going to study so that I’m not distracted by being hungry· Always remembering to take a bottle of water with me |
| Having regular, short breaks to help re-engage my brain | · Plan specific study breaks where I use my time productively- for example, going for a short walk |
| 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 | |
| Procrastinating | · By designing a detailed plan of what I need to do, including specific allocated times for breaks and sport to avoid time wasting | |
| Meeting my friends in the library and chatting | · Agreeing not to meet up with my friends during designated study time | |
| Having my phone sitting next to me and allowing it to distract me | · Leave my phone at home | |
| Not getting enough sleep | · Making sure I go to bed at a decent time each night | |
| Recognition | Reflection | Action |
| Skills to be developed | How I will develop these | How do I know (evidence)** |
| Negotiation | As I have little knowledge in this field, I feel that over time I will further my skills by observing more experienced people during group tasks | |
| Make presentations | As it’s been over three years since I’ve been in education, I feel that I will need to develop my skills in this area through practice and learning from others | |
| Take notes | Again as my last experience of education was when I was at high school, I feel that in comparison the style of learning at university is a big leap up. So in order to make the most of my learning, I want to develop my note taking skills by practicing different styles and working out which one works best for me | |
| Write for academic purposes | Through practice and professional evaluation I want to develop my academic writing. I hope to do this by taking on board all the feedback given to me | |
| Build social networks | To develop my skills in this area I want to put myself forward for tasks such as these so that I can gain more experience | |
| Use technology | I want to develop my understanding of how to make the most of technology and the resources available to me as a teacher by learning from the professionals interested in this field |
