Guide to Reflective Learning and Personal Growth in Business: Case Study

Essential Steps for Academic Success Through Team Collaboration

A. Reflection on learning

Description of reflective writing

Participating in active thinking allows students to evaluate their own growth and advancement, as well as the lessons they've gleaned from their encounters, in a way that promotes the development of higher-order thinking skills and the improvement of future performance. The capacity to reflect on the relevance of a learning experience is essential (Dantas and Cunha, 2020). By promoting an analytical process of recognizing and ruminating over both present strengths and possible areas for progress, critical reflection aims to instill in its members the capacity to think logically. Students' agency in constructing and focusing on a specific context of their information and thinking is corroborative of shifts in general viewpoint.

In addition to helping students improve their understanding of the topics in business and tourism management degree, reflective learning also helps in improving writing skills that are required while pursuing a degree (Dantas and Cunha, 2020). This allows students to present projects and assignments in a more effective manner. Present learning also develops a sense of self-worth via introspective thinking, reflective learning has been shown to enhance student's ability to synthesize new knowledge on topics present in business and tourism management degrees (Antelm-Lanzat et al., 2020).

Explanation of Gibb's reflective model

Gibbs suggests a multi-stage approach in which a person responds to a number of inquiries at each level to dive as far as feasible into their thinking. Gibbs suggests the following steps: a description, feelings, evaluation, research, findings, and a course of action.

The goal of this structure is to help you categorize and separate your feelings. Students and people, in general, may benefit from taking their time and avoiding hasty conclusions by using this method. At this point in the process, all that is expected of you is to describe what's going on in as much detail as possible without jumping to any hasty conclusions regarding what must have occurred. Individuals and learners often need to be more explicit and exact in their descriptions at this level (Adeani et al., 2020). After an interaction, people have a series of emotional reactions, which are described by the questions asked during the emotions phase. People at this point should reflect on how they felt, what they did, and how others reacted to their actions. First impressions of value are formed after an objective, analytical examination of the situation and people's responses. It's not enough to only consider one's own perspective on an event; one must also consider the perspectives of those who were there. Discovering whether or whether some people had a similar reaction to the unfavorable event may help shed light on the matter.

People may undertake a more in-depth investigation of the issue by asking themselves the foregoing concerns after giving the matter some critical consideration. It may be useful to use non-specialist sources right now as well. Viewpoints may be gained via discussion with people or through research and theory (Adeani et al., 2020). In the next section, we see examples of summary statements and reflections. Before to making any judgments, it is vital to consider both the bigger picture and one's own situation. Think about how the results might affect not just you, but the greater community in which you operate. In the last stage, an action plan is prepared, with the focus being on the shortcomings, the means by which the abilities and areas may be improved, and the measuring metric. The timeline for assembling these talents is also shown in the model in compliance with these factors.

Concept of formative and summative work

The purpose of formative assessment is to track students' progress in order to provide constant feedback that can be utilized to hone both the teaching and the learning processes. In particular, formative exams aid students in recognizing their own areas of competence and improvement. Summative assessments are used to assess student's knowledge, skill development, and academic accomplishments at the end of a specific educational session, such as the completion of a unit, course, semester, program, or school year. A reflective approach to formative and summative will allow me to focus on my strengths and weaknesses that are required to be improved for further development in my academics. Formative work evaluated in module 1 has allowed me to develop my research and note-taking skills (Mannion, 2022). With the development of these skills, I have been able to imp[rove my presentation areas where I can efficiently present assignments and projects. Furthermore, developing these skills helps me in preparing myself for summative assignments and projects. Expertising the skills in module 1 will allow me to concentrate on several basic elements that are necessary while taking notes during lectures. In the upcoming module, I can use my research and note-taking skills for a better grasp of the different topics and academic elements in the university (Sridharan et al., 2019). Furthermore, planning is also one of the skills that will help me in my upcoming modules. With proper planning, I can execute tasks and projects of the modules within a stipulated time frame.

A reflective approach to summative evaluated work will allow me to gather ideas and information about my learning in brief. This will help me in preparing myself for the future modules at the university. A reflective approach to the assessment of summative and formative will enable me to focus on the vital elements and concepts which are necessary for achieving a high score in the university. Motivating and involving students is easier when they believe their teacher is invested in their growth. Allowing students to revise and resubmit their work is one way for teachers to show that their assignments are meant to foster growth in their students' knowledge and skills. These revisions may make use of low-stakes tests or even anonymous, computer-based evaluations with unlimited resubmissions (where applicable). A course appraisal should encourage students to reflect on the course as a whole, drawing on their knowledge and experience to make generalizations, demonstrate their ability to synthesize information and delve into the more fundamental ideas and concepts upon which the course is built. A reflective approach to summative and formative works allows me to identify the experiences that I have faced in the past while pursuing higher secondary grades. Unfortunately, my only exposure to evaluation was in high school, when individuals were subjected to a single, culminating unit exam. Nobody ever provided me with a formative evaluation to help me figure out what I was doing wrong and how to improve. My bad experience taught me a valuable lesson about the need of sharing accurate information about the quality of an evaluation. Ineffective feedback on the learning progress was a result of the teacher's failure to use formative evaluations.

Conclusion

In rounding up the reflection I have analyzed that Gibb's reflective model is one of the relevant models that allow the creation of structured reflections of summative and formative works along with the vitality of reflective learning. The model provides a step-by-step process where I can describe incidents, share my feelings, evaluate and analyze situations along with creating action plans. The creation of an action plan allows for improving skills and expertise which are required to accelerate professional and personal growth in the future. A reflective approach to formative and summative works helps in identifying learning gaps and areas that can be improved.

B. Reflection on the cultural and behavioral expectations

Understanding of cultural and behavioral expectations

Social systems produce moral standards and cultural norms from which individuals internalize signals about what is and is not suitable; these are cultural standards. There are many different kinds of social groups that different individuals might belong to, including family, neighborhood, friends, colleagues, and special interest groups. Majoring in business management equips students with skills in economics, advertising, accounting, and commerce, making them extremely desirable to employers in a wide range of sectors (Hudson et al., 2020). A company's culture is reflected in its actions and decisions and includes things like its values, morals, and rules of behavior. The laws, rituals, and behaviors of a society are all methods by which members of that society convey the group's cultural standards. Sometimes they are directly stated, but more often they are implied via vocabulary, non-verbal interaction, and patterns of conduct that may or may not make sense to an outside observer (Berry, 2019). When this occurs, individuals in the group need to decipher the underlying signals and extrapolate what they can about the rules and norms that govern the group. In a similar vein to the discussion of intellectual success, the area in which individuals live may cause them to become isolated, or an "echo chamber," culturally. Countries like “South Korea” and “Canada”, as well as certain regions of the United States, have a large number of college graduates in the context of business and management studies, suggesting that having a degree is necessary for success among the in-crowd. In cultures where emigration to other nations is vital to the local economy, such assumptions do not come to the surface in the same way.

Traditional norms have no negative connotations by themselves. Sometimes social pressures have little effect beyond the superficial, like how individuals choose to dress or do their attire. Furthermore, students may use the right kinds of expectations to exercise constructive forms of social control, motivating individuals to act in ways that are good for everyone (Al-Okaily et al., 2020). The individual's perspective and connection to the system of business and management studies are crucial to the transformative process. Several strategies in the fields of personal growth and training are based on helping people change their viewpoints and overcome restrictive ideas. Motivating someone to make positive changes in their lives is the goal.

Implementation of cultural and behavioral expectations

A degree in business and management is a challenging and time-consuming pursuit. As such, students majoring in management or business should anticipate devoting a significant amount of time to academic pursuits in these fields. In addition, they need to be able to work well with others and take criticism well (Budur, 2020). The capacity to think critically and creatively, as well as strong interpersonal and communication abilities are essential. Students also need to be up-to-date on developments in the corporate world, technological advancements, and the state of the world economy. Respect for authoritative figures and the willingness to work together towards a common objective are also crucial (Makhmudov, 2020). The legal and ethical ramifications of company choices must be understood. Third, students should be willing to take chances and see setbacks as necessary components of the educational process.

Dates for implementing learning

The below table demonstrated my learning regarding cultural and behavioral expectations. According to the table stated below I have learned about the roles and responsibilities of individuals in different cultures. Different cultures have different perceptions and views towards a situation which differentiates them from one another.

According to the above table, I have assumed that different views of culture and behavior create a different environment while stuffing business and management courses. Some cultures are more inclined and concentrated on safety and security. This is one of the learnings that I have gathered while pursuing business and management courses. Attitude is another element that I have learned regarding cultural and behavioral expectations. This is one of the necessary elements that is required while working or communicating with colleagues, friends, or strangers. Attitude defines behavioral expectations in an individual.

C. Significance of team working

Meaning of team working

The term "peer-to-peer support" refers to assistance provided by an individual who is a part of the same group or has had a similar experience. With peer-to-peer support, unlike in mentoring, where an expert assists, all peers are on an equal footing in terms of their ability to assist one another. Regardless of field or position, being able to work well with others is crucial to one’s professional success (Chimruang and Yampinij, 2021). If an individual can get along well with their coworkers, customers, and superiors, they may be able to complete tasks more efficiently and contribute to a more pleasant workplace atmosphere. One’s capacity to perform well in a team setting in the workplace may be enhanced by enhancing team working attitude and expertise. When people are working as a team, they are showing strong intergroup relationships and showing support for one another (Bond et al., 2021). Successful teams recognize and build upon each member's unique abilities. It also fosters growing interpersonal maturity, in which members of a team may respectfully disagree with one another and work together to solve problems.

Participating in a team environment helps develop important interpersonal and communication abilities, such as learning how to actively listen and articulate ideas clearly. Students learn to take direction from group winners and mentors as they work together to accomplish group goals. Students develop the skill of active listening in order to better collaborate with one another. Students learn how to successfully and politely share their thoughts and views in a group environment via the practice of teamwork (Asio, 2021). It's crucial that children understand the distinction between speaking and chatting. Successful public speaking requires an appreciation for demographic dynamics. Working together has the ability to greatly mitigate the negative impacts of harassment on students in higher education, making it one of the most valuable aspects of cooperation. Teammates are more likely to remain close to each other beyond the formal group settings such as sports practices and clubs, allowing them to better rally behind one another in times of need (Lozano et al., 2019). If students are exposed to teamwork early on in their academic careers, they will be better prepared to take advantage of the many benefits that come from working with others in a classroom setting.

Process of implementing tam working in academics and workplace

I need to involve inexperienced workers together with more seasoned colleagues and employees. New employees who are given a mentor have an easier time settling into their new roles. It's a great way to help new workers meet and form relationships with influential people in the company (Alberola et al., 2019). Providing new employees with access to a shared learning management system to facilitate their transition into the team. Everything from business values to payroll details should be available on the hub. Furthermore, creating group studies and role play in academics is one of the ways through which peer-to-peer support and teamwork can be implemented in studies. Implementing a discussion session that involves sharing individual strengths and weakness is another way of implementing peer-to-peer support sharing individual strengths and weakness allows in supporting one another through a supportive and collectivist attitude. Setting feedback sessions for students will allow them to identify weaknesses and areas of improvement that need to be considered while pursuing courses and degrees.

Timeframe of learning

Implementing the learning support of mentors and experts is one of the resources that are required to establish peer-to-peer support and team working. Digital technologies are other resources that are required to support team working as with digital technologies appropriate communication can be established. Engagement events and programs are some of the resources which may help in sharing ideas and knowledge which helps in setting up a collaborative and inclusive environment among peers.

D. Personal SWOT analysis

• Strengths: When the topic is something I care about or that has some bearing on my life, I have a firm grasp on developing content for the topic (Mikhaylova et al., 2020). I take pride in my command of the English language, which includes a wide range of words and generally sound grammar. I can construct a solid presentation and I understand the fundamentals of presentation writing. I have a piece of strong knowledge regarding management and business-related topics which are other strengths for me as this helps me in minimizing the research on different topics of business and management. Problem-solving knowledge and skills are other areas that are one of my strengths.
• Weakness: In my class, the required reference style is unfamiliar to me, and I have no idea how to properly cite sources. This is one of my weaknesses which restricts me from collecting information for a particle research topic (Safonov et al., 2021). I have a weak idea of how to begin researching and writing my research which leads to weakness in the completion of assignments and projects. Lack of concentration is a factor that results in weakness for me as a student. Lack of patience is another weakness as this leads to the incompletion of various assessments and tasks. This also leads to difficulty in understanding various topics and chapters in my studies.
• Opportunities: My roommate is quite skilled at preparing research and has volunteered to proofread and improve my draughts. During office hours, my lecturer has agreed to review my paper which helps me in identifying areas that need to be improved (Pogorelskaya and Várallyai, 2020). Strong communication is one of the factors that enable me to execute content with proper structure and grammar which is considered to be an opportunity in my academics. Planning skills are one of the expertise that creates opportunities for me in structuring assignments and projects in my academics.
• Threats: Due to my sporadic work hours, I will need to be adaptable in my daily routine. I need to devote more time to studying as the semester advances. Devoting less time may lead to failure in my respective academics which is considered to be a threat to me at the academic level.

My routines are readily disrupted by social activities (Nazarova et al., 2021). Due to social activities, I am unable to execute my assessment and projects in a timely manner which is considered a threat to me.

References

Safonov, M., S. Usov, S. and V. Arkhipov, S., (2021), July. E-Learning Application Effectiveness in Higher Education. General Research Based on SWOT Analysis. In Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Education and Multimedia Technology (pp. 207-212).

Adeani, I.S., Febriani, R.B. and Syafryadin, S., (2020). USING GIBBS’REFLECTIVE CYCLE IN MAKING REFLECTIONS OF LITERARY ANALYSIS. Indonesian EFL Journal, 6(2), pp.139-148.

Alberola, J., Sanchez-Anguix, V., Del Val, E., Palomares-Chust, A. and Teruel, M.D., (2019). Team Formation Strategies in Higher Education. In INTED2019 Proceedings (pp. 3732-3736). IATED.

Al-Okaily, M., Lutfi, A., Alsaad, A., Taamneh, A. and Alsyouf, A., (2020). The determinants of digital payment systems’ acceptance under cultural orientation differences: The case of uncertainty avoidance. Technology in Society, 63, p.101367.

Antelm-Lanzat, A.M., Gil, A.J., Cacheiro-González, M.L., Pérez-Navío, E. and Fonseca-Pedrero, E., (2020). Learning styles and vocational guidance in secondary education. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 20(3), pp.1-15.

Asio, J.M.R., (2021). Working Environment, team work, and diversity: Perspectives and relationship to organizational satisfaction. Global Journal of Business, Economics and Management: Current Issues, 11(2), pp.109-118.

Berry, J.W., (2019). Acculturation: A personal journey across cultures. Cambridge University Press.

Bond, M., Bedenlier, S., Marín, V.I. and Händel, M., (2021). Emergency remote teaching in higher education: Mapping the first global online semester. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 18(1), pp.1-24.

Budur, T., (2020). Effectiveness of transformational leadership among different cultures. International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies, 7(3), pp.119-129.

Chimruang, S. and Yampinij, S., (2021). Constructionist learning using teamworking and social networks for information-technology students in higher education. Journal of Management Information and Decision Sciences, 24, pp.1-9.

Dantas, L.A. and Cunha, A., (2020). An integrative debate on learning styles and the learning process. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 2(1), p.100017.

Hudson, M., Garrison, N.A., Sterling, R., Caron, N.R., Fox, K., Yracheta, J., Anderson, J., Wilcox, P., Arbour, L., Brown, A. and Taualii, M., (2020). Rights, interests and expectations: Indigenous perspectives on unrestricted access to genomic data. Nature Reviews Genetics, 21(6), pp.377-384.

Lozano, R., Barreiro-Gen, M., Lozano, F.J. and Sammalisto, K., (2019). Teaching sustainability in European higher education institutions: Assessing the connections between competences and pedagogical approaches. Sustainability, 11(6), p.1602.

Makhmudov, K., (2020). Ways of forming intercultural communication in foreign language teaching. Science and Education, 1(4), pp.84-89.

Mannion, J., (2022). Beyond the grade: the planning, formative and summative (PFS) model of self-assessment for higher education. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 47(3), pp.411-423.

Mikhaylova, A.G., Nikitaeva, M.V. and Kokodey, T.A., (2020). Formation of personal qualities by means of acmeological approach in the context of professional becoming. In SHS Web of Conferences (Vol. 87, p. 00028). EDP Sciences.

Nazarova, L., Kubrushko, P., Alipichev, A. and Gryazneva, S., (2021). Development trends in practical training of college students in the context of digital transformation of education. In E3S Web of Conferences (Vol. 273, p. 12059). EDP Sciences.

Pogorelskaya, I.L.S.I.A.R. and Várallyai, L.Á.S.Z.L.Ó., (2020). Trends in Education 4.0. THE ANNALS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ORADEA, 29(2020), p.367.

Sridharan, B., Tai, J. and Boud, D., (2019). Does the use of summative peer assessment in collaborative group work inhibit good judgement?. Higher Education, 77, pp.853-870.