MN3040QA: Reflective Account and Note-Taking, Time Management, and Teamwork Skills Assignment Sample

MN3040QA: Reflective Account and Note-Taking, Time Management, and Teamwork Skills

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Introduction - MN3040QA: Orientation for Success in Higher Education

The present reflective account discusses the knowledge that has been obtained by me during this course, and the specific topics which would be focused upon are: note-taking, time management and team working. The ideas, concepts, theories and strategies that I have learned about these topics as a part of this course will be detailed in the subsequent sections of this work. This will be followed by a personal reflection about my overall performance throughout the course, talking about my strengths and weaknesses concerning the mentioned topics.

Analysis of Gained Knowledge

Note Taking

Taking notes within and outside of class time is a crucial skill for college students to master. It’s crucial to go through lecture notes to get the most important information and concepts from the speaker (Deniozou, Dima and Cox, 2020). The ability to take notes effectively will help students prepare for tests and build a strong foundation of knowledge.

When it comes to note-taking, the “Cornell Method” provides an innovative way to visually organise one’s notes and later test his knowledge without having to create flashcards.

Based on a “5R” framework, implementation begins with the following sequence of events:

• “Record”: Record as many important facts and concepts as one can in the main column during the lecture.
• “Reduce”: In the “Cue Column”, as soon as feasible, he should synthesise these facts and concepts. Clarifying meaning and linkages, reinforcing continuity, and enhancing memory are all benefits of summarising.
• “Recite”: Then, using just the notes he made in the “Cue Column”, he is to fill in the rest of the “Note Taking Area” with the facts and concepts of the lecture. As soon as possible, he must back up what he’s saying.
• “Reflect”: Next, the individual is to utilise his notes as a beginning point for his thoughts on the course and how it connects to his previous classes, as well.
• “Review”: To ensure that he retains the majority of what he has learned, the person should spend just 10 minutes every week going over his notes and reviewing them.

Despite the method’s efficacy, it demands a higher level of concentration in class to ensure proper organisation. Moreover, it does not allow for a wide variety of review attachments, which is necessary for optimal learning and question application. If the lecture pace is too high, this approach will not work.

Time Management

Managing one’s time efficiently implies arranging one’s schedule in a way that maximises efficiency. The advantages of efficient time management include more productivity, reduced stress, and more time to focus on the things that are important to an individual (Sainz, Ferrero and Ugidos, 2019).

One important theory in this regard is the “priority matrix”, in which work is organised into categories. It offers three main advantages: In terms of simplicity, speed, and application. Because no computations are necessary, a priority matrix is simple to grasp and put to use (Kharadze, 2017). Organizing one’s work into four primary quadrants, each labelled with a distinct level of priority and urgency, is the core idea of this method.

The following are some of the model’s drawbacks:

• Priority and urgency are the only criteria for sorting tasks. Resources, complexity, or work required to complete a task are not taken into consideration.
• Even though completing a short, urgent activity boosts productivity and momentum, it is often overlooked.
• The everyday use of the matrix can be time-consuming and complicated;
• When there are too many jobs on the grid, restricting them to five each is the best solution.

Team Work Skills

Teamwork skills are the traits and talents that enable one to do so effectively. One must be able to speak effectively, actively listen, as well as be accountable and honest to have collaboration abilities (Gupta and Misra, 2017). A team’s strengths and shortcomings may be assessed using “Belbin’s team roles” theory, which aims to assist the team in figuring out how it can improve its performance.

There are four types of “team roles” in the workplace, according to Belbin, which are characterised as predispositions to behave, contribute, and interact with others in certain ways. All of these positions fall into three categories: action-focused (Shaper, Implementer, and Completion Finisher), people-oriented (Co-ordinator, Teamworker, and Resource Investigator), and cognitive (Plant, Monitor & Evaluate) (Bao, 2019).

They may outsource too much personal responsibility and be manipulative as possible flaws. That the roles are not consistent, and hence cannot be treated as a “concrete” object is also a factor to keep in mind. They, on the other hand, are “fluid,” in that their responsibilities alter as the persons and their approaches evolve.

Analysis of Performance

I will be using “Gibb’s Reflective Cycle” framework for analysing my overall performance in the current section.

Description

My performance through this course has been full of ups and downs, in that I had had much difficulty coping with the stress due to my initial lacking of important skills such as time management, teamwork, note-taking etc. This had become a challenge for me.

Feelings

Initially, I felt that I would not be able to surmount the burden of my weaknesses, but in the end, after learning about these skills and the different theories associated with them, I finally managed to address these issues, and better my performance as a student.

Evaluation

In particular, my time management skills were very weak, whilst I was somewhat capable of handling teamwork. Having implemented the priority matrix for quite a several days, I can assert that currently, I possess the necessary time management skills to systematically handle my work. Understanding Belbin’s theory has further enhanced my potential to act as an even better team player. Finally, the Cornell note-taking method has helped me hone my note-taking skills, adding greatly to my intellectual potential as a student.

Analysis

Presently, I am in a much better position than what I had started before beginning the coursework. After facing many vicissitudes, I have realized the importance of following set guidelines set by scholars, for the works and findings of the scholars who had created the theories which I just mentioned above have guided me through this difficult journey, helping me address my weaknesses, and transforming me into a capable student.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I can state that the ideas, strategies and theories which I have come across as a part of the course have proved immensely beneficial for me. Thanks to them, I have been able to work on my weaknesses and transform them into strengths.

Action Plan

Throughout the remaining days of my academic career, and even in my prospective professional life, I will continue to use the mentioned strategies and theories to maintain my efficiency as a student and a professional.

Conclusion

Previous sections of this reflective account have covered the knowledge gained by me during this course, such as note-taking and time-management as well as teamwork. As a result of taking this course on Cornell note-taking, the priority matrix, and Belbin’s team roles theory, I have outlined the concepts and theories I have learned. In addition, a self-assessment of my performance during the course, in which I discuss my strengths and weaknesses regarding the topics addressed, has also been provided. The aforementioned theories have helped me overcome my weaknesses and build on my strengths as a student.

References

Bao, R., 2019. Research on the relationship between team roles theory and team effectiveness.

Deniozou, T., Dima, M. and Cox, C., 2020, November. Designing a Game to Help Higher Education Students Develop Their Note-Taking Skills. In Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play (pp. 181-192).

Gupta, J. and Misra, P., 2017. Perception of Team Skills: A Comparison of Self and Peer Assessment. ICRBS-2017, 2017.

Kharadze, N., 2017. Free-Time Management among Master’s Degree Students of Georgia. European Journal of Social Science Education and Research, 4(4s), pp.24-33.

Morehead, K., Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K.A., Blasiman, R. and Hollis, R.B., 2019. Note-taking habits of 21st century college students: implications for student learning, memory, and achievement. Memory, 27(6), pp.807-819.

Sainz, M.A., Ferrero, A.M. and Ugidos, A., 2019. Time management: skills to learn and put into practice. Education+ Training.