Posts Tagged ‘Assessment’
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Results
Reflection
Unit: SSK12
Week: 9
Date: 26 October 2009I have finally got my results back for my first two university assignments. It is difficult to hide my disappointment. I know I shouldn’t be disappointed with my results because they are my first ones and they are good ones, but that doesn’t change the fact that I am disappointed, no matter how irrational.
I got a Distinction for my Learning Log, which I of course is an excellent result, especially for my first submission, and I am very happy with that result, but I made a silly mistake. My mistake was that I had listed the main points of my reading reviews. Koral had stated that she did not want to see lists (admittedly I thought that was in reference to the essays, but to be truthful I don’t believe I was thinking at all). The fact of the matter is I didn’t do what I was told and it is irritating when you know you could have done better. On the bright side, I’ll be sure to present the main points in prose for the next one.
My other result was my essay. This one was really disappointing for me. I got a Credit, and again, I shouldn’t be disappointed with that result, especially as it was my first essay at university level, because I think Koral was kind to me, and it is as good result. I am learning after all. I guess I’m not disappointed at the result. My real disappointment lay in the actual output that I delivered. While I was waiting for the essay to get marked, I pored over it several times. I knew in myself that it wasn’t a good one. I felt the argument was weak, I wasn’t sure I’d even answered the question and the conclusion was too short and awkward. I found Koral’s comments helpful, but they demonstrated the gap I need to bridge in order to produce an acceptable essay. I believe my thesis needs to be clearer, I have to work on my structure (including my paragraph lengths) and Koral confirmed my atrocious conclusion. That’s not mentioning the silly faux pas I made. :-S
This entry is seeming a little negative, but as I reflect on the last week it is not surprising. Week 8 has been a particularly low week for me. Besides my irrational reaction to my results, I’ve also been contemplating my participation in the online tutorials. I believe my posting in the tutorials has become a tool for procrastination preventing me from completing my Learning Skills exercises. Also, this might be an overactive self-analysis, but I have read over my posts and I’m afraid that I might be more of a hindrance than a help. I’m beginning to wonder if my posts might be prohibitive to other students making their own contributions. What is more disturbing is that I feel that the posts might come across as authoritative and condescending. I especially got this sense after reading my post on the Grant reading. For now I think I should just dial it back a bit.
Finally, I find myself in a quandary over my future studies. I had come into this unit with the intention of doing a Bachelor of Business Studies, mainly for vocational reasons, but that isn’t what I really want to be doing. I’m two thirds of the way through this unit and I’m really starting to believe I should be doing something else. For many years now, in my spare time I have studied the sort of content that we have been studying for SSK12. Philosophy has been a considerable part of my life for at least the last five years and now I’m wondering if I should be studying this in a formal capacity. I have spoken to a few people about this dilemma I find myself in, probably too many people, and consequently I feel like I am being pull from pillar to post. Everyone has an opinion, and of course that’s the reason I ask them in the first place. This is already sounding silly. My sister is trying to convince me I should be doing something I am interested in, while my colleagues are telling me I should consider carefully what is beneficial to my career. To be truthful, neither of those responses surprise me. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that I have so many interests. So there’s philosophy, psychology, linguistics and language (particularly semitic languages, but French and Hindi make an appearance too), and of course Israel and all things Hebrew. I could go on, but I think I’ve made my point. With so many interests where do I go?
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Goals
Assignment
Unit: SSK12
Week: 2
Date: 12 September 2009
Assignment: QSK Worksheet -
I have completed LITE!
Reflection
Unit: SSK12
Week: 1
Date: 05 September 2009Hooray!
I am delight to write this SLog entry, for I have just completed my first assessment. Not only am I please to have achieved this milestone (no matter how small), but I am also relieved because now there is one less thing to worry about for next week. Once the QSK Worksheet is complete I will truly relax ( that’s assuming of course I have got myself up to date and don’t allow myself to fall behind).
I genuinely believe that LITE was a great benefit to me. This was not just something that I completed for the sake of ticking boxes. I have learnt to cite and reference works from other people correctly. This is something I did not know how to do previously. Sure, I have seen plenty of it in the books I read, but I didn’t know the conventions to be followed, especially for referencing journals, newspapers and websites.
I think I can say with some confidence that I know how to search the web and by extension databases and catalogues, but the lessons for searching were an excellent refresher and I believe after having done them my searches will be much more effective and efficient. I had also learnt about boolean operators before, but it was useful to refresh that knowledge as well and admittedly I had never considered the power of boolean searches when the right combinations are used.
The LITE exercises refined my understanding of where I should be looking for information, such as books for thorough and systematic treatment of a topic, journals and newspapers for the latest and up to date information, and reference materials like dictionaries and encyclopedias for overviews, definitions, and background or introductory information.
For completing this assessment I have rewarded myself with a new Filofax to organise my life and my study.
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My brain hurts
Reflection
Unit: SSK12
Week: 1
Date: 05 September 2009It’s Saturday and I’ve been studying all day. Slowly the course work is coming together, but I still feel well behind. I am catching up on some of the discussions in the Online tutorial.
I have completed the LITE assessment and I have found the LITE lessons quite informative. I can see that the items I am learning during the lessons are going to be a huge help in the future when I am trying to track down some information for an assignment. I can see that despite the fact that I am already quite savvy at searching, there are items I have learnt that will make my searches even in the work place far more efficient. I was a little disappointed that I got 4 out of 5 in two of the Module Quizzes, but in reality it’s not that bad, as long as I learn from the lessons. The overall percentage in relation to my final results is quite low so as not to affect them too much. I guess it’s just the perfectionist in me and my desire to do the best I can. Sometimes it is frustrating knowing you could have done better.
I only just started the QSK Worksheet today. It’s going to take me a lifetime to write each of these answers. I’m still on the first question, I’ve already written over half a page and I’m only half way done.
I’m falling behind on the Exercises and readings too. I’ve only read half of Chapter 3 of A Guide to learning Independently. I haven’t completed the reading by Krause, Kerri-Lee. (2005). ‘The changing face of the first year…’ and I haven’t even started the reading, Vivekananda and Shores (1996).
Additionally, I’m still yet to start and complete the Exercises from Chapters 15 & 16 in A Learning Companion.
In summary, I need to complete the follow:
- Exercise 1: Keeping a learning log (Optional)
- Exercise 15: Previewing a book
- Exercise 16: Previewing edited books
- Exercise 2: Transferring your learning strengths
- Exercise 3: Planning your approach to study
- Read: Vivekananda and Shores (1996).
- Read: Chapter 3, ‘Becoming an independent student’ of A Guide to Learning Independently
- Submit: QSK Woksheet (Due 11 September 2009, 4 pm AWST)
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