Unit no: FY 027

Preparing for Success at University: Self

Development and Responsibility

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3

Task 1...............................................................................................................................................4

SWOT analysis............................................................................................................................4

Reading log..................................................................................................................................5

Time management.......................................................................................................................6

Communication Skills.................................................................................................................7

Academic writing.........................................................................................................................8

Reflection of project work...........................................................................................................9

Cover Letter...............................................................................................................................11

CV..............................................................................................................................................12

Action Plan................................................................................................................................13

Summary....................................................................................................................................15

Task 2.............................................................................................................................................16

How the project workshop developed my social and ethical awareness and responsibility......16

Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................18

Reference.......................................................................................................................................19

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Introduction
This portfolio reflects my skills and abilities, acknowledges my strengths and weaknesses, and
works to improve my knowledge to the best of my abilities. Evaluate the quality of courses based
on my learning performance and progress, and identify areas where I need to improve my skills
to apply them in the future as a student and in my career (Larson and Miller, 2011). Determine
whether we have met our learning standards, allowing us to reflect on our goals while also
working toward them and progressing as learners. It's similar to having a repository for all of
your academic achievements and other school documents.

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Task 1

SWOT analysis
SWOT analysis is a method for analyzing an individual's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities,
and threats. SWOT analysis is highly beneficial to me as a student. My SWOT analysis is given
below –

A bachelor's degree, effective I am unable to handle

communication skills, and a good excessive pressure.
academic record are all desirable
qualifications.

Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats
Educational qualification acts as an My routine is affected by the lack
opportunity for career of a strict schedule. It'll make
advancement. me lazy.

Figure 1.1: SWOT analysis

Source: (Self-made)

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 Reading log
A reading log can be used to keep track of a person's daily reading materials. It's a record of the
time, location, and title of the reading material. It also includes the number of pages read.
Generally, it is a summary that contains information about a person's reading activities. A
reading log's main aim is to aid teachers in determining the reading volume of their students. It's
also helpful to know about a student's reading habits. Below is an example of my daily reading
log –

Reading Log
Date Title Author Time Spent No of the
pages read
Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

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 Time management
Time management is a significant essential skill for any student to possess because it leads to a
successful life and allows you to be a successful person (Larson and Miller, 2011). As a student,
I use the following time management strategies –

 Make a schedule that works for me,

 Make proper use of a plan,

 Every study session should have a set of objectives,

 Begin working on assignments as soon as possible,

 At first, do a small amount at a time,

 Study in shorter bursts of time.

Time Management Skills: Weekly Schedule

Time Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

6:00 am
9:00 am
12:00 pm
3:00 pm
6:00 pm
9:00 pm
12:00 am
3:00 am

These are some of the considerations I made while working on this portfolio, and one of the most
important things I did was always leave time and space in between all of this for unforeseen
circumstances.

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Communication Skills
Effective Communication
Effective communication is about more than just getting the message across. It's all about getting
the message out so that others can interpret and react to it. Messages must be sent and received in
both directions for adequate contact between two parties (Bizfluent, 2021). To complete a
contact loop, the sender must transmit their message to the recipient, responding to the message.
This would avoid misunderstandings by ensuring a seamless flow of ideas and communication
between all parties.

Ineffective Communication
The aim of communication is for the sender and receiver to understand each other. The
interaction is ineffective because the two parties have different understandings at the end of it.
Since we all have our perceptions and life experiences, it isn't easy to fully comprehend what
others were trying to say (Bizfluent, 2021). It may be that the sender does not hear the meaning
themselves or that the meaning in which the words are used is incorrect. Receivers are often
tired, preoccupied with something important, or the environment is too loud and distracting for
them to pay attention.

The benefits of effective communication

 Two parties may share the information thoroughly with less confusion or lost information
if they communicate effectively. As a result, you'll be able to make more reliable
assessments of the data and avoid any productivity losses.
 Good organizational communication encourages employees to work together without fear
of being disowned because of their diverse backgrounds or positions in the hierarchy.
When employees are valued and respected by others, they perform better.
 By exercising good communication, one can boost one's self-esteem and gain trust while
speaking and responding to others.
 Most importantly, good communication aids in the development of interpersonal
relationships. You will effectively cooperate with others and create stronger bonds when
you gain confidence from others through effective communication.

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Academic writing
A student should take preparation for writing his academic life. An example of academic writing
is given below –

Business Communication

The exchange of information is what communication is all about. It's necessary for
communicating and exchanging ideas. In both academic and professional life, communication
skills are essential. Everyone must share with his classmates and teachers to be successful in
school. A worker must interact with his co-workers. In real life, people use a variety of
communication styles. There are three types of communication styles: upward, downward, and
lateral communicational techniques (Larson and Miller, 2011).

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Reflection of project work
Working in a team was a new and challenging experience because I had never done something
similar before. I was initially very self-conscious, but as time went by, I became more confident.
Working in a team forced me to confront some of my flaws. Working well together was one of
the essential things our group did (Szente, 2007). Each of our meetings was highly fruitful, and
each member of the community contributed significantly to the presentation.

We should have provided the data much better, in my view, because we found so many excellent
and helpful things during our study, but I believe our nerves got the best of us, and we were
unable to present as effectively as we should've been. I was still nervous speaking in front of the
camera, so I rushed through my speech, forgetting to engage with the audience through eye
contact and occasionally forgetting what I had to say. All of these are things for which I will
strive to improve in the future.

One of my most significant weaknesses is writing, but thanks to all of the different group
projects and research, my writing improves. I still have a long way to go, but I'm confident that
I'll get there with hard work and determination in the end. Overall, I think my group did an
excellent job with this presentation, and I'm confident that we'll continue to improve in the
future. Reflection on the presentation given by the group Working in a group was a new and
challenging experience for me because I had never done anything similar before. I was initially
quite self-conscious, but as time went on, I became more confident. Working in a group forced
me to confront some of my flaws.

One of the essential things our group did was work well together. Each of our meetings was
super productive, and every single member of the group contributed significantly to the
presentation. We could have provided the data much better, in my opinion, because we found so
many excellent and helpful things during our research. Still, I believe our nerves got the best of
us, and we could not present as effectively as we should have been. I was still nervous about
speaking in front of the camera, so I rushed through my speech, forgetting to engage with the
audience through eye contact and even forgetting what I wanted to say at times. All of these are
things for which I will strive to improve in the future. One of my most significant weaknesses is

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writing, but thanks to all of the different group projects and research, my writing improves. I still
have a long way to go, but I'm confident that I'll get there with hard work and determination in
the end. Overall, I think my group did an excellent job with this presentation, and I'm confident
that we'll continue to improve in the future.

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Cover Letter

25th May 2020

Teacher
Dear Mr. Kingsford Mensah

As an experienced teacher, the posting for teacher assistant with a teacher piped my interest.
While reviewing the job requirements on your website, I was excited to see my qualification and
personal traits are aligned with your needs and mission.

I bring a set of talents that I believe will be valuable to a teacher in my teacher role. I honed my
abilities in planning and caring, providing a solid foundation for the teacher assistant position.
My communication, people-centric nature, and easement, please have afforded me excellent
motivation skills. I’m excited to contribute my strengths and anciency in teamwork towards your
team efforts. As an extroverted and personable communicator with a proven track record in
cooperation, my focus on building strong professional relationships has been a valuable asset
throughout my career.

While reviewing my CV, you might notice a gap in employment. That absence because I took
time off to care for my children. My child-rearing experience has enhanced my leadership and
teamwork, determination, and prioritization talent and managed multiple schedules, enforced
rates, and around-the-clock cars. I am now settled and prepared to go back into the workforce.

Please review my CV for an in-depth view of my work history and accomplishments.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours sincerely
Loana Malaescu

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CV

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Action Plan
An action plan is a list of the actions or activities that must be completed to meet the objectives
one’s set. It's an essential part of strategic planning and aids in teamwork planning (Scribd,
2021). Individuals may use action plans to develop a strategy for achieving their objectives, not
just in managing projects. My action plan is given below -

What is my goal?
My goal is to complete this course satisfactorily and to have a prosperous career in the future.

Why is this goal important for me?

This goal is significant because it will allow me to obtain a promising career and eventually
perform in a more appropriate field.

Specifically, which I should focus on?

My prime aim will be to improve my writing skills, as I am currently having difficulty with
them. After that, I'll be concentrating on finishing my course and balancing school and family
obligations.

How will I evaluate myself?

I'm beginning to evaluate that receiving more positive feedback and receiving good grades are
indicators on the right track.

My short term goals

Some of my short-term goals include -
 Developing healthy relationships with my classmates and tutor, 

 Completing my work and assignments on time, 

 Allowing myself enough time for my following assignments, 

 Feeling confident and following through on my action plan.

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My long term goals
The essential thing for me is –
 To stay ahead of my studies,

 Not to become demotivated,

 To complete all of my assigned tasks in time,

 To continue researching, learning, and to finish successfully.

What resources can support me?

There are various requirements available to assist you in achieving your objectives. School
resources, genuine sites, and a lot of reading are some of the things I use, and I'm confident that
with commitment, perseverance, and hard work, all of my efforts will pay off in the end.

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Summary
The main goal of this project is to highlight some of my work from school to track my progress
and keep a digital record of everything I've done. It also aims to recognise my weaknesses while
also highlighting some of my strengths. The goal is to work on my weak points to develop them
to my best advantage while also supporting and maximizing my strengths. It also established a
strong studying relationship between colleges, allowing them to share ideas and notes while also
providing support when needed.

I have personally learned a lot not only how to build a portfolio but also how to produce a
resume a cover letter, because when is it time for these people, and not only does this show some
of my schoolwork, but also some of the knowledge I gain during these workshops of the
materials and equipment I used to do (Scribd, 2021). I have learned a lot about this portfolio.

I got so much personally during this work, and I think, for example, that working with my
university and my teacher made me expand my team skills, it provided me with efficient time
management tips, as we tried to find perfect journals on specific topics over some time.

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Task 2

How the project workshop developed my social and ethical awareness and
responsibility

Summary
The theory of social responsibility is based on an ethical framework in which choices and actions
are verified ethically before taking place. It is assumed socially irresponsible if an action or
decision harms society or the environment (Pachamama Alliance, 2021). It should be integrated
into everyday actions/decisions, especially those that affect other people and the environment. A
social responsibility and ethics code is followed both within the group and when interacting with
other groups or individuals in the broader group situation.

I figure out how to make a suitable professional CV during these workshops. I acknowledged
some of my weak points and talked with my instructor about what I should do to improve some
of them and make sure I keep on track to make the best efforts to keep up with my classes. These
tasks helped develop new skills such as working in teams, comparing notes, improved
interpersonal skills. It also assisted me in recognizing some of my strengths and how I can
achieve the most of them and apply them appropriately to my studies and future employment.
Our instructor assisted us greatly in structuring a captivating, professional CV, highlighting our
best strengths and qualifications, and learning how to write a professional cover letter during
these workshops. This workshop also helped me recognize some of my strengths and allowed me
to utilize them correctly in my life.

From this workshop, I benefitted a lot. Because one of my weaknesses is writing. Through
working with them, I got the opportunities to improve my writing skills. Besides, my classmates
and teacher in the workshops all the time to help us and guide us. Whenever I felt any problem or
stuck in writing, I could talk with my classmates, share my thoughts with them, and discuss
them, which helped me immensely in my thinking capabilities and writing skills. The teacher
also helped us by providing necessary instructions, providing essential study material, and

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directly monitoring and feedback on our works. These workshops also arranged some interviews
where I talked with the teacher personally about my strengths and weaknesses, learned how to
utilize my power in my day-to-day life, and turned my weaknesses into my strengths. Besides the
interview, I acknowledged how to be presentable, body language, gestures, and postures, which
will give me positive feedback and give me confidence.

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Conclusion
This workshop helps me identify my abilities, personal skills, strengths, and weaknesses and
utilize my skills effectively and adequately. My main objective is to work with children with
disabilities at the end of this course or be a support worker for me. It is essential to develop
excellent communication skills, do these workshops, and work with and communicate with
college and teacher help (Larson and Miller, 2011). Of course, there's a lot more I can do, but I'm
confident that with a lot of hard work, dedication, and patience, I'll be able to achieve my long-
and short-term goals.

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Reference

Larson, L.C. and Miller, T.N., 2011, 21st-century skills: Prepare students for the future. Kappa
Delta Pi Record, 47(3), pp. 121-123.

Scribd.com. 2021. Scribd. [online] Available at:

<https://www.scribd.com/document/479494713/> [Accessed 4 May 2021].

Szente, J., 2007. Empowering young children for success in school and life. Early Childhood
Education Journal, 34(6), pp.449-453.

2021. Pachamama Alliance. [online] Available at:

<https://www.pachamama.org/social-justice/social-responsibility-and-ethics#> [Accessed 4 May
2021].

Bizfluent. 2021. Bizfluent. [online] Available at: <https://bizfluent.com/about-6110746-effective-

ineffective-communication.html> [Accessed 6 May 2021].

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