Preparing for Success: Knowledge & Creativity – Reflective Essay

In this reflective essay, I will provide my experiences and learning outcomes during the “Preparing for Success: Knowledge & Creativity” module. With the help of class activities and writing skills, this reflective essay will represent the abilities I have managed to instil in myself because of this course. This essay will also discuss my potential by providing professional context and academic achievements. The model that will be followed is known as the Driscoll Model of Reflection, which works by asking three key questions that are “What”, “So What”, and “What Now” (Driscoll, 1994). In this way, I will be developing a comprehensive outlook about my strengths and challenges in overcoming weaknesses to improve my prospects of becoming a professional.

In week 1, an introductory class was conducted, the purpose of which was to provide degree and module specifications as well as an overview of RM Unify. I did not do much research before this class, but after listening to the teacher, I created an expectation for this module. I expect that by the end, I will be able to integrate creativity in providing solutions to problems, which will impact my future as I aim to be an entrepreneur. The introductory session also helped me identify my strengths: dedication and motivation for learning. After the session ended, I felt like an overview or introductory session was important because instantly being bombarded with new information would have overwhelmed the class. For the aspect of now what, I can say that I have to learn how to apply my motivation effectively, such that it gets me a good understanding of the subject and face future challenges.

In the session for week 2, the difference between digital literacy and technology skills was discussed, while strategies for improving reading skills were provided as well. The most memorable experience from this class was the class activity, in which we were given keywords to search for a specific topic. The class and I reacted positively to this activity, as we were able to develop our skills for digital literacy. The weakness I discovered in myself is that I can easily get lost in the excess of knowledge on online platforms, but the teacher helped in overcoming this challenge as well. The use of the 5Ds for mitigating data overload and improved reading skills is my major takeaway from this class, which I will apply in the future.

Week 3 aimed to provide relevant knowledge about academic writing skills and basic knowledge about referencing in the Harvard style. My reaction in the session was confusing, but only in the beginning, as things were cleared through examples. The class was attentive because the majority had not developed a professional approach to academic writing and citations. This class’s understanding has helped improve my Bucks Graduate Attribute of applying knowledge practically. Academic writing knowledge about the use of words, and differentiating between headings and sub-headings can all be applied to improving writing skills.

The proceedings of week 4 were for the importance of reflective writing and how it can be done. Before the session, I had limited knowledge, but since then, I have researched independently to develop my abilities. My goal is to own a business one day, and research shows that student reflection on learning outcomes can improve students’ entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) (Kassean et al., 2015). Therefore, to increase my chances of reaching my goal, I aim to apply reflective thinking to all major learning experiences. I also consider it my weakness that I cannot effectively apply theoretical models to reality, but with the help of reflective tools like Driscoll, I will be able to do so.

In week 5, skills of conducting research and evaluation of the sources of academic information were instilled. In this session, class activities and the teacher helped in understanding how the human brain functions, which has been most memorable. A takeaway from this class is that not all sources are correct or ethically proper without referencing. I have developed the skill to differentiate between correct and incorrect sources, which I will be applying in the future to ensure that my writing is professionally executed. Week 5 also enabled research skills among students by providing us with the basic knowledge about how to locate, extract, evaluate and then pertinently use information present in research articles and books. My perception after the study session is that I need to develop research skills that improve my understanding of research issues, but at the same time, also enable me to increase existing knowledge about research problems.

The purpose of weeks 6 and 7 was to provide feedback on Coursework 1 and also to conduct a workshop on MS Word and OneDrive. Prior to week 6, I had a basic understanding of MS Word as I had used it previously for other assignments, but this workshop has definitely improved my understanding. For MS OneDrive, I had limited knowledge, as I had no previous experience using this platform. The set of skills that this week helped me develop is that word can be used for professional writing, as referencing, headings layout and design enables academic work to be done. Similarly, OneDrive is also a major technological tool of storage, in which my files can be safely stored, and with proper passwords, only I will be able to access them, ensuring privacy.

Moreover, in writing this assignment, I have managed to look back at the sessions and take away major points that can help me in the future. From a professional context, I would say that applying the theoretical knowledge of research skills and practical experiences of class activities will make me a better entrepreneur. In conclusion, this essay provides my understanding of what I consider to be my strengths and weaknesses and how I can improve them. Personally, as a learner, I have developed skills in reading and digital literacy, but to face challenges in the future as an entrepreneur, I have to learn how to effectively implement theory into practice.

References

Driscoll, J., 1994. Reflective practice for practice. Senior Nurse, 14(1), p.47.

Kassean, H., Vanevenhoven, J., Liguori, E. and Winkel, D.E., 2015. Entrepreneurship education: a need for reflection, real-world experience and action. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research.