Task 1: Self Managed Learning Essay
1.0 Introduction
Self- managed learning is a process, which involves the application of meta-cognition, behavioral or motivational strategies to enhance the learning process. The learner who uses self-management strategies are said to be the most effective since the achievement of their academic goals is driven by self-regulation (Talay-Ongan and Gosper 2000). For effective application of self-managed learning, the learner needs to be exposed to an environment that favors the concept through possession of a certain level of control over the knowledge acquisition and building process. The methodologies based on cognitive capabilities focus on the learning process, the learning context and the learner. This combination provides an environment suited to the enhancement of the learning process through self- managed learning.
1.1 Approaches to self managed learning
Various approaches have been proposed for self- managed learning. Approaches such as conferences and seminars, social networks and the internet have been confirmed effective towards the accomplishment of academic goals through self-managed learning.
Social networks – social networks refer to platforms such as Facebook, Myspace and Twitter on which people spend a lot of their time. According to Bourner (2011), social networks are an effective tool in enhancing the capacity for self-managed learning since the learners decide on the information they desire to acquire. Through chatting with other individuals and other forms of communication, social networks give people an opportunity to learn new things, especially from friends. Information sharing through forums and bulletin boards make the learning process more effective. Moreover, it is possible for people to be motivated through the lives of others with whom they share information hence enabling them to make their lives better. The motivation may also be aimed towards the sustenance of the self managed learning process.
Conferences and seminars – from an article by Collin and Hammond (2013), conferences and seminars are portrayed as being essential as tools for learning. Through the dissemination of information during both seminars and conferences, it is possible for learners to build their own knowledge base. Moreover, the reception of information presented by different speakers also enhances the capacity to learn depending on the level of interest of the learner. Furthermore, seminars, conferences and other public speaking forums also encourage individuals to develop skills that can be transferred hence helping both the individual and the organization represented by him/ her. Public speaking also enables the individuals to gain confidence in their presentations and in standing before multitudes hence enhancing their capacity to learn.
The internet – the internet provides a wide range of information that can be accessed by self managed learners hence ensuring they are informed to their desired levels. Expert sites such as online journals are very essential in achieving self- managed learning. The range of subjects on which information is available on the internet is also similarly wide. Through the application of self management learning principles, it is possible for individuals to gain information on a wide subject range from the internet. According to de Bruijn and Leeman (2011), access to information over the internet can result in development at both the individual level and the professional level. This implies that while individuals can gain from the information they gain from the internet, organizations also benefit from this knowledge due to its profession building capacity.
The three are approaches to self managed learning are the most quintessential in the contemporary world. While each of them is associated with a degree of effectiveness, it is important to note that not all are as effective as each other. For instance, the internet is the most effective approach to self managed learning since it provides sufficient information (Saba 2012). Moreover, the social network approach, while being an essential source of information, is also wrought with divertive information, which can lure the learner aware from the academic goals towards the more social provisions of the networks. Conferences and seminars on the other hand provide subject specific information and are always tailored to specific themes. The degree of learning that can be achieved through seminars and conferences is therefore limited.
1.2 Recommendations for encouraging life-long learning
Life-long learning is an essential concept in both the personal life and the professional development of an individual as well as that of an organization. Lifelong learning is in most cases triggered by encounters that encourage individuals to learn more about a particular subject. The relationship between self managed learning and lifelong learning is such that the former is always the foundation on which the latter is built. This is because lifelong learning is often focused on concepts that have not been learnt in class or in any other academic set up. Consequently, the learning is experiential rather than theoretical. The following recommendations can be made for encouraging lifelong learning.
Implementation of Kolb’s cycle of learning – this process enables the learner to move gradually from the known to the unknown, from experience through encounter to experience through practice and feeling. According to Kolb’s theory of experiential learning, the first stage in the learning process involves encountering a challenge or a problem, which can be addressed through learning. This is followed by experiencing the same situation through watching and thinking about it. The latter stages of the cycle include the involvement in the actual practice combined with critical thinking about the concept being learnt. This is followed by the final stage, which is to practice and feel the new concepts learnt (Kolb 1984). This cycle is shown diagrammatically in the figure below.
Figure 1: Kolb’s Learning Cycle (McLeod 2013)
Provision of reinforcement for positive displays of learning – since lifelong learning is initiated by an individual; it is a culture that should be inculcated in all organizational employees for the benefit of the entire organization. When each of the employees engage in the acquisition of new ideas and concepts through self managed learning, the organization as a whole benefits through the new ideas brought forward by the employees. This means that through the recognition of individuals who have done exceptionally in terms life learning, other employees are also encouraged to participate in lifelong learning processes hence add more to the organizational benefits.
These two recommendations can be adopted towards encouraging lifelong learning in an organizational set up as well as in the school set up. The key objective here is to get the learners attention on what they need to know. The application of Kolb’s model encourages the encounter between the potential learner and the new information that should be desirable to the learner. In addition, the provision of positive reinforcements encourages learners to engage in learning practices under the motivation of an expected positive outcome.
1.3 Benefits of self -managed learning
The benefits associated with self managed learning are diverse and present on both the individuals and the organization. Organizations are mainly attracted to the self managed form of learning because of various benefits such as:
The ability of self managed learning to complement other forms of learning and to reinforce development activities, which are considered formal. This is through provision of new ideas which when used to expand the knowledge base associated with particular employment positions can lead to the achievement of organizational goals.
Secondly, self managed learning also leads to higher rates of employee retention. This is because it becomes difficult form particular employee positions to fall redundant as well as for employees to feel unfulfilled. This implies that with increasing acquisition of knowledge, employees become more creative and capable of handling new organizational pressure hence they cannot be driven by boredom to quit.
Another benefit associated with self managed learning in organizations is that it can be continuously implemented as an essential part of daily organizational activities without having to spend extra in terms of both time and financing.
Organizations also chose this mode of learning because it makes the employees responsible for their own personal growth. This means that the employees have to take extra care in ensuring that they are empowered at the personal level so as to be productive at the organizational level.
Moreover, the application of self managed learning principles during the induction of employees helps the organization to capitalize on the energy of the new entrant and to increase the new employee’s enthusiasm. Both concepts are instrumental for greater profitability to an organization. An employee motivated from the beginning of his/ her career performs better than employees who gain motivation post induction. It is therefore critical for any organization to make a good first impression so that the employees can be motivated from their experiences.
The individuals on the other hand, associate self managed learning with benefits such as:
- Flexibility in terms of what needs to be learnt and the process taken to learn it as well as the mode of learning.
- Specificity since each of the information gained is through personal desire. This implies that the learner has the opportunity to choose the information they desire to keep depending on their needs.
- Provision of greater freedom of choice in terms of the educator, the information received and the level to which expertise is gained in the area learnt.
These benefits are the key drivers to the application of self managed learning in the organizational and the individual levels.
Task 2: Progress File
2.1 Curriculum Vitae
Name
Healthcare Assistant
Personal Summary
A time conscious and conscientious individual who is an asset to the current organization and who can grow to greater levels if offered an opportunity. I am polite in communication as well as in action and very willing to help both patients and their relatives as need arise.
Work Experience
Local Hospital
November 2014 – Now
I work under the guidance and supervision of qualified nursing staff in carrying out responsibilities, which include but are not limited to the following:
Provision of care to patients under the registered nurses’ supervision
- Tidying and cleaning of the hospital examination rooms
- Safe keeping of patients’ properties and record keeping for the same
- Identification and reporting on patient needs
- Taking measurements of patients’ temperatures, respiration and pulse rates
- Reporting and keeping records of patient conditions
- Assisting patients in carrying out recreational, physiological and occupational roles where need be
- Assisting patients in toileting
Key Skills and Competencies
- Knowledge of personal safety and care basics
- Effective communication skills
- Professional presentations
Academic Qualifications
Diploma in Health and Social Care
____ College 2010 – 2012
A Levels English (B), Maths (A), Science (B), Technology (C)
2.2 Personal Development Needs (SWOT)
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
| · Assertiveness -I focus on achieving my goals with all my energy, this applies also to the acquisition of new knowledge.
· I enjoy reading as a hobby – thus it is difficult for me to be bored by the reading routine. · Attentive to details – this will help me to carry out information searches without ignoring any possible sources · I enjoy self managed learning hence it will be easy for me to search for and gain new information · I enjoy interacting with new people – people can often act an essential source of information, especially in healthcare practice. |
· I am sometimes rigid in my opinions – I find it difficult to take other people’s opinions seriously when given verbal.
· I enjoy gaining information out of free will rather than compulsion – this makes it difficult for me to learn especially in an academic set up since the requisition to learn seems to me like compulsion · I get easily distracted |
| Opportunities | Threats |
| · Access to the internet – can be beneficial since the internet is a great source of useful information. Since I can identify information gaps and collect relevant information from the internet for use
· Opportunity to test new skills gained is also presented by the working environment. I can bring in my assertiveness in identifying opportunities for testing the acquired knowledge. · Supportive environment – the people with whom I interact are supportive towards my goal of expanding my knowledge. My capacity to enjoy interacting with new people will enable me to gain much from them.
|
The major threat is competition. My ease of distraction may pose a significant challenge in dealing with the threat of competition. I intend to apply my ease of learning to gather more competitive advantage through acquisition of greater power through knowledge |
2.3 Development opportunities
| Professional Skills | Current Level
5 = Strong 1= Weak |
Best current Example | Ways to improve |
| Communication Skills | 5 | I am good at listening and passing information hence good at communication | Encouraging the application of diverse communication strategies |
| Listening skills | 5 | I make accurate verbal reports each time and even put them in writing. | Engagement in active listening |
| Leadership skills | 4 | I am the current secretary of the health assistants association in my hospital | Interacting with more leadership oriented individuals |
| Planning and organizing | 4 | I plan for the cleanings in the general rooms and even assign roles to some of the assistant health workers | Operating based on a strategic plan for the hospital |
| Presentation skills | 3 | I recently presented a paper on the prevention of air borne and water borne diseases through cleanliness | Participating in more conferences and seminars to enhance my public speaking capabilities |
| Problem solving skills | 4 | I was part of the team that came up with the solution to stagnant water pools within the hospital compound | Taking a problem based approach to learning in all circumstances |
| Professional Knowledge | 3 | I am still a learner but I understand the basic concepts of patient care in the hospital set up | Application of experiential learning styles to my academic work |
| Self Management | 4 | I can make strategic decisions for both individual and organizational growth | Indulging in cognitive behavior therapy for the improvement of self esteem |
| Team work | 4 | As part of the patient care team, I have been very active in team work | Always playing my role in the team and joining more teams |
| Technology Skills | 2 | I can effectively use various social network, gadgets and the internet to collect and disseminate information | Learning through contact with others who are more proficient |
| Time Management | 5 | I always arrive at work in time | Working on a schedule |
2.4 Personal and Professional Development Plan
Name:_____________________________ Start and End Dates:_____________________
The proficiency levels are on a ten point rating scale with ten being the maximum score and 1 being the minimum.
|
|
LEARNING OBJECTIVE/GOAL |
CURRENT PROFICIENCY |
TARGET PROFICIENCY |
DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES |
CRITERIA FOR JUDGING SUCCESS |
TIME SCALE |
EVIDENCE |
|
| 1 | To be conversant with provision of care to patients | 3 | 8 | – Registered nurses are ready to offer guidance | Improvement in terms of need for supervision | 12 weeks | Recommendation from any of the qualified nurses | |
| 2
|
Ability to record patient’s belongings before safe keeping
|
1 | 10 | – My hospital currently lacks an inventory assistant hence this is an opportunity for me to develop through practice | Improved accuracy and ability to recall | 4 weeks | Comparison records for beginning and end of the period | |
| 3
|
Reporting on the health care conditions of patients | 4 | 10 | – I will be able to work with the doctors hence expanding my experiential learning capacity | Increase in the level of reporting accuracy | 12 weeks |
|
|
| 4
|
Measurement of patient biological features such as temperature and respiration | 5 | 10 | – There is an opportunity to assist the registered nurses hence gain more information | Increased accuracy and reduced need for supervision | 8 weeks |
|
|
| 5 | cleaning of examination rooms
|
4 | 8 | There is a shortage of personnel at the hospital hence I have the opportunity to learn through assisting | Elimination of the need for supervision | 8 weeks | Doctor’s recommendation | |
| 6 | Patient admission | 3 | 8 | I can work together with the current admissions nurses | Ability to perform the roles independently | 4 weeks | Nurse’s recommendation | |
| 7 | Answering enquiries from patients’ relatives | 2 | 10 | Relatives ask a lot of queries, which give me the opportunity to learn from the registered nurses, hence improve in my ability to answer their questions. | Reduced need for consultation by about 80 percent | 8 weeks | ||
Bibliography
Bourner T 2011. Developing self-managed action learning. Action Learning: Research and Practice, 8,2: 117-127.
Collin, R and Hammond, M 2013. Self-directed learning: critical practice. London: Routledge.
de Bruijn, E and Leeman, Y 2011. Authentic and self-directed learning in vocational education: Challenges to vocational educators. Teaching and Teacher Education, 27,4: 694-702.
Kolb, D 1984. Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
McLeod, S 2013. Kolb – Learning Styles. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/learning-kolb.html
Saba T 2012. Implications of E-learning systems and self-efficiency on students’ outcomes: a model approach. Human-Centric Computing and Information Sciences, 2,1: 1-11.
Talay-Ongan A and Gosper M no date. Approaching student managed learning: Evaluations of web supports undergraduate units in early childhood. Retrieved from http://www.ascilite.org/conferences/coffs00/papers/ayshe_talayongan.pdf