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OPEN UNIVERSITY OF SRI LANKA

B.Ed. Honours in Primary Education (Level 4)

EPU 4335
REFLECTIVE LEARNING

ASSIGNMENT NO 02

Prepared By:
Bogahawaththage Dhanesha Chamari Wasana
REG NO :619223552
ACADEMIC CENTRE :COLOMBO (WP10)
ADDRESS :No B28/G2, Soysapura, Moratuwa

Reg N0: 619223552 | Student ID: S00010652 | Name: B.D.C. Wasana

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Answer the following questions with examples and references as required.

1. Develop three reflective notes based on your experience in submitting an

assignment, in participating in a day school in this programme and engaging in
your day to day work and present them according to a format given in the
module.(3x 5= 15)

2. Analyse the difficulties you have faced when writing the reflective notes
presented above with examples.(3x 5= 15).

3. Explain the strategies you adopted to overcome the difficulties mentioned above
with examples and how successfully they were in improving the reflective notes
given above.(20 marks)

4. Analyse the strengths and limitations of at least 6 reflective notes you have
developed so far within the course.These notes should be different from the
reflective notes included in the first answer.(30 marks)

5. Discuss the importance of maintaining a reflective journal in relation to B.Ed

Primary Education programme. (20 marks)

Reg N0: 619223552 | Student ID: S00010652 | Name: B.D.C. Wasana

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1. Develop three reflective notes based on your experience in submitting an

assignment, in participating in a day school in this program and engaging in your day-to-
day work and present them according to a format given in the module.

Reflective Note
Module : Reflective Learning – EPU 4335
Topic : Assignment Submission
Date : 22/09/2023

01. Description of the experience

I'm currently a Level 5 student pursuing a Bachelor of Education in Primary Education at Open
University. In one of my recent modules, I had to submit an assignment. This assignment was about
reflective learning. I had to reflect on my learning experiences.

02. Feelings and thoughts about the experience

When the assignment deadline was getting close, I felt a bit nervous but determined to accomplish the
task. I knew it was a tough task, but I wanted to do well.

03. Evaluation of the experience, both good and bad

Looking back, I see that my initial worry pushed me to ask for help from my lecturers and classmates.
We worked together to understand and complete the assignment step by step. This experience taught me
to break Big problems into smaller ones.

04. Analysis to make sense of the situation.

I learned that it's okay to feel a little anxious about challenging tasks as long as you use that feeling
positively. Also, getting help from others can make a big difference. Breaking down tough problems
into smaller pieces is a smart strategy.

05. Conclusion about what you learned and what you could have done differently.
I submitted the assignment on time and grasped deeper knowledge and understanding about the subject.
In the future, I'll tackle tough tasks with a positive attitude, and I won't hesitate to ask for help when I
need it. I'll also plan more time for difficult assignment.

06. Action plan for how you would deal with similar situations in the future, or general
changes you might find appropriate.

I hope to set aside dedicated time for assignments and actively seeking help from lecturers or
collaborating with mates if needed.

Reg N0: 619223552 | Student ID: S00010652 | Name: B.D.C. Wasana

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Reflective Note
Module : Reflective Learning – EPU 4335
Topic : Day School Participation
Date : 02/08/2023

01. Description of the experience

As a Level 5 student in the Bachelor of Education in Primary Education program, I attend lectures on
weekends. We have lectures, group discussions, and practical exercises.

02. Feelings and thoughts about the experience

I‘m genuinely looking forward to attend lectures and gain valuable knowledge on subject matters. At
the same time, it positively impacts my career development as well. Meeting up with colleagues at the
school/institute on the weekends is also another reason why I look forward to attending the school.

03. Evaluation of the experience, both good and bad

I realized that actively participating in discussions and group activities helped me understand the
complex theories and subjects. Talking with other students gave me valuable insights and made
learning fun.

04. Analysis to make sense of the situation.

I found that when I get involved in discussions and activities, I learn more, especially when the topic is
complex. Listening to different opinions is valuable.

05. Conclusion about what you learned and what you could have done differently.
Attending the lectures on weekends is one of my most anticipated events of the week. Learning from
qualified lecturers is a great experience and crucial to my education journey.
Also, spending time with my colleagues is a great way to recover from mental exhaustion during the
week.

06. Action plan for how you would deal with similar situations in the future, or general
changes you might find appropriate.

I wish to regularly attend academic events and actively contribute to discussions and group
activities.

Reg N0: 619223552 | Student ID: S00010652 | Name: B.D.C. Wasana

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Reflective Note
Module : Reflective Learning – EPU 4335
Topic : Day to Day work
Date : 30/08/2023

02. Description of the experience

In my everyday life as a Level 5 student in the Bachelor of Education in Primary Education program, I
have to strike a balance between my job, coursework And personal life. It can be a bit challenging.

02. Feelings and thoughts about the experience

My daily life feels like juggling many things at once. Sometimes, it gets overwhelming, and I struggle
to manage my time well.

03. Evaluation of the experience, both good and bad

I realized that setting clear priorities is essential. I learned to figure out which tasks are urgent and
important, so I can manage my time better. Talking to my mentors and peers also helped a lot.

04. Analysis to make sense of the situation.

I figured that managing time well and asking for advice when needed are vital. I also noticed that self-
care activities, like practicing mindfulness and physical exercise, can reduce stress.

05. Conclusion about what you learned and what you could have done differently.
So, I've learned that balancing work, study, and personal life needs good planning, setting priorities,
patience and seeking help when things get tough.

06. Action plan for how you would deal with similar situations in the future, or general
changes you might find appropriate.

I wish to make a day planner, set up a activity list and take care of my mental and physical well-
being.

Reg N0: 619223552 | Student ID: S00010652 | Name: B.D.C. Wasana

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2. Analyze the difficulties you have faced when writing the reflective notes
presented above with examples.

One of the key challenges I faced was finding the right balance between providing enough
information for a thorough understanding of the reflection while maintaining accuracy. For example,
in the assignment reflection, I needed to carefully select the most important aspects of my feelings and
learning process, then ensure that I could capture the details of my experience without becoming
overwhelmed with too much detail.

Another problem was expressing my feelings in a specific way. Emotions are complex and it can be
difficult to come up with the right words to express them. When talking about my excitement at
school, I realized that relying on words like "excitement" was not enough. The depth and intensity of
feeling I experienced must be put into words in a more comprehensive way. Expressing emotions
effectively often requires a refined and nuanced approach to expressing emotions in writing.

Maintaining a realistic tone while writing was difficult but necessary. I had to resist the temptation to
transform the reflection into a mere story or description of events. As a result, I need to keep the
narrative of my day-to-day work reflective by focusing on the lessons I've learned and how they
influence what I do next, rather than simply repeating past events.

It was very important to make sure the reflective notes were logical and clear. Being able to move
smoothly between different parts of the reflection without losing my focus was a constant concern.
This involved carefully planning the content for reflection so that I could understand the flow from
presenting my initial thoughts to assessing the overall experience to outlining the action plan.

Reg N0: 619223552 | Student ID: S00010652 | Name: B.D.C. Wasana

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3. Explain the strategies you adopted to overcome the difficulties mentioned

above with examples and how successfully they were in improving the reflective
notes given above.

One of the big challenges I faced was finding the right balance between giving enough details to make
the reflection meaningful and not overwhelming with too much information. I adopted a strategy of
carefully picking the most important details to include while revising and editing to make sure
everything added value. For example, in the assignment submission reflection, I initially had lots of
specifics about the assignment, but after some thought, I realized that not all of them were necessary
for understanding the experience. removing those excessive details made the reflection more engaging
and easier to follow.

Expressing emotions accurately was another challenge. Emotions can be complex and hard to put into
words. It's like trying to describe one of your traumas – it's scary, but it's also so much more. To
overcome this, I tried different words and phrases, using descriptive language to convey my emotions
more clearly. For instance, when I described my reasons to why I’m excited to attend the school
(Lectures), I moved from generic terms like "excited" and phrases like "I’m happy to be here" to
“genuinely looking forward to attend the school” and “gain valuable knowledge on subject matters. At
the same time, it positively impacts my career development”. Using language in this manner, captures
my emotions profoundly.

Keeping the writing reflective was difficult. It's like telling a story but with a purpose. you're not just
saying what happened, you're also thinking about what you learned from it. So, I had to keep
reminding myself about the main goal of reflective writing which is to analyze my experiences and
share what I learned. To stay focused on this goal, I had to remove details that didn't contribute to the
reflection's reflective nature. For example, in the reflection on my daily work, I initially included a lot
of day-to-day details that weren't directly related to the experience. After changing, the focus shifted
towards the insights gained from those experiences. This change made the reflection more meaningful
and reflective.

Reg N0: 619223552 | Student ID: S00010652 | Name: B.D.C. Wasana

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4. Analyze the strengths and limitations of at least 6 reflective notes you

have developed so far within the course. These notes should be different from
the reflective notes included in the first answer.

 Observing lectures

Strengths:
• This reflection is directed on what I saw during a lecture. It helped me understand how
teaching methods worked.
• I kept it organized, starting with what I observed, what I initially thought, and then diving
into my analysis. It made it easier to read and follow.

Limitations:
•While I watched the lecture closely, I didn't comprehend how it made me feel or what I
personally learned from it. This made the reflection a bit one-sided. Not Enough Personal
Insights.
• Sometimes, I focused too much on describing what happened rather than really analyzing
it. It left room for deeper insights.

 Lecturer Feedback in a Presentation

Strengths:

• I was really open about how I took feedback from lecturers. I was strong on learning. It
has an open to Feedback.
• I develop a plan to rectify my mistakes and enhance strengths so that I could perform
better next time. Can have a clear focus on improvement.

Limitations:

• I talked about how I saw the feedback, but I didn't really get into what my colleagues
thought. It left out a big part of the story.
• I missed contemplating about my own performance, how far I have come from the initial
stages of my personation style.

Reg N0: 619223552 | Student ID: S00010652 | Name: B.D.C. Wasana

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 Exploring effective teaching methods

Strengths:
• It explored various teaching strategies and their impact on student learning. As a teacher I
could add I learned from these lessons to my teaching approach. It has made my teaching
approach more effective and purposeful.
• I incorporated educational theories to support my study, making the reflection more
academically basis.

Limitations:
• The reflection became quite lengthy and dense, which might have made it challenging for me
to engage fully later.
• Since the reflection is lengthy and dense, it took a fair bit of time to note down. It was
difficult to shorten the note as it was a reflection on a complex matter.

 Navigating researches for assignments

Strengths:
• Researching thoroughly and effectively to grasp information to complete an assignment is
crucial. It is a must-have skill if one wants to excel in academics. This reflection improves not
only academics but also real-life decision making since proper research prevents majority
from taking incoherent decisions.
• This reflective note follows a structured evaluation of my experiences in finding and using
research sources. It discusses pros and cons of using each research sources. Furthermore, it
explores both successful and challenging aspects.

Limitations:
• While I shared my insights on the research process, I could have elaborated on how these
skills might benefit my future academic or professional endeavors.
• Incorporating references to educational theories on effective research strategies could have
added a deeper theoretical framework to the reflection, enhancing its academic depth.

Reg N0: 619223552 | Student ID: S00010652 | Name: B.D.C. Wasana

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 Incorporating Technology in Teaching

Strengths:
• This note conveys a comprehensive self-analysis of my experiences with technology in the
classroom, outlining both the benefits and challenges.
• It explores how technology improved student engagement. The reflection emphasizes how
interactive tools and online resources brought a new level of excitement to the learning process,
making classes more engaging and dynamic.

Limitations:
• While I explored my own experiences, it would have been valuable to include insights or
feedback from students to gain a broader view of the technology's impact on their learning.
• Although technology improves learning significantly, it is still a challenge for under privileged
students to buy some of the devices. I should have included this part in my reflection.

 Effective Communication

Strengths:
• This reflection shows the value of effective communication and how it could be used to gain
valuable insights and also expressing my own views in a captivating way.
• One notable strength is the emphasis on the importance of empathy in communication. The
reflection highlights instances where understanding the perspectives and emotions of others
played a crucial role in successful communication.

Limitations:
• While the reflection speaks upon multicultural communication, it could have dig deeper into
the subtle differences of cross-cultural communication, exploring how different cultural
backgrounds impact communication styles.
• I should have incorporated theories of effective communication, such as the principles of
active listening or non-verbal communication. That could have broadened the reflection.

Reg N0: 619223552 | Student ID: S00010652 | Name: B.D.C. Wasana

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5. Discuss the importance of maintaining a reflective journal in relation to B.Ed

Primary Education programme.
Reflective journal has huge benefits in increasing self-awareness, which is a key component of
emotional intelligence, and in developing a better understanding of oneself. Reflective journal can
also help ourselves to develop creative thinking skills, and encourages active engagement in work
processes. A reflective journal is first and foremost an essential tool for continued development as a
B.Ed Primary Education programme student. It serves as a mirror, allowing us to assess our
instructional strategies and methods. You can identify what you're doing well in the classroom and
where you still have room for improvement by consistently journaling your observations and
reflections. This self-awareness is essential to improving as a teacher because it enables you to hone
your strategies over time.
B.Ed program offers many teaching theories and methods. It can be difficult to translate these
theoretical ideas into useful real life applications therefore, A reflective journal is essential in this
situation. It acts as a link between theory and practice, allowing you to describe how you've used
particular strategies and how they've affected real life situations. This reflective process not only helps
you remember what you've learned, but it also makes sure that your education has real-world
application.
Challenges such as assignment deadlines and understanding complex theories are a necessary part of
following a learning program. Your reflective journal turns into a useful tool for solving issues. When
you run into problems, writing them down in your journal can produce insightful ideas and creative
fixes. For an example submitting an assignment during a busy phase could make you anxious and
tension. But writing down your reflections on the current situation could pave the way to make a day
planner and you might discover you have got enough time to allocate for the assignment.
keeping a reflective journal regularly helps you communicate more effectively. Whether it's sharing
knowledge with peers, working together with groups, or interacting with lecturers, effective
communication is key in any realm of life. You can enhance your ability to communicate effectively
in a variety of educational contexts by expressing your thoughts, ideas, and experiences in your
journal in a clear and coherent manner.

It's a way to document your journey like an archive. B.Ed program plays a significant role in
personal and career development. Your reflective journal turns into a collection of experiences
and memories of the program that you can evaluate in the future. In summary, maintaining a
reflective journal while pursuing B.Ed in primary education is like having a personal teacher's
manual. It aids in personal development, the integration of theory and practice, self-awareness,
problem-solving, and memory keeping of key moment

Reg N0: 619223552 | Student ID: S00010652 | Name: B.D.C. Wasana

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Reg N0: 619223552 | Student ID: S00010652 | Name: B.D.C. Wasana