This week I had my second mentor session and it all went well. We outlined a few issues I had outstanding with college work and the hand in dates but apart from that every was great.
We had my mentors mentor sit in with us this time to make sure everything was being done properly and it actually worked out for the better as he also gave us some insight into how the company performs and works.
Activities 1-9 now completed and checked
Reflection:
Best mentoring session so far and I've learnt alot. Next time i need to provide more detail of my subject and what is expected of me.
Should have completed the activities sooner.
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Wednesday, 10 November 2010
Diary Entry 10.11.10
Personal Action Plan Completed with 5 points for each section.
To do list made and I've set enough time for each and all shall be completed in two weeks.
Reflection:
Personal Action Plan could of been compelted earlier and I should have as much left to do at this point in time.
To do list made and I've set enough time for each and all shall be completed in two weeks.
Reflection:
Personal Action Plan could of been compelted earlier and I should have as much left to do at this point in time.
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
Gantt Chart
Please find below an inserted picture of my shortend Gantt Chart as the whole thing wouldnt fit.
Learning Plan
Today i completed a learning line, a learning line shows what you have learned in the past and what you want to learn in the future. This will consist of area's such as schools's, college's, work places and much more.
With reflection on my learning line I could have included a few more points through out my learning life but they aren’t as major as the things I have already included. Maybe with more extensive research I would I have included a lot more things but I feel that the ones I have included are the more important and have been a big influence on what my learning style is today.
With reflection on my learning line I could have included a few more points through out my learning life but they aren’t as major as the things I have already included. Maybe with more extensive research I would I have included a lot more things but I feel that the ones I have included are the more important and have been a big influence on what my learning style is today.
Proposal
2.2.1. Assessment for Work Based Learning 1 (ED115882S)
- Proposal
My proposal will be focused upon my main duties at work which is the creation and amending of 2D and 3D drawings. Throughout this proposal I will be including copies of drawings that I’ve created and also changes and amendments made by engineers and my mentor.
- Theories and Practice
I intend to show the relationship between my work and personal learning by showing the completion and amendments of drawings made by engineers and mentor. I’ve included a few copies of drawings and an attached email which has been amended and then completed by myself. The email helps me engage into why I’m making these amendments and what implications that will have on the design and function of the pipe work. This sort of information is very useful for me in my quest for a greater understanding of the work I’m carrying out. Rather than just copying sketches produced by an engineer they actually sit down and go through with me why and what the purpose of the design is. I find this very helpful and necessary for me to produce the most accurate and detailed drawings I possibly can. After completing my first year of the Foundation Degree I find myself questioning and putting forward more ideas as I’m now confident in my own ability to come up with designs and ideas for improving the engineer’s designs and criteria. The more time I spend at college learning about the different engineering practices the more confident and engaged I become. At work I do both mechanical and electrical drawings and its now nice to be able to understand what I’m actually drawing and what It’s used for.
- Occupational Standards
In my line of work we have many standards to adhere to. They usually include such things a BS Standards, ISO, IEC and many especially our own drawing standards. The drawings standards are adhered to throughout the company across all divisions and sectors. This is to keep a high level of draughtsmanship and quality running throughout the company. The RH drawings standards cover all areas from text size to line thickness and colouring. After working and using the same standards for over 3 years now they’ve been ingrained into me so I have no need to keep referring to our standards manual. Only on the odd occasion when I have to use an ISO or BS standard that I rarely come across do I need to refer to a manual or other documentation.
Engineering Technicians (EngTech) standards are a world renowned organization. Engineering Technicians are concerned with applying proven techniques and procedures to the solution of practical engineering problems. They carry supervisory or technical responsibility, and are competent to exercise creative aptitudes and skills within defined fields of technology. Professional Engineering Technicians contribute to the design, development, manufacture, commissioning, decommissioning, operation or maintenance of products, equipment, processes or services. Professional Engineering Technicians are required to apply safe systems of working. The main systems I contribute to at work are the design, operation or maintenance of products, equipment, processes and services. We are given a great number of responsibilities as a Technician and there are a number of high level standards to be adhered to.
- Transferable Skills
I currently work within the Maritime Division but in the Mechanical and Electrical Department. The skills and information I have learned from my time working the M&E team wouldn’t be very effective if I worked within another department say Infrastructure and Buildings as that’s nothing to do with what I have learnt. My drawings knowledge and capabilities would be easily transferable and I would cope extremely well as the drawing standards and CAD knowledge can be replicated throughout any department and division within Royal Haskoning.
- Cultures and Practice
Through decades of empirical research, scholars have established abundant links between organizational culture and organizational performance. While previously businesses were either unaware of culture’s importance or believed it too difficult to manage, today they recognize that it can be used for competitive advantage. This is something that Apple Computer gets. By leveraging their culture of innovation toward product as well as internal processes, they have been able to survive — despite incredible competition — as well as venture into new and profitable markets. But in order to use culture strategically, a company first needs to understand its culture. And there’s the rub.
Culture is a complex issue that essentially includes all of a group’s shared values, attitudes, beliefs, assump¬tions, artefacts, and behaviours. Culture is broad — encompassing all aspects of its internal and external relationships—and culture is deep in that it guides individual actions even to the extent that members are not even aware they are influenced by it. Scholars tend to agree that the root of any organization’s culture is grounded in a rich set of assumptions about the nature of the world and human relationships. For example, the underlying belief that people are selfish and only out for themselves might unwittingly influence a company’s attitudes and behaviours toward outside salespeople, vendors, and consultants. This is profound stuff that is largely invisible, unspoken, and unknown to an organization’s members. So is it possible to really know a company’s culture? While admittedly it would be a daunting (and some might claim impossible) task to fully account for all components of a company’s culture, the dominant attributes can generally be identified. In focusing on “effective organizations”, research has uncovered many critical dimensions. John Campbell (1974) and his fellow researchers identified thirty–nine impor¬tant indicators. While such a list is helpful, it is still impractical for organizations to account for so many dimensions. Realizing this, Robert Quinn and John Rohrbaugh (1983) reviewed the results of many studies on this topic and determined that two major dimensions could account for such a broad range. Their Competing Values Framework combines these two dimensions, creating a 2x2 matrix with four clusters.
After looking at the different types of control cultures that are shown above I would say that my work is generally a mix of Market and Clan Culture depending on where you are in the department. My company is a very focused and goal based organization but then we are a very close-nit team that socialize outside of work as well as at work. This creates a very pleasant working environment and makes you motivated to work and easy to ask for help and to ask questions. As this is my first job I cannot comment on other companies and working practices but the work culture I’m currently in suits my working and learning habits extremely well.
- Proposal
My proposal will be focused upon my main duties at work which is the creation and amending of 2D and 3D drawings. Throughout this proposal I will be including copies of drawings that I’ve created and also changes and amendments made by engineers and my mentor.
- Theories and Practice
I intend to show the relationship between my work and personal learning by showing the completion and amendments of drawings made by engineers and mentor. I’ve included a few copies of drawings and an attached email which has been amended and then completed by myself. The email helps me engage into why I’m making these amendments and what implications that will have on the design and function of the pipe work. This sort of information is very useful for me in my quest for a greater understanding of the work I’m carrying out. Rather than just copying sketches produced by an engineer they actually sit down and go through with me why and what the purpose of the design is. I find this very helpful and necessary for me to produce the most accurate and detailed drawings I possibly can. After completing my first year of the Foundation Degree I find myself questioning and putting forward more ideas as I’m now confident in my own ability to come up with designs and ideas for improving the engineer’s designs and criteria. The more time I spend at college learning about the different engineering practices the more confident and engaged I become. At work I do both mechanical and electrical drawings and its now nice to be able to understand what I’m actually drawing and what It’s used for.
- Occupational Standards
In my line of work we have many standards to adhere to. They usually include such things a BS Standards, ISO, IEC and many especially our own drawing standards. The drawings standards are adhered to throughout the company across all divisions and sectors. This is to keep a high level of draughtsmanship and quality running throughout the company. The RH drawings standards cover all areas from text size to line thickness and colouring. After working and using the same standards for over 3 years now they’ve been ingrained into me so I have no need to keep referring to our standards manual. Only on the odd occasion when I have to use an ISO or BS standard that I rarely come across do I need to refer to a manual or other documentation.
Engineering Technicians (EngTech) standards are a world renowned organization. Engineering Technicians are concerned with applying proven techniques and procedures to the solution of practical engineering problems. They carry supervisory or technical responsibility, and are competent to exercise creative aptitudes and skills within defined fields of technology. Professional Engineering Technicians contribute to the design, development, manufacture, commissioning, decommissioning, operation or maintenance of products, equipment, processes or services. Professional Engineering Technicians are required to apply safe systems of working. The main systems I contribute to at work are the design, operation or maintenance of products, equipment, processes and services. We are given a great number of responsibilities as a Technician and there are a number of high level standards to be adhered to.
- Transferable Skills
I currently work within the Maritime Division but in the Mechanical and Electrical Department. The skills and information I have learned from my time working the M&E team wouldn’t be very effective if I worked within another department say Infrastructure and Buildings as that’s nothing to do with what I have learnt. My drawings knowledge and capabilities would be easily transferable and I would cope extremely well as the drawing standards and CAD knowledge can be replicated throughout any department and division within Royal Haskoning.
- Cultures and Practice
Through decades of empirical research, scholars have established abundant links between organizational culture and organizational performance. While previously businesses were either unaware of culture’s importance or believed it too difficult to manage, today they recognize that it can be used for competitive advantage. This is something that Apple Computer gets. By leveraging their culture of innovation toward product as well as internal processes, they have been able to survive — despite incredible competition — as well as venture into new and profitable markets. But in order to use culture strategically, a company first needs to understand its culture. And there’s the rub.
Culture is a complex issue that essentially includes all of a group’s shared values, attitudes, beliefs, assump¬tions, artefacts, and behaviours. Culture is broad — encompassing all aspects of its internal and external relationships—and culture is deep in that it guides individual actions even to the extent that members are not even aware they are influenced by it. Scholars tend to agree that the root of any organization’s culture is grounded in a rich set of assumptions about the nature of the world and human relationships. For example, the underlying belief that people are selfish and only out for themselves might unwittingly influence a company’s attitudes and behaviours toward outside salespeople, vendors, and consultants. This is profound stuff that is largely invisible, unspoken, and unknown to an organization’s members. So is it possible to really know a company’s culture? While admittedly it would be a daunting (and some might claim impossible) task to fully account for all components of a company’s culture, the dominant attributes can generally be identified. In focusing on “effective organizations”, research has uncovered many critical dimensions. John Campbell (1974) and his fellow researchers identified thirty–nine impor¬tant indicators. While such a list is helpful, it is still impractical for organizations to account for so many dimensions. Realizing this, Robert Quinn and John Rohrbaugh (1983) reviewed the results of many studies on this topic and determined that two major dimensions could account for such a broad range. Their Competing Values Framework combines these two dimensions, creating a 2x2 matrix with four clusters.
After looking at the different types of control cultures that are shown above I would say that my work is generally a mix of Market and Clan Culture depending on where you are in the department. My company is a very focused and goal based organization but then we are a very close-nit team that socialize outside of work as well as at work. This creates a very pleasant working environment and makes you motivated to work and easy to ask for help and to ask questions. As this is my first job I cannot comment on other companies and working practices but the work culture I’m currently in suits my working and learning habits extremely well.
VARK Questionnaire
VARK Analysis
I’ve recently completed a VARK Questionnaire to find out about my preferences for the way I work with information. Everyone has a preferred learning style and one part of that learning style is your preference for intake and output of ideas and information. When the questionnaire is completed I used a marking guide which you’ll find attached to find my score for each of the categories.
The categories are:
Visual (V):
This preference includes the depiction of information in maps, spider diagrams, charts, graphs, flow charts, labelled diagrams, and all the symbolic arrows, circles, hierarchies and other devices that instructors use to represent what could have been presented in words. It could have been called Graphic (G) as that better explains what it covers. It does not include movies, videos or PowerPoint. It does include designs, whitespace, patterns, shapes and the different formats that are used to highlight and convey information.
Aural / Auditory (A):
This perceptual mode describes a preference for information that is "heard or spoken." Students with this modality report that they learn best from lectures, tutorials, tapes, group discussion, email, using mobile phones, speaking, web chat and talking things through. It includes talking out loud as well as talking to yourself. Often people with this preference want to sort things out by speaking, rather than sorting things out and then speaking.
Read/write (R):
This preference is for information displayed as words. Not surprisingly, many academics have a strong preference for this modality. This preference emphasises text-based input and output - reading and writing in all its forms. People who prefer this modality are often addicted to PowerPoint, the Internet, lists, dictionaries, quotations and words, words, words...
Kinesthetic (K):
By definition, this modality refers to the "perceptual preference related to the use of experience and practice (simulated or real)." Although such an experience may invoke other modalities, the key is that people who prefer this mode are connected to reality, "either through concrete personal experiences, examples, practice or simulation" [See Fleming & Mills, 1992, pp. 140-141]. It includes demonstrations, simulations, videos and movies of "real" things, as well as case studies, practice and applications.
And a Mixture. Multimodals (MM):
Life is multimodal. There are seldom instances where one mode is used, or is sufficient, so we have a four-part VARK profile. That is why the VARK questionnaire gives you four scores. Those who prefer many modes almost equally are of two types. There are those who are context specific who choose a single mode to suit the occasion or situation. There are others who are not satisfied until they have had input (or output) in all of their preferred modes. They take longer to gather information from each mode and, as a result, they often have a deeper and broader understanding.
My VARK Questionnaire and Answers
Please find attached an enclosed copy of my completed VARK Questionnaire. After checking my score against the scoring chart I scored highly in two styles and they were Visual and Kinesthetic.
With reflection I knew all along that I had a very visual orientated learning style as I always found that charts, maps and labelled diagrams explained something a lot better than if someone was trying to explain it all to me.
I’ve recently completed a VARK Questionnaire to find out about my preferences for the way I work with information. Everyone has a preferred learning style and one part of that learning style is your preference for intake and output of ideas and information. When the questionnaire is completed I used a marking guide which you’ll find attached to find my score for each of the categories.
The categories are:
Visual (V):
This preference includes the depiction of information in maps, spider diagrams, charts, graphs, flow charts, labelled diagrams, and all the symbolic arrows, circles, hierarchies and other devices that instructors use to represent what could have been presented in words. It could have been called Graphic (G) as that better explains what it covers. It does not include movies, videos or PowerPoint. It does include designs, whitespace, patterns, shapes and the different formats that are used to highlight and convey information.
Aural / Auditory (A):
This perceptual mode describes a preference for information that is "heard or spoken." Students with this modality report that they learn best from lectures, tutorials, tapes, group discussion, email, using mobile phones, speaking, web chat and talking things through. It includes talking out loud as well as talking to yourself. Often people with this preference want to sort things out by speaking, rather than sorting things out and then speaking.
Read/write (R):
This preference is for information displayed as words. Not surprisingly, many academics have a strong preference for this modality. This preference emphasises text-based input and output - reading and writing in all its forms. People who prefer this modality are often addicted to PowerPoint, the Internet, lists, dictionaries, quotations and words, words, words...
Kinesthetic (K):
By definition, this modality refers to the "perceptual preference related to the use of experience and practice (simulated or real)." Although such an experience may invoke other modalities, the key is that people who prefer this mode are connected to reality, "either through concrete personal experiences, examples, practice or simulation" [See Fleming & Mills, 1992, pp. 140-141]. It includes demonstrations, simulations, videos and movies of "real" things, as well as case studies, practice and applications.
And a Mixture. Multimodals (MM):
Life is multimodal. There are seldom instances where one mode is used, or is sufficient, so we have a four-part VARK profile. That is why the VARK questionnaire gives you four scores. Those who prefer many modes almost equally are of two types. There are those who are context specific who choose a single mode to suit the occasion or situation. There are others who are not satisfied until they have had input (or output) in all of their preferred modes. They take longer to gather information from each mode and, as a result, they often have a deeper and broader understanding.
My VARK Questionnaire and Answers
Please find attached an enclosed copy of my completed VARK Questionnaire. After checking my score against the scoring chart I scored highly in two styles and they were Visual and Kinesthetic.
With reflection I knew all along that I had a very visual orientated learning style as I always found that charts, maps and labelled diagrams explained something a lot better than if someone was trying to explain it all to me.
SWOT Analysis
SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieving that objective. The technique is credited to Albert Humphrey.
A SWOT analysis must first start with defining a desired end state or objective. A SWOT analysis may be incorporated into the strategic planning model. Strategic Planning, including SWOT and SCAN analysis, has been the subject of much research.
· Strengths: attributes of the person or company that are helpful to achieving the objectives.
· Weaknesses: attributes of the person or company that are harmful to achieving the objectives.
· Opportunities: external conditions that are helpful to achieving the objectives.
· Threats: external conditions which could do damage to the objectives.
In reflection of my SWOT analysis I’ve shown my strengths and weaknesses within a working environment. I’ve also included my opportunities and also threats. Within threats I felt that the main one was eventually loosing my job due the current economic climate even though its now picking up. I think now looking back I could have expanded into a little greater depth for threats but I just wanted to focus upon the main one.
A SWOT analysis must first start with defining a desired end state or objective. A SWOT analysis may be incorporated into the strategic planning model. Strategic Planning, including SWOT and SCAN analysis, has been the subject of much research.
· Strengths: attributes of the person or company that are helpful to achieving the objectives.
· Weaknesses: attributes of the person or company that are harmful to achieving the objectives.
· Opportunities: external conditions that are helpful to achieving the objectives.
· Threats: external conditions which could do damage to the objectives.
In reflection of my SWOT analysis I’ve shown my strengths and weaknesses within a working environment. I’ve also included my opportunities and also threats. Within threats I felt that the main one was eventually loosing my job due the current economic climate even though its now picking up. I think now looking back I could have expanded into a little greater depth for threats but I just wanted to focus upon the main one.
Lesson Tutoring Reflection
As well as having a mentor to discuss parts of my course with I have also had in depth discussions with my fellow class mates and the respective teacher for the lesson that I’m having the problem with. I have found it very invaluable having many people to talk with about different sections of the course and it’s a great outlet for anything your feeling. I’ve found that all of the teachers have been very helpful with any question that I’ve had about the course as a whole or just a particular lesson, even if I don’t understand it initially they’ve come back with a better and clearer way to get the point across.
Mentor Session Reflection
For my mentor I have used a Civil Engineering Graduate who has recently joined are firm after leaving university and completely a master’s degree in civil engineering. I found him invaluable with helping me from just the normal day to day tasks of a university student with the studying on your free time and with revision for the all important exams. There were a few people I could have chosen from work but I’ve found that because he’s around the same age as me and has also just finished his final studies it’s a lot easier and is still in touch with what’s happening within the education system. Unlike say an engineer you graduated some 20 odd years ago the whole learning experience would have been very different then and also the way you were taught.
Diary Entry 3.11.11
Diary Updated,
Personal Action Plan still on going,
Proposal checked and gone through by mentor and tutor.
Reflection:
Organization could be improved and also my time keeping skills.
Personal Action Plan still on going,
Proposal checked and gone through by mentor and tutor.
Reflection:
Organization could be improved and also my time keeping skills.
Diary Entry 27.10.10
Half Term week, used this time as a break and no work was completed.
Reflection:
Should of used this time more wisely and completed work.
Reflection:
Should of used this time more wisely and completed work.
Diary Entry 20.10.10
Personal Action Plan still on going,
Updated my blog and went over my activties and started my proposal.
Reflection:
Organization could be improved and also my time keeping skills.PAP nearly complete could do more on it though.
Updated my blog and went over my activties and started my proposal.
Reflection:
Organization could be improved and also my time keeping skills.PAP nearly complete could do more on it though.
Diary Entry 13.10.10
Personal Action Plan still on going.
Diary being kept upto date.
Mentor session, no issues raised with my college work or work.
Reflection:
Mentor session was rather short as work issues got in the way. I'll try and pick a better time for it next time.
Diary being kept upto date.
Mentor session, no issues raised with my college work or work.
Reflection:
Mentor session was rather short as work issues got in the way. I'll try and pick a better time for it next time.
Diary Entry 6.10.11
Personal Action Plan still on going and trying to complete.
Project Report looked at and gone through with mentor.
No issues.
Reflection:
Project Report needs a few errors correcting and also neatning up abit.
Project Report looked at and gone through with mentor.
No issues.
Reflection:
Project Report needs a few errors correcting and also neatning up abit.
Diary Entry 29.09.10
Same work carried on from previous diary entry 22.09.10.
Activities now completed and Skills Self Appraisal.
Personal Action Plan still left to complete though.
No issues as of yet.
Reflection:
Nothing really to reflect on apart from Ive left my PAP abit late to complete.
Activities now completed and Skills Self Appraisal.
Personal Action Plan still left to complete though.
No issues as of yet.
Reflection:
Nothing really to reflect on apart from Ive left my PAP abit late to complete.
Diary Entry 22.09.10
All Activities 1-4 now completed and 5-9 now started.
Learning Record completed and Personal Action Plan now started.
Skills Self Appraisal also started.
Still no issues
Reflection:
Activities 5-9 have been left abit late and will be completed soon.
Learning Record completed and Personal Action Plan now started.
Skills Self Appraisal also started.
Still no issues
Reflection:
Activities 5-9 have been left abit late and will be completed soon.
Diary Entry 15.09.10
Activities 1-4 completed and signed off.
Diary started and completed upto date.
No issues discoverd as of yet.
Learning Record Started and Completed.
Reflection:
Activities 1-4 took longer than expected, time management is something i need to work on. Diary abit bare but upto date.
Diary started and completed upto date.
No issues discoverd as of yet.
Learning Record Started and Completed.
Reflection:
Activities 1-4 took longer than expected, time management is something i need to work on. Diary abit bare but upto date.
Diary Entry 8.09.10
Module Guide Recieved and activities 1-4 started and some completed. Proposal also started, this included sections on Theories and Practice, Occupational Standards, Transferable Skills, Cultures and Practice.
Found a mentor at work and got talking about how i can develop with my studies and work.
Reflection:
Everythings been started abit late and i should have already completed activities 1-4also my proposal.
Found a mentor at work and got talking about how i can develop with my studies and work.
Reflection:
Everythings been started abit late and i should have already completed activities 1-4also my proposal.
Learning Plan
Today i completed a learning line, a learning line shows what you have learned in the past and what you want to learn in the future. This will consist of area's such as schools's, college's, work places and much more.
With reflection on my learning line I could have included a few more points through out my learning life but they aren’t as major as the things I have already included. Maybe with more extensive research I would I have included a lot more things but I feel that the ones I have included are the more important and have been a big influence on what my learning style is today.
With reflection on my learning line I could have included a few more points through out my learning life but they aren’t as major as the things I have already included. Maybe with more extensive research I would I have included a lot more things but I feel that the ones I have included are the more important and have been a big influence on what my learning style is today.
Self Evaluation
Last Week I completed an assesement on my Current Skills and Qualities. There were a number of questions on different subjects:
-People
-Activites
-Personal Qualities
I ticked all of the boxes as i felt that they all related to me in some way or another. The questions ranges from things about teamwork, setting priorities, assertiveness and making decisions.
I also learn't about Reflective Practice. This is shown below in the link -http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/reflecti.htm
I think its important to reflect on things that you do as it makes a great learning process.
-People
-Activites
-Personal Qualities
I ticked all of the boxes as i felt that they all related to me in some way or another. The questions ranges from things about teamwork, setting priorities, assertiveness and making decisions.
I also learn't about Reflective Practice. This is shown below in the link -http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/reflecti.htm
I think its important to reflect on things that you do as it makes a great learning process.
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