Reflection

This assignment will be focused on reflective learning throughout academic development module. It will evaluate personnel and learning development by using one reflective cycle. It will also conclude by making suggestions for present and future practice based on reflection. Reflection is the process through which you look at yourself and your practice objectively. It is the way you integrate theory and practice, and the way you grow and mature as professional and a person. Reflection is not a process that you do just once -from now on it needs to become an active and ongoing part of life. Reflection is about gaining confidence, learning from mistakes, being self-aware. (Sivier, 2004) Gibbs' (1998) mode of reflection will be used for reflecting learning. There are six stages of reflection cycle which are description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, action plan. This cycle is ongoing stages of reflection. Description and feeling stage of reflection were used. I studied back to my country so I had not had any education in United Kingdom. At the same time , being in nursing profession I need to gain knowledge and skill in this field in order to provide safe and effective nursing care to public. Thus, I joined Academic module which is totally new syllabus for me. Because of different educational background and one of my colleagues mentioned about this course will be harder that made me feel stress. Thinking whether I will pass, how teacher teaches us, what will be learning environment in one hand and another hand I felt motivated to gain qualification for further study. The next stage of this cycle is evaluation and analysis. This will be focused about my stress and motivation. People struggle with many stresses everyday. Most stresses come and go without leaving any enduring imprint. Stress makes life challenging and interesting. Stress often triggers emotional reaction -anger, fear and sadness. In the time of stress, emotions are not uniformly positive and negative emotion may foster resilience. Defensive coping is quite common. Defensive mechanisms protect against emotional distress through self -deception. (Weiten. 2004).Stress makes it harder for people to suppress competing thought. Research also suggests that stress can have detrimental effects on certain memory functions (Kellog, Hopko & Ashcraft, 1999; Klein & Boal, 2001) Stress made me to motivate to learn by asking the tutor what I did not understand and by using more library and information technology, developing habit of study at home, and concentrating on my assignments. Completing the self assessment workbook allowed me to find my strength and weakness. This motivated me to improve my area of weakness. Some of them were finding relevant literature and book in e-library, abstracting relevant information from literature found, and comparing my idea with those of others. Even though, I learned to overcome my stress, sometime I found difficult to get time to study at home regularly because of home environment but my motivation helped me to overcome some of my stress. Motives is the needs, wants, interests and desires that propel people in certain direction .In short, motivation involves goal directed behaviour .There are a number of theoretical approaches to motivation. Some of these theories drive theories related to concept of homeostasis to behaviour. A drive is an internal state of tension that motivates an organism to engage in activities that should reduce this tension. Incentive theories propose that external stimuli regulate motivation status (Boles, 1975; Me Cleland, 1975, Skinner, 1953). An incentive is an external goal that has the capacity to motivation behaviour. Ice- cream juicy steak, a monetary prize, approval from friends, an A on an exam and a promotion at work are all incentive. (Waiten, 2004) My motivation helped me to learn in order to do further study in future which lead to better life in the aspect of money and position. After achieving the qualification, it will help me on promotion as well as salary, as a results increase my self esteem and self respect. These are the extrinsic motivation. I enjoy my nursing profession and I like to gain current knowledge and skills in my profession which is intrinsic motivation for me/.-r/ "' I was also supported by family member, and the learning environment of university to learn as there are lot of facility to use library, computer, personal meeting with tutor, chance of putting your view in classroom, exercising assignments. Therefore, stress and motivation could be seen in a positive light as they directed me to achieve my goaV / I learned to search to relevant information in e-library using proper website for professional. At the same time, I learned the importance of using Boolean operators for searching relevant information, referencing material found, extracting relevant information found, understanding plagiarism, and necessary contents of academic essay. Besides these, I also learned to search, renew, reserve books online from my campus' library. This helped me to save my time. At the same time, I learned to use campus' blackboard and webmail to communicate with tutor and friends and submitting assignments and receiving corrected assignment. The next stage of reflective cycle is conclusion. Though I consulted with tutor about this module during study session but I should consult with my colleagues about this module before starting to relieve my stress. I should have joined English class to improve my writing and reading skill. I should have asked my partners to help with using basic function of computer. Though, I searched information by using e-library but I should spent more time in library to read latest journal, newspapers regarding my essay topic. Action plan is the last stage of reflective cycle. I felt stress at the beginning of this module because of new course but in future I will borrow some books from library related to course, dealing with stress and read before hand to overcome my stress. I will also attend English class to improve my writing and reading skill. I will continuously practice what I have learnt now. I will also keep my diary about reflective learning. I will also consult with colleagues who have done that course. Reflection means learning from your experience. Reflective learning helps to relate theory into practice. Reflective learning help to mature in their profession as learning is done from past experience. As all of we know that reflective learning is ongoing process which never ends until death. In my case, beginning of this module, I felt stress because of new syllabus and new environment. At the same time I was motivated to achieve professional qualification in the aspects of money and position. Whatever I have learned now is beneficial for doing my further study in this country. This needs to be practiced and I need to improve in some areas where there is weakness. My stress level at the beginning was high as not knowing anything about this course but now stress level came down while going through learning process and consulting books regarding coping mechanism of stress. In future I will be prepared to overcome stress or I will be stress free as I have learned to deal stress before hand. This reflective learning will help me to deal my stress and do my further study in future. References Gibbs, G. (1998) Learning by doing: a guide teaching and learning methods oxford, Further Education Unit, Oxford Polytechnic Jasper, M. (2003) Beginning reflective practice, Foundation in Nursing and Healthcare, Chelteham: Nelson Thomes, 71-85 Siviter, B. (2004) The students nurse handbook: a survival guide, Edinburgh Balliere Tindall, 163-171 Weiten, W. (2004) Psychology Themes and Variations, University of Nevada, Los Vegas, Thomson Wadsworth, 6th Edition, 527-537