Improve Own Practice in Learning and Development Essay

Why L&D practitioners must engage in reflective practice and continue CPD. Analyse own values, beliefs and attitudes and the impact on their practice. Engaging in Reflective practice is associated with the improvement of the quality of care, stimulating personal, professional growth and the closing gap between theory between theory and practice. J Dewey was among the first to consider the questions of psychology and the theory of knowledge, I liked Brookfield (1998) as his concept explained discussing and talking and contemplating through the learner’s eyes. The appeal of the use of reflective practice is that as teaching and learning are complex, and there is not one right approach, reflecting on different versions of teaching, and reshaping past and current experiences will lead to improvement. Schà ¶n’s (1983) reflection–in-action assists practitioners in making the professional knowledge that they will gain from their experience in the classroom an explicit part of their decision-making. Research base practices strongly supports the importance of the teacher/ facilitator being a highly trained, reflective professional. The importance of reflecting on what you are doing, as part of the learning process, has also been empathised by many investigators, for example the second stage of Kolb’s (1984) learning cycle, reflective observation. Reflective observation can be an important tool in practice based professional learning settings where individuals learning from their own professional experiences, rather than from formal teaching or knowledge transfer, maybe the most important source of personal professional development and improvement. Another way to look at it is through Lewin/Kolb’s single-loop learning, and the Argyris and Schà ¶n concept double-loop learning which were mapped from the works of Ashby (1960) while working on cybernetics. Single-loop learning is like a thermostat that learns when it is too hot or too cold and turns the heat on or off. The thermostat can perform this task because it can receive information (the temperature of the room) and take  corrective action. Double-loop learning occurs when an error is detected and corrected in ways that involve the modification of an organization’s underlying norms, policies and objectives. Double loop learning uses feedback from past actions to question assumptions underlying current views. Davies (2012) explained the benefits to reflective practice Increased learning from an experience for situation Promotion of deep learning Identification of personal and professional strengths and areas for improvement Identification of educational needs Acquisition of new knowledge and skills Further understanding of own beliefs, attitudes and values Encouragement of self-motivation and self-directed learning Could act as a source of feedback Possible improvements of personal and clinical confidence . There are a number of ways to monitor your performance regularly, capturing incidental/experienced learning by keeping a self-reflective journal, by reading it over and over again I can begin to analyse achievements however small they seem and develop a greater level of self-awareness. This is where I try to recognise the needs to enhance my own learning so that a bigger benefit for the learner to progress and achieve something in their future. Firstly I identified my own preferred learning style as everyone learns in different ways. There are many ways to establish your preferred way of learning and as supported by Reece and Walker (2009), â€Å"All students are individuals and no two students learn the same way†. To move forward in life, we all need to improve our ideas, broaden relevant knowledge and skills. Getting constructive feedback (for example, learners, peers, mentors and colleagues) are important aspects of reflection. Performance indicators of the organisation are identified, it shows whether I am current with the ways of facilitating and is it having an impact on learners. It will also show how I am performing, what is going well and where I need training or guidance i.e.  learning Microsoft office at college, enabling me to have computing vocational skills. Utilising the S.W.O.T analysis where I am able to identify my strengths: Supportive Judicious Communication skills Imaginative and observant I am able to identify my weaknesses: Inability to refrain from helping Being too talkative Too altruistic This ensures me I am performing to the best that I can and that I am meeting all the standards and expectations within the organisations policies and procedures. The guidance of a mentor is an advantage for they have had similar experiences and understanding of their issues with self-development. There will be times when I will need support and advice to move my career forward and achieve life goals, so it is best to have an effective relationship. Some factors that help to build an effective relationship; Mutual respect Honesty and direct communication Acceptance and flexibility Commitment Trust Some shared values Willingness, to work through obstacles â€Å"Mentoring is to support and encourage people to manage their own learning in order that they may maximise their potential, develop their skills,  improve their performance and become the person they want to be† (E Parsole, The oxford school of coaching & mentoring) I believe that all individuals are created equally, thus all have the ability to learn equally. Resisting from a classroom culture of control, with the correct amount of care and tutoring, learners would be able to participate in classes with simplified understanding. Providing adequate feedback is an important aspect, I always try to rephrase a question with learners so not only do they understand and try to answer correctly, they feel great when they receive feedback which motivates them to learn. When I provide learners with time and space to be aware of their own knowledge and their own thinking, student ownership increases. Research shows that metacognition can be taught (Visible Learning, 2009). Using reflective practice I am able to instil values that the learner can use in their life and work.

American Exceptionalism essays

American Exceptionalism essays Is America better than all of the other countries in this world because we offer more opportunity and hope for humanity? Are our constitutional ideals that are focused on personal and economic freedom giving us a top seat to other cultures and nations that share this earth with us? A lot of Americas would like to think so. We live in a country that is arguably one of the freest nations, not only personally, but also politically. We are governed by public and private interests, which are based on our very own constitution that is set up to give everyone an opportunity to succeed in our growing culture. American exceptionalism is partially a reflection of our nations long history, but Americans can tend to be ethnocentric and judge other cultures by the standards of their own. When a lot of people think of America, they think about a country that is made up of a mixing bowl of races and ethnicities. They think of a culture that is founded on constitutional rights and god given freedoms that everyone has. Some people may even take America a step further and think of it as a culture that may be superior to others because of its past history of opportunity and freedom for whoever may be in search of it; but is this true? Many people may argue that the United States is better than almost any country because of our freedoms, but others may argue that the U.S. is an egotistical superpower that strong-arms, and abuses its influence on other countries. Undoubtedly, America offers many opportunities and even a lot of hope for people searching for a new life, but freedoms such as these often come with a price. The U.S. has high taxes, low minimum wages, and even may flaws in the political system that is supposed to keep us running. Many Americans can get caught up in all the wealth and prosperity that they are making for themselves in the United States. Many think that other cultures just don ...

Computer Networking essays

Computer Networking essays Networking is one of the most significant steps in the electronic evolution since the invention of the PC. A computer network is a group of connected computers that allow the sharing of information and peripherals. The most basic network is made up of two computers connected by some kind of cable in order to exchange information more quickly and efficiently. A standalone computer is very useful to many businesses, but without a network, those businesses would have to spend twice the amount of money on computerization than they would have to by implementing a network. A network allows many computers to share peripheral devices such as printers and facsimile machines. The two primary benefits of computer networks are sharing of devices and data. There are two basic types of networks: peer-to-peer and server-based. On a peer-to-peer network, any computer can act as a server to share resources with other machines and as a client to access these resources. On the other hand, server-based networks require a server computer whose job is to respond to requests for services or resources from clients elsewhere on the network. Server-based networks are used in most organizations today. There is an advantage to server-based networks such that it centralizes user accounts and eases maintenance with less need for administration. There are some disadvantages as well. Two of the largest and most common disadvantages are server failure and initial start up cost. When the server fails, the whole system is considered useless until the server is fixed. Se rvers can also be very expensive, ranging from $5000.00 to $150,000.00. Also, in order to cut down on server failure, special-purpose server software, hardware and expert staff is required. This will increase cost, but in the long run networks have proven to be very profitable by cutting down on day-to-day office expenditures. Before a server can be incorporated into a business, a netwo...

10 Ways to Get the Job You Love

10 Ways to Get the Job You Love People generally get exactly what they are looking for, and people who are looking for a job- any job- are not an exception to the rule. They, in fact, illustrate the rule. They often make the mistake of settling for the first job opening available, which is understandable- responsible people have to do whatever it takes to meet their obligations. But if you don’t want to be searching again in a few months, you should do your best to get  a job you love from the beginning. Here are 10 simple things you can do to help  get once step closer to getting a job you love.Assess YourselfYou need to know what fits you the best. One simple way to do this is by taking self-assessment tests, which are typically short and widely available online- sometimes at no cost. Classic examples are available from Myers-Briggs or Keirsey. These tests will help you understand where your greatest potential for productivity, satisfaction, and success may be.Focus on the Best-Fitting JobsWhile the ur gent need may seem like the real issue, it is really the long-term need that deserves your attention. You will discover that as you assess yourself your focus will be much more finely tuned and you will find yourself looking for a job that is a good match. You will now be operating more efficiently, not wasting time filling out endless online applications for jobs you didn’t really want in the first place.Nail Your ResumeLisa Cefali and Alesia Benedict offer several insights into nailing your resume:Write the resume for the reader. The hiring authority does not care that you played varsity basketball in high school or that your hobbies include collecting stained glass. They want to see your experience and accomplishments. Give them what they want.Connect the dots. Make it easy to for the reader to see why you are a good fit for the job by connecting the dots between your talents and skills and the job.Don’t write an introduction. Write an executive summary (and name it such) of the information that follows.Use keywords. Write with the language that appeared in the job posting. Some resumes are scanned for matching keywords before being read by a human.Nail Your Cover LetterEvery cover letter should be written exclusively for each job and company to which you apply. Within a matter of seconds, the recipient should be able to see that you are an excellent candidate for the job. The cover letter should do that, causing them to take particular note of the details in your resume. Restate the defined requirements of the job and show how you meet or exceed those specifications.Nail Your InterviewDon’t go to a job interview to decide if you want the job, because you have nothing to decide until an offer is put on the table. Martin Yates, the author of the bestseller, Knock ’em Dead, says this about the interview:You go to a job interview to get a job offer. Nothing else matters, not the pay, the benefits, or the work environment; they are a ll irrelevant until an offer is on the table. The person on the other side of the desk is not your adversary. They want to find someone who can do the work, wants to do the work, and can get along with others so that they can and get back to their real work ASAP. Your job is to help them make that decision.Look for the Perfect MatchJob hunting is kind of like dating, only more complex and, typically, with more competition. Sign up with TheJobNetwork and let us help you find the perfect job match for you. Anybody can find a job. We can help you find the job you want.

Synopsis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Synopsis - Assignment Example As Browning demonstrated, well over eighty percent of the battalion’s men neither protested nor objected. They obeyed their orders and committed atrocities on a scale hitherto unimaginable. So cliche is the phrase â€Å"it’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it† that it goes unnoticed, yet this was the attitude of reserve police battalion 101. â€Å"Ordinary men† just doing their jobs†¦ â€Å"With a conservative estimate of 6,500 Jews shot during earlier actions like those at J6zef6w and Lomazy and 1,000 shot during the "Jew hunts," and a minimum estimate of 30,500 Jews shot at Majdanek and Poniatowa, the battalion had participated in the direct shooting deaths of at least 38,000 Jews1.† Over and over again the book provides detail after detail of the depth to which the men sunk, â€Å"just doing their jobs† in the parlance of modern life. â€Å"Ordinary Men† seeks to answer the question of why these men would allow themselves to be ordered to commit such atrocities, and willingly comply. The experiments of Milgram were discussed. The effects of brainwashing were discussed. Various theories were examined and discussed in a hopeless desire to find some rational to explain the actions of reserve police battalion 101. There was none to be had.

Human Relations at Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Human Relations at Work - Essay Example The way the two executives handled the problem had a significant implication in their leadership styles, especially that of Michael Dell. Since the problem originated from his individual personality, it was something that he had to address within himself and communicate to all the people in the company. To admit their own weaknesses before tens of thousands of Dell employees in their pursuit to elevate the level of the company’s overall morale, Dell’s and Rollin’s behaviors made them quality to what had been coined as transformational leaders.A transformational leader, as Stephen Robbins had defined it in his book Organizational Behavior, is â€Å"another type of leader who inspires followers to transcend their own self-interests for the good of the organization, and who is capable of having a profound and extraordinary effect on his or her followers (2005, 343).† By admitting their weaknesses, Dell and Rollins transcended their self-interests in order to address the sagging morale in Dell, Inc, which had caused a turn around within the company.According to an article published by the Capital University of Economics and Business in China on Michael Dell’s transformational leadership, â€Å"as a successful leader, he must have strong self-consciousness. He must know what he doesn’t know and face up his disadvantages. He should learn from mistakes and borrow others talent he needed (CUEB.edu.cn).†In 2003, Dell had announced its most ambitious global target of USD 62 billion by 2006 (Interaction Associates 2005, 1).

Franchise business and none-franchise business Essay - 2

Franchise business and none-franchise business - Essay Example Block Real Estate Brokerage firm interviewed obtains its materials and supplies exclusively from the franchisor. One of the company’s managing directors interviewed asserted that due to the gap created by the ever growing demand for houses in the urban areas contributed to the development of the company specializing in real estate. Since different people have different tastes in terms of houses within which they would like to live, customer satisfaction is guaranteed by providing information on all types of houses to enable quick decision making. The working population formed the majority of urban dwellers who needed quality housing facilities and this was the rational for starting Block real estate brokerage firm (Cross and Miller 56). What started as Block Consultancy in real estate eventually turned into a full-fledged firm. The quick pace of developments was attributed to the vision and objectives set by the parent organization. Initially the organization only depended on a single individual to manage meetings with customers, persuading them to accept their housing brokerage services. With the ever increasing population the demand for housing facilities also increased leading to an increased customer base. This caused further expansion of its business operations incorporating technological advancements like the internet, phones and fax machines in order to effectively manage the business. The firm’s structure and size increased in order to meet the new demands. The benefits of a franchise type of business are that; (1) it requires less capital to begin than other businesses as it allows the company to grow capital invested by the individual franchise; (2) It also allows multiple units to be opened at the same time which are supported by the parent organization in terms of advertisements and other promotional activities; (3) such a business has a greater market because of the availability of the availability of the