Marketing and Management: Reflective Journal Outline

Overview

As part of evaluating the participative process, an individual reflective journal is due for submission as one of your online homework exercises. There are two parts to this assignment. To commence Part A, you will complete a pre-activity self-rating of graduate capabilities. This section is not marked. The ratings are intended to be your perception of your own capabilities. This perception should draw on your prior experiences, including your university or other studies, paid employment or volunteer work, and from sport, hobbies and other interests. Part A consists of the self assessment and then an essay of 1,000 words focusing on the 6 areas of assessment that you believe are most valuable for you to improve and why.. The self-assessment will be graded as shown in Appendix 1 , however it will not be shared with others in your class. Part A serves the purpose of allowing the student to focus on graduate capabilities and reflective points to be considered while collecting material and writing up the final reflective journal. Part A is due to be submitted on iLearn by no later than midnight on Friday 11^th March at the end of Week 2.

Part B, consists of the self assessment post activity audit of graduate capabilities and a 1,000 word reflective journal report. The self assessment post activity audit will not be marked, but will act as support for your findings in the final report. The final report provides your analysis and reflections about the process of self-assessment that you have undertaken and analyse the evidence you have gathered. Part B is due in week 13. A hard copy is to be submitted in your final workshop class as well as a soft copy uploaded via iLearn by midnight the same day (note that your marked copy will be the hard copy so any subsequent changes to the version you submit in the tutorial will not be considered).

introduction

For many aspects of life, accurate self-assessment is an important and valuable skill. This applies to your own personal and professional development, where self-assessment is often needed to diagnose where you might need additional assistance or training. Similarly, it is useful to be able to use this skill to highlight your talents to gain employment. Accuracy in this skill might also be necessary for you to keep and maintain employment. The “Skills and Capabilities Audit Tool” has been designed to help refine your self-assessment skills. It can also be used to help you identify what kinds of evidence you can present and use as evidence of your level of attainment of skills and capabilities to employers or any other party.

Many such auditing tools and checklists focus on a narrow range of “employability” or “work readiness” skills. These are, of course, important, but many employers are looking for a broader range of capabilities in their new recruits. Analysis of such capabilities might also be useful in your own appraisal of your personal and professional development needs. The list of skills and capabilities is based on the Macquarie University Graduate Capabilities, which cover not only work readiness such as “effective communication” and “critical thinking” but also capabilities related to life-long learning such as “capable of professional and personal judgement” and “commitment to continuous learning”. There are also statements related to the broader community such as “socially and environmentally active and responsible”.

reflective journal part a

This section Part A is to be completed before commencing the marketing project. It is based on a table of skills and capabilities for you to use in undertaking a self-rating exercise before you do your participation activity. You will choose any six (6) aspects of the graduate capabilities to concentrate on during the process.

Instructions:

1. Read each of the statements in the table provided and rate yourself in the ”pre-activity self-rating” column as to how well you think you exhibit these capabilities. Use the rating scale provided below:

Rating scale : A (Excellent), B (Highly Effective), C (Effective), D (Needs improvement or Inconsistent), E (Unsatisfactory or untested). 

 

The ratings are intended to be your perception of your own capabilities. This perception should draw on your prior experiences, including your university or other studies, paid employment or volunteer work, and from sport, hobbies and other interests.

 

The self-assessment will not be graded, nor will it be shared with others in your class, though you will need to submit it as a record of the pre-activity self-assessment. It is anticipated that everyone will have some areas that “need improvement” or are “unsatisfactory”. When you revisit this list again after your participation activity, you may wish to revise some of these original ratings, either up or down – this is to be expected as you measure yourself against the requirements of the activity, supervisor’s expectations and remarks, and capabilities of co-workers. Self-assessment is an ongoing process and we are all revising our view of ourselves as we try new things.

 

It is certainly possible to rate yourself low or very low so as to show improvement whatever you learn from your activity. This approach will not, however, help you develop accurate self-assessment skills. Moreover, no marks are attached to the actual self-assessment, but will be given for your analysis and reflection at the end of the process.

 

2. Choose six aspects of capabilities that you would like to target for your activity. These might be ones where you have rated yourself poorly, or that are particularly relevant to your future career aspirations, or ones that are related to your activity. Highlight these with an X in the column, labelled “target capability”.

 

3. Save one copy for yourself (you will need it again after your activity) and submit one copy to your lecturer via Turnitin by the end of week 4, Sunday 26^th Please save the file in the following format before submitting:

SURNAME_FIRST NAME_STUDENT ID_PART A.

e.g. SMITH_JOHN_20101234_PART A

 

 

reflective journal: collecting a portfolio of evidence during the report process

 

The activity you undertake as part of this unit will provide you with an opportunity to develop or improve at least six aspects of capabilities identified through in the table you filled in for Part A. While undertaking the activity you will be required to collect ‘evidence’ of your ability regarding these capabilities (and any others that you would like to show). Please note: Physical evidence is not required. It is sufficient for you to describe/explain the evidence.

 

For the purposes of this exercise, acceptable evidence is considered to be a sample of your work from the activity that verifies the capability you say you have developed or improved. For evidence to be useful to both you, and potential employers, it must provide confirmation of what it is you say you can do. Types of evidence you may use for this exercise include: podcasts; videos; photos; PowerPoint presentations; press announcements; business reports; wikis; blogs; project management documentation; SWOT analysis; a set of interview questions; a set of alternative strategies for responding to a crisis; fictional stories; etc.  It is recommended you gather as many samples of your work as possible throughout your activity. At the end you will need to select three which best illustrate your capabilities.

 

Below are examples of what is considered acceptable evidence for the development of particular capabilities or aspects of capabilities:

• professional/technical competence could be demonstrated via a project management plan for your activity
• risk assessment and/or problem solving capabilities could be demonstrated via a set of alternate strategies for managing a crisis within the context of your activity
• effective speaking and/or the use of communication technologies could be demonstrated via a podcast you have produced for your activity.

 

Evidence that is not useful includes where the sample of work does not demonstrate the capability you claim to have developed in a clear and obvious way.  Unacceptable evidence also includes evidence where matters of confidentiality and privacy are in breech. This could involve work that includes sensitive or a company’s ‘competitive’ information; the personal details of clients and/or customers; and, the unauthorised use of photographic images, which are particularly problematic if they involve children under 18 or Indigenous Australians.

 

Before selecting your ‘best’ evidence consider the following:

• Does the sample of work clearly demonstrate the capability I claim to have developed?
• Will a potential employer gain a good understanding of my capabilities from this evidence?
• Does this evidence breech any confidentiality or privacy agreements with the organisation/people I have been undertaking my activity with?

 

The process of gathering useful and ‘valid’ evidence about your own capabilities will promote your self-assessment skills and help you identify your strengths and those areas needing improvement. Such evidence might also be used when applying for jobs.

reflective journal self assessment post activity

 

Instructions for Part B:

 

1. Retrieve your copy of the table that you completed in Part A.
2. Read the statements for the aspects of capabilities and rate yourself as to how well you think you exhibit these aspects now that you have completed your participation activity. Fill in the final column that is highlighted in grey, labelled “Post activity self-rating”.

 

Rating scale : A (Excellent), B (Highly Effective), C (Effective), D (Needs improvement or Inconsistent), E (Unsatisfactory). 

 

You may wish to revise some of your original ratings, either up or down – this is to be expected as you measure yourself against the requirements of the activity, supervisor’s expectations and remarks, and capabilities of co-workers. Self-assessment is an ongoing process.

 

Some examples demonstrating the reasons why ratings may change are below;

 

I never saw myself as a leader so in the pre activity self-assessment I gave myself a low rating for this capability. During the report process I had the opportunity to provide guidance to other students and I realised that I had better leadership skills than I had thought, so my rating needed to be revised upwards.

 

I always received high marks for my essays so I thought I had excellent written communication skills. During the project I had difficulty writing a particular type of report, and realised that while my essay writing skills were good, I wasn’t so effective across other forms of writing, particularly reports. As a result, my rating needed to be revised downwards.

 

I got on well with people so I thought I had good interpersonal skills, but during the group interaction I was involved in a conflict situation and I realised my interpersonal skills were not as good as I originally thought they were, so my rating after the activity was lower than my pre activity rating.

 

Note that while no marks are attached to the self-assessment, you must submit the document entitled Skills and Capabilities audit tool, both the pre-activity and post activity versions.  Marks will be given for some evidence you select as your best examples, and the reflection piece you write in Part B of this activity and, which will be based on the completed Skills and Capabilities Audit tool and the evidence you collected.

 

 

reflective journal part b

 

This part of the task will be marked and graded based on the following two sections of work. Part B of this reflective journal is 1,000 words.

 

1. Select the 3 pieces of evidence you have gathered, describe them to your lecturer, label which aspects of capability/capabilities each exemplifies and describe why this is a good piece of evidence (1,000 words).

 

1. Write and submit a 1000 word report that provides your analysis and reflections about the process of self-assessment that you have undertaken and analyse the evidence you have gathered. This section relates to the pre and post skills and capabilities audit students completed as well as an overall view of the evidence collected. You are also encouraged to review your overall experience and personal change over your time at University. How have you changed?

 

Some questions you may wish to consider are listed below (you do not have to address all of these, they are provided for stimulus only):

 

• Based on your completed audit tool, how accurate were your pre-activity ratings? Were there any areas where you over or under estimated your abilities? Why do you think you might have over or under estimated your abilities? OR Why do you think your ratings were accurate?

 

• How can you improve the accuracy of your self-assessment?

 

• What kinds of evidence did you gather? Why influenced your decision to gather these particular kinds of evidence? Looking back are there any other kinds of evidence that might help demonstrate your abilities?

 

• What kinds of evidence might you need to persuade an employer that you have particular skills and capabilities? How could you present these?

 

• Were some kinds of skills and capabilities easier to find evidence for than others? Which ones and why?

 

• Were there any unexpected outcomes? Did you improve markedly in a capability that you did not anticipate?

 

The final reflective journal Part B is due in week 13. This is to allow students the opportunity to complete the individual reflective journal after submitting the final report.

 

Save one copy for yourself (you will need it again after your activity) and submit one copy to your lecturer via Turnitin by the Sunday 18^th November. Please save the file in the following format before submitting:

SURNAME_FIRST NAME_STUDENT ID_PART B.

e.g. SMITH_JOHN_20101234_PART B

 

reflective journal: graduate capabilities table

 

		Step 1		Step 2
Graduate Capabilities	Description	Pre activity self -rating	Target Capability	Post activity self- rating
Discipline specific knowledge and skills
Professional/ technical competence	Exhibits relevant professional/technical skills and competencies. Meets professional standards.
Uses disciplinary knowledge appropriately	Effectively applies disciplinary knowledge to practice.
Adapts knowledge to novel situations	Applies and adapts theoretical knowledge and technical expertise to novel situations.
Critical, analytical and integrative thinking
Critical thinking	Identifies contestable issues and evaluates alternative theories, arguments and options. Forms, expresses and defends own point of view, but also recognises the limitations, weaknesses or potential objections to this point of view.
Analytical thinking	Critically examines and evaluates a range of complex and conflicting data relevant to a particular issue. Analyses problems and issues demonstrating logic and reasoning.
Integrative thinking	Understands the tensions of opposing models and ideas. Identifies relevant variables and factors, seeking to understand the causal relationships. Keeps the ‘big picture’ in mind while working on a problem. Examples might include cross-disciplinary approaches and applying theory to practice.
Information literacy and effective use of IT	Effectively uses search tools and gathers information from a range of sources. Critically evaluates information for authority, validity, bias and accuracy.
Problem solving and research capability
Research skills	Finds and reviews appropriate evidence from a range of sources, extracts relevant information, and selects most the appropriate techniques/tools for collecting and analysing data. Explores and evaluates different research methods. Demonstrates effective research design.
Research protocols	Understands ethical requirements for research and appreciates intellectual property and confidentiality.
Diagnose and solve problems	Ability to define problems. Generates a range of possible courses of action, and implements most appropriate approach. Evaluates outcomes.
Relate theoretical knowledge to practical situations	Connects theoretical knowledge to real world practice and explores the strengths and limitations of current theory and practice in real world contexts. Appreciates the importance of research and scholarship to inform/improve practice in organisations.
Creative and innovative
Creative thinking	Demonstrates awareness of problems/gaps in knowledge, considers different perspectives, adapts readily to new/uncertain situations, conveys ideas through a variety of mediums, thinks ‘outside the square’ to solve complex issues. Ability to respond to opportunities and challenges.
Innovation	Identifies opportunities not obvious to others and finds innovative solutions, where conventional solutions have not worked or are unlikely to work.
Open to experience	Views problems, questions or situations from new and multiple perspectives. Is open to new ideas and displays a willingness to try new things, experiment and take risks.
Application of critical, creative thinking	Finds effective alternative/novel solutions to problems. Applies skills and experience to areas other than prime discipline.
Effective communication
Convey views to different audiences	Chooses the most appropriate medium to convey information, views and arguments to different audiences (e.g., colleagues, managers, general public).  Takes into account the background and sensitivities of the audience (e.g., religious).
Use of visual communication and ICT	Is proficient in using a range of communication technologies (e.g., PowerPoint, podcasts, video, graphics, social media).
Effective writing	Communicates effectively in writing, including proofing, editing, using appropriate language, and avoiding jargon (unless the context requires it).
Effective oral communication	Demonstrates effective oral communication skills, including asking appropriate questions, maintaining eye contact, using appropriate language. Presents ideas clearly and persuasively.
Effective presentation skills	Demonstrates effective presentation skills including adequate preparation, clear structure and organisation of content, confident delivery, the use of appropriate visual aids, and engagement with the audience.
Effective listening	Demonstrates active listening skills. Listens to the views of others and responds appropriately.
Engaged and ethical local and global citizens
Indigenous perspective	Demonstrates awareness of indigenous perspectives, and is able to analyse social and political issues facing contemporary Indigenous Australians.
Respect for diversity	Appreciates and values diversity. Respects the different needs and values of others, including those from diverse social and cultural backgrounds. Capable of working with others from diverse backgrounds.
Open-minded and inclusive	Receptive to new or different ideas and the views of others.
Cultural literacy	Recognises the history, contributions and perspectives of different cultural groups and intercultural issues relevant to professional practice. Demonstrates an understanding of cross-cultural communication issues in the community and in a workplace context.
Social justice	Appreciates the impacts of social change, and acknowledges social and ethical implications of own actions. Takes into account the influence of social, political and cultural viewpoints of others when deciding a course of action. Recognises social justice issues relevant to own discipline or profession.
Global citizenship	Understands the global context of discipline/professional area, and contributes to the community at a range of levels from the local to the global.
Socially and environmentally active and responsible
Empathy and sensitivity	Demonstrates empathy and sensitivity to the views, values and culture of others.
Leadership	Demonstrates leadership characteristics and effectively manages groups to maximise the attainment of goals in professional, community or other contexts. Capable of persuading others and initiating change.
Teamwork	Works collaboratively with different groups e.g., recognises the strengths of other team members. Negotiates solutions and resolves conflict when opinions differ.
Sustainability	Appreciates the importance of sustainability. Addresses sustainability issues in own field of study.
Capable of professional and personal judgement and initiative
Interpersonal skills	Adjusts communication style to meet context requirements. Influences and motivates others. Negotiates effectively.
Initiative	Uses initiative and resourcefulness to respond appropriately to challenges.
Managing ambiguity,complexity and change	Handles ambiguity and complexity, unexpected findings and situations appropriately, responding to changing and uncertain situations.
Risk assessment	Identifies and assesses potential risks and devises appropriate mitigation strategies.
Ethical	Applies an ethical approach to practice. Demonstrates honesty and integrity in academic conduct. Displays personal integrity and awareness of ethical principles and issues, including confidentiality and privacy.
Time management / project management skills	Demonstrates effective time management and project-management skills (e.g., meets deadlines; organises necessary resources, etc to complete task/project).
Commitment to continuous learning
Reflection	Uses reflective practice to support professional practice and enrich personal development.
Personal, professional and social development	Recognises own need for continuous learning and development. Identifies knowledge gaps and/or skills in need of improvement. Develops strategies to facilitate these needs.

 

 

Please Note:

 

When submitting Part A, you should mark all of the pre-activity items (all of column 1) and just the six you have chosen of the Target Capability items (column 2).

 

Only Pages 9-12 are to be submitted to iLearn as your Part A plus your 1,000 word review.

 

reflective journal: marking guide for total 10% for each of Part A & Part B

 

STUDENT NAME: _________________________________________________        General Standards As Applied To This Assignment

High Distinction 85-100%	The student demonstrates the competencies in Distinction standard and in addition demonstrates; ·     Insightful and comprehensive identification and discussion of key trends concerning the specialist topic. Advanced understanding of the relevant theory related leading to defensible generalizations. ·     Demonstrates capacity to use new insights to critically appraise ideas and arguments, draws well-supported conclusions, and applies relevant theory. ·     Uses creative examples, possible extensions, and applications of theory. ·     The work has been well written with perfect spelling, grammar and punctuation.
Distinction 75-84%	The student demonstrates the competencies in Credit standard and in addition; ·     Demonstrates selectivity and uses judgment in determining the importance of key trends and ideas. ·     Shows evidence of wide reading and synthesis of ideas. ·     Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the relevant trends and issues ·     The work has been written and presented to a high academic standard,
Credit 65-74%	The student demonstrates the competencies in Pass standard, and in addition; ·     Demonstrates the understanding of key trends, and issues. ·     Demonstrates a sound capacity to appraise ideas and arguments, to draw satisfactory conclusions ·     May sometimes lapse into description rather than providing analysis and evaluation. ·     Provides a satisfactorily structured, work which is clearly written and grammatically accurate in terms of spelling. Some significant improvements needed
Pass 50-64%	The student demonstrates the following; ·     Most of the key concepts and issues in the topic are identified and discussed. Conveys a basic understanding of the relevant trends and issues ·     The work demonstrates a satisfactory capacity to appraise ideas and arguments. ·     The work provides little or no evidence of critical analysis and may simply restate or describe. The work is not synthesized or integrated and lacks depth of analysis. ·     May demonstrate a narrow focus. ·     The work is presented with sufficient coherence and clarity for the reader to understand the ideas and arguments being proposed. Improvements to writing such as structure, grammar and referencing are required Argument/discussion has some flaws.
Fail 0-49%	The student may demonstrate some or all of the following; ·     Has not identified key trends concerning the specialist topic.  Conveys little evidence of understanding of relevant issues. ·     Demonstrates a failure to identify the issues and trends. ·     The work demonstrates little understanding or appreciation of standards required for academic writing. Improvements in terms of clarity, grammar, spelling, quotations, referencing or presentation are required to achieve an acceptable standard. ·     Argument/discussion is fundamentally flawed. ·     Assessment is not handed in on time.

The Skills and Capabilities Audit Tool was developed by Dr Theresa Winchester-Seeto from the Macquarie University Learning and Teaching C