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Reflective Learning Journal

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New Beginnings Coursework 2

Reflective Learning Journal

Task 1 – 250 words

Reflect on the process of completing coursework 1 and the feedback you received.

In your answer you could write about:

  • how you felt about writing your responses
  • how you felt about handing in work for assessment
  • how you felt about the feedback you received
  • what your response will be to the feedback and what aspects you have incorporated into subsequent submissions

TYPE YOUR ANSWER HERE

 

Task 2 – 200 words

Reflect on your performance and feedback relating to your presentation.

In your answer you could write about:

  • how you felt delivering a presentation
  • what preparation you did before your presentation
  • what you felt about the feedback you received
  • what you thought of the other students’ presentations.
  • what actions you plan to take in preparation for your next presentation

 

TYPE YOUR ANSWER HERE

 

Task 3 – 200 words

 

Reflect about a transferable skill.

 

You should:

Choose any ONE skill, for example, listening, contribution to group work, attention to detail, note-taking.

 

In your answer you could write about:

  • why you have chosen this specific skill
  • why this skill is important to the discipline and career you have chosen
  • how you have developed the skill: what did you read, what have you practised
  • how you will continue to improve

TYPE YOUR ANSWER HERE

 

Task 4 – Complete the table

Complete the form with details of as many services you used during the course.

Service Dated Attended Reason for Visit Outcome Next Steps
Example 3/10/22 I wanted to know more about academic conventions for referencing academic journals I spoke with XXXX and now feel more confident I will include the citation and reference in my extended writing and check the details with Cite Them Right online
Academic Tutoring        
DDAC*        
Hub (The)        
IAG        
New Beginnings Tutorial        
Library        
MyFeedback assignment checking service        
SMART*        
Student Union        
Well-being*        
Other (please state; add rows if necessary        

 

*If you visit any services indicated with * you do not have to detail anything you are not comfortable with sharing, give as much or as little detail as you feel happy to disclose.

 

Task 5 – 250 words

Reflect on an academic reading you have found on EBSCO or UEL Library Search.

You should firstly write the full reference for the chosen text in the box below (double check reference details with citethemrightonline.com).

You could write about:

  • how you located your reading
  • the strategy/ies you used to approach the reading
  • how you felt before, during and after reading
  • what strategy/ies you will use for further readings
  • The note-taking techniques you used

 

 

 

 

 

TYPE YOUR ANSWER HERE

 

 

 

 

Task 6 – 800 words

Short essay about a current issue in your discipline, adhering to academic conventions.

You should:

  • locate the question that relates to your discipline from the list on Moodle
  • include an introduction, with signposting, and a conclusion
  • in the main body of the essay use paragraphs following the PEEEEL structure
  • use academic, formal language (see the academic style slides on Moodle)
  • include referencing of academic readings (this can include the text from task 5)
  • include a reference list with at least 5 different texts

TITLE: Discuss one or two of the main challenges faced by the education sector in contemporary Britain.

TYPE YOUR ANSWER HERE

 

New Beginnings Coursework 2

Reflective Learning Journal

 Task 1 – 250 words

Reflect on the process of completing coursework 1 and the feedback you received.  

In your answer you could write about:

  • how you felt about writing your responses
  • how you felt about handing in work for assessment
  • how you felt about the feedback you received
  • what your response will be to the feedback and what aspects you have incorporated into subsequent submissions

TYPE YOUR ANSWER HERE

This coursework has been an amazing experience in my entire academic life. When writing the responses, I felt knowledgeable. The responses led to new knowledge every single day about different topics covered. The responses are based on discussions or some questions that require answers. In this regard, responses provide new perspectives on a topic since one may take a different angle from other students’ perspectives (Zhang 2022). On the other hand, a response can support the initial work or opinion of the author. Overall, one gains much more when writing responses.

Handing in work for assessment is a strange feeling; however, this feeling might be normal or anxious based on the type of work being handed in. In this course, I felt normal handing in the work because I knew there would be feedback to ensure subsequent assignments are done better, therefore, I kept improving. However, I always re-read and re-checked my work to ensure all is well (Cantor & Osher 2021). I always ensure proofreading is done and Grammarly is well utilized to remove unnecessary grammar and spelling errors.

I felt good about the feedback I received because they act as a point of improvement, encouragement, and learning. The Feedback is given in a respectful and friendly manner so that no negative occurrence is associated with them. I feel good because they often provide me with a new perspective is the topic (Cantor & Osher 2021). The feedback helps in identifying areas of strength and areas of improvement to better subsequent work. My response to the feedback is positive and welcoming. I would be appreciative because the feedback is meant to make students better (Zhang 2022). I have incorporated good writing skills such as correct use of grammar, proofreading, and others.

Task 2 – 200 words

Reflect on your performance and feedback relating to your presentation.

In your answer, you could write about:

  • how you felt delivering a presentation
  • what preparation you did before your presentation
  • what you felt about the feedback you received
  • What you thought of the other students’ presentations.
  • what actions you plan to take in preparation for your next presentation

TYPE YOUR ANSWER HERE

Not everyone is comfortable with standing in front of senior people or a large audience to deliver a presentation in the spotlight. Therefore, delivering a presentation can be challenging when there are no proper prior preparations (Dolan 2017). In my case, I felt a little bit nervous initially but managed to control it without the audience noticing. Throughout the presentation, I felt confident that enabled me to carry out an effective presentation. I had enough prior preparations before the actual presentation. For instance, I had enough time to put together the presentation, and read and revised/edited the presentation (Sandii & Hicks, 2018). In addition, I did rehearse in front of family and friends severally, dressed well, and arrived early.

I felt good regarding the feedback because it was a positive one. Teachers always want to give honest feedback to help their students properly in their academic endeavours (Clarke et al. 2022). For instance, the feedback stated that the presentation was started and finished appropriately; the images and information on the slides were clear, and the presenter interacted with the interlocutors and communicated effectively. In addition, the feedback agreed that useful information and facts were displayed. It reflected good knowledge of the topic and well-answered questions. The feedback also had some recommendations on areas to improve to make future presentations better, such as prior rehearsal (Dolan 2017). I had mixed reactions to other students’ work; while I felt that others did better, I also felt that others underperformed. To improve my future presentations, I need to include more pictures and demonstrations, and double check spelling.

Task 3 – 200 words

Reflect about a transferable skill.

You should:

Choose any ONE skill, for example, listening, contribution to group work, attention to detail, and note taking.

In your answer, you could write about:

  • why you have chosen this specific skill
  • why this skill is important to the discipline and career you have chosen
  • how you have developed the skill: what did you read, what have you practised
  • how you will continue to improve

TYPE YOUR ANSWER HERE

The selected skill is listening skill, which is the ability to pay attention and effectively interpreted the information given by other people. Listening skill is essential for communication in all situations (Egamnazarova & Mukhamedova 2021). An effective communicator should take time and listen to other people to help them maintain communication relevant to the context. Education is a discipline that involves listening to students, parents, fellow educators, and external stakeholders. Therefore, effective listening skills are very important in the discipline (Krivosheyeva, Zuparova, & Shodiyeva 2020). Listening allows one to possess a greater ability to communicate, have faster second language acquisition, as well as to have improved relationship skills.

I have gained listening skills through various actions from reading materials to practicing effective communication skills. I have been reading different sources online including journals and books. I also read books from the university library regarding active listening. Furthermore, I tend to pay attention when speaking to people (Deveci 2018). I limit judgments and interruption and ask for clarifications. These communication practices have enhanced my listening skills. I intend to continue taking these actions even more to improve this particular skill. I will read more books and articles that are relevant to the skills I need.

Task 4 – Complete the table

Complete the form with details of as many services you used during the course.

Service Dated Attended Reason for Visit Outcome Next Steps
Example 3/10/22 I wanted to know more about academic conventions for referencing academic journals I spoke with XXXX and now feel more confident I will include the citation and reference in my extended writing and check the details with Cite Them Right online
Academic Tutoring   I wanted to learn a lot regarding the course My performance improved and I gained much knowledge. I will apply everything I learned through the preceptor.
DDAC*        
Hub (The)        
IAG        
New Beginnings Tutorial        
Library   To find relevant resources to complete assignments. I managed to gather useful information that enabled me complete assignments. I will continue visiting the library when necessary.
My Feedback assignment checking service   To check whether my assignments are meeting course requirements. All my assignments met the course requirements. I will continue
SMART*        
Student Union   I needed some advice, which I believe Student Union could offer. I received the information I needed and my worry was resolved. I will always put into practice the advice.
Well-being*   I talked to a counsellor to receive guidance and counselling about my academics. My anxiety was managed and I found out a way to solve my situation. I will always seek counselling services when necessary.
Other (please state; add rows if necessary        

*If you visit any services indicated with * you do not have to detail anything you are not comfortable with sharing, give as much or as little detail as you feel happy to disclose.

Task 5 – 250 words

Reflect on an academic reading you have found on EBSCO or UEL Library Search.

You should firstly write the full reference for the chosen text in the box below (double check reference details with citethemrightonline.com).

You could write about:

  • how you located your reading
  • the strategy/ies you used to approach the reading
  • how you felt before, during and after reading
  • what strategy/ies you will use for further readings
  • The note-taking techniques you used

 

 

 

 

TYPE YOUR ANSWER HERE

The reading was located by searching EBSCO online database. The reach was limited to peer-reviewed sources of evidence published within the past five years. Furthermore, keywords used to search for the article include challenges of education, the education sector in Britain, factors affecting education, and the British education system (Sulistyowati & Walker 2019). These keywords returned several articles and the most relevant full text was selected.

I approached this article by using the scanning method of reading. It involved looking for specific information in a given text (Aritonang, Lasmana, & Kurnia 2019). Before reading this article, I felt like it contained important information. I expected the content to talk about some things based on the title and abstract. During the reading, I began to gain even further interest because the author provides new knowledge to me regarding some of the challenges the U.K’s education system is facing (Sulistyowati & Walker 2019). I felt that the paper was written well in simple English that is easy to understand. They did not use many jargons that would make their reading complicated. After reading the article, I felt knowledgeable and full of new ideas about the challenges faced by the education sector in contemporary Britain.

Reading to detail is the strategy that I would use for future readings. It is a careful reading and the most commonly used. It is a slower reading process from the beginning to the end of the article. Note-taking strategies are important to retrieve important relevant points from the article (Manobanda 2021). The note-taking strategy I used is paraphrasing. It involves writing in the writer’s own words without losing the original meaning of the information (Manobanda 2021). Paraphrasing increases academic integrity among students.

Task 6 – 800 words

Short essay about a current issue in your discipline, adhering to academic conventions.

You should:

  • locate the question that relates to your discipline from the list on Moodle
  • include an introduction, with signposting, and a conclusion
  • in the main body of the essay use paragraphs following the PEEEEL structure
  • use academic, formal language (see the academic style slides on Moodle)
  • include referencing of academic readings (this can include the text from task 5)
  • include a reference list with at least 5 different texts

TITLE: Discuss one or two of the main challenges faced by the education sector in contemporary Britain.

TYPE YOUR ANSWER HERE

Education is the backbone of a country, but the sector is still facing various challenges across the nations of the World. Britain and the United Kingdom are not an exception, as their education sector has not achieved perfection. There are a few challenges that the education system of contemporary Britain is facing (Parry 2019). Countries that constitute the United Kingdom (UK) also face these similar challenges. Since Britain is perceived as the mother of the UK, this term (UK) will be used to represent Britain throughout the paper. Therefore, some of the challenges experienced in the UK education sector include curriculum-related issues and a shortage of high-quality teachers (Parry 2019). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the two main challenges faced by the education sector in contemporary Britain/UK.

The two main challenges identified include curriculum development and a shortage of high-quality teachers. According to Sulistyowati and Walker (2019), curriculum development is one of the most challenging parts of implementing interprofessional education in the education system of contemporary Britain. The interprofessional education (IPE) program refers to an experimental practice in a public school whereby students in two or more professions learn to collaborate to enhance their ability to work in teams in their future workplaces (Sulistyowati & Walker (2019). IPE helps students to overcome barriers between them and respect other professions. Interprofessional education improves communication skills and enhances effectiveness in the workplace.

Sulistyowati and Walker (2019) conducted a study that revealed that problems related to teaching approach, materials content, and scheduling are curriculum issues hindering the implementation of IPE. Using a proper learning style to educate students enhances the process of learning. A faculty leader is responsible for conducting regular meetings with IPE facilitators from various professions to share their views regarding interprofessional teaching and required curriculum changes (Sulistyowati & Walker 2019). Curriculum modification is needed to incorporate interprofessional education.

The curriculum has other limitations other than the lack of ability to enhance IPE.  According to Leeder and Beaumont (2021), the UK education sector has not developed a curriculum that can accommodate lifestyle sports and physical education teachers’ professional development programs. The authors although lifestyle sports can contribute to the countries’ national and physical activity agendas, the UK has openly resisted implementing such activities within the physical education (PE) curriculum (Leeder & Beaumont 2021). The incident is due to the limited knowledge of PE teachers about lifestyle sports, which stems from a lack of professional development programs for the teachers. Including lifestyle sports in the UK curriculum should be a consideration among educational experts.

Fragouli (2020) states that Britain and the UK as a whole are facing challenges with curriculum internationalization. UK universities strive to admit many international students and claim that they have internationalized the student experience. However, domestic and international students seem to have different experiences, perceptions, education, and curriculum. Fragouli (2020) states that research indicates that the processes in place to support Erasmus students in exploring UK education, curriculum, and assessment are insufficient. The main areas of the problem are related to curriculum development and context, assessment methods, and pedagogic style.

The second challenge faced by the education sector in contemporary Britain is the shortage of high-quality teachers. According to Parry (2019), London has over the years faced challenges regarding shortages of high-quality teachers. This situation became worse at the turn of century, with lurid coverage in the press of classrooms that were out of control. Some schools have recently begun to adopt a zero-tolerance approach to school discipline. Those schools have introduced severe sanctions to learners who have failed to comply with the school behaviour codes (Parry 2019). There is hope that such actions might make the teaching profession more attractive. Teachers will now understand that there is a genuine way of dealing with disruptive behaviours. Parry (2019) states that high-quality coaching can help teachers from leaving the profession. The teacher issues require urgent attention to ensure there are enough high-quality professionals.

There is a teacher shortage problem in schools educating disadvantaged populations. Allen and McInerney (2019) confirm this problem by stating that schools serving disadvantaged communities are struggling in the UK to recruit highly qualified teachers. Many teachers in the United Kingdom want to teach in schools bearing good reputations. In contemporary Britain, there is a crisis in the teaching sector where recruiting and retaining teachers is becoming problematic. The most disadvantaged schools face severe challenges in recruiting experienced and qualified teachers (Allen & McInerney 2019). However, it is at these very schools where such teachers are needed the most.

Conclusion

Education is very essential to every society. Contemporary Britain is still facing serious challenges, despite it being one of the countries with the most effective education system. The two main challenges include curriculum development and a shortage of high-quality teachers. This paper provided a comprehensive discussion regarding these issues.

 

 

 

 

References

Aritonang, I.R., Lasmana, S. and Kurnia, D. (2019) ‘The analysis of skimming and scanning technique to improve students in teaching reading comprehension’, PROJECT (Professional Journal of English Education), 1(2), pp.101-106. https://journal.ikipsiliwangi.ac.id/index.php/project/article/view/458/64#

Allen, B. and McInerney, L. (2019) The recruitment gap: attracting teachers to schools serving disadvantaged communities. Sutton Trust. Available at https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/33813/1/The-Recruitment-Gap.pdf (Accessed: 27 October 2022).

Cantor P. and Osher D. (2021) The science of learning and development: Enhancing the lives of all young people. New York NY: Routledge.

Clarke, M.A., Haggar, F.L., Branecki, C.E., Welniak, T.J., Smith, M.P., Vasistha, S. and Love, L.M. (2022) ‘Determining presentation skills gaps among healthcare professionals’, Journal of Visual Communication in Medicine, 45(4), pp.242-252. https://doi.org/10.1080/17453054.2022.2092458

Dolan, R. (2017) ‘Effective presentation skills’, FEMS microbiology letters, 364(24), p.fnx235. https://doi.org/10.1093/femsle/fnx235

Deveci, T. (2018) ‘Listening as a lifelong learning skill: What, why, and how’, in 16th International Conference on Literature, Languages, Humanities & Social Sciences, Budapest, Hungary. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tanju-Deveci/publication/328653076_Listening_as_a_lifelong_learning_skill-_what_why_and_how/links/5bda8d63299bf1124fb195e6/Listening-as-a-lifelong-learning-skill-what-why-and-how.pdf (Accessed: 27 October 2022).

Egamnazarova, F.A. and Mukhamedova, M.S. (2021) ‘Improving english language listening skill’, Academic research in educational sciences, 2(Special Issue 1), pp.28-32.

Fragouli, E. (2020) ‘A critical discussion on issues of higher education: Curriculum internationalization, challenges, and opportunities’, International Journal of Education and Learning, 2(2), 67-75. https://doi.org/10.31763/ijele.v2i2.110

Krivosheyeva, G., Zuparova, S. and Shodiyeva, N. (2020) ‘Interactive way to further improve teaching listening skills’, Academic Research in Educational Sciences, (3), 520-525. Available at https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/interactive-way-to-further-improve-teaching-listening-skills (Accessed: 27 October 2022).

Leeder, T. M., & Beaumont, L. C. (2021) ‘Lifestyle Sports and Physical Education Teachers’ Professional Development in the United Kingdom: A Qualitative Survey Analysis’, Education Sciences, 11(10), 642. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/educsci11100642

Manobanda, V.L. (2021) The paraphrasing strategy and the English-speaking skills (Bachelor’s thesis, Carrera de Idiomas). Available at https://repositorio.uta.edu.ec/jspui/handle/123456789/33993 (Accessed: 27 October 2022).

Parry, D. E. (2019) ‘The challenges facing English schools in the journey to 2030, with a specific focus on London’, London Review of Education, 17 (2): 178–192. DOI https://doi.org/10.18546/LRE.17.2.06

Sulistyowati, E. and Walker, L. (2019) ‘Interprofessional education (IPE) in developing countries: Challenges and lesson learnt from its implementation in the United Kingdom: A Systematic review’, Nurse Media Journal of Nursing, 9(2), 197-209. https://doi.org/10.14710/nmjn.v0i0.24719

Sandii, L. and Hicks, S. (2018) A study guide for developing effective presentation skills in English. Ternopil National Economic University. Available at http://dspace.wunu.edu.ua/bitstream/316497/31335/1/Sandiy%20L._Developing%20Effective%20Presentations%20Skills.pdf (Accessed: 27 October 2022).

Zhang, Y. (2022) ‘Incorporating Peer Response with Teacher Feedback in Teaching Writing to EFL Learners: A Literature Review’, English Language Teaching, 15(3). https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v15n3p48