Critical Reflection on Learning Experience for Module Three

Well, it's all done; I hit 'Submit' this afternoon and now I just have to stop my stupid brain from re-writing and second-guessing everything I've done!

What my brain feels like right now.
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The past couple of weeks have been particularly challenging, and I'm not ashamed to admit I've shed a couple of tears as I've re-written, re-arranged, re-worded and re-worked almost everything I've done. I've added and removed appendices, taken things out only to later put them back in, and nearly thrown my laptop through the window a couple of times!

But, it's done now, and I'm satisfied with what I've submitted!

So, Critical Reflection on my learning experience:

I enjoyed the research and interviews I conducted for the inquiry, and had some fascination conversations alongside the formal work. Without the amount of supporting literature I read to aid my research, many of these conversations wouldn't have taken place, or at least, not to the extent they did, and they certainly wouldn't have been as in-depth as they were!

So in this respect, my learning experience was wonderful as I have expanded my personal knowledge of my subject area and the area of my intended professional practice, and can now converse to a high, professional standard with peers in the industry. And I feel as though I have something, now, to contribute to these conversations!

However, I found writing the actual inquiry extremely challenging. Because I wasn't expecting to draw any 'yes-or-no' style conclusions, or gain any quantifiable results, I found that it was very difficult to write the Analysis Of The Findings, as I wasn't really sure how to analyse personal opinion! I mean, I think I got there in the end, but I spent days looking over my interview transcripts, making notes, highlighting different sections in different colours, then throwing them all away and re-printing to start again!

I suppose, because of this, my analytical skills have improved, in a way? After a while I began to find coherent themes and recurring similarities, so my research and writing skills have come on leaps and bounds.

If I were to start all over again, I'd probably choose something completely different to research!! No, I don't mean that, really. I just mean that the scope of what I wanted to look at was far too broad, and I found it very difficult, once I'd got started, to be able to reduce my focus to the limits of the inquiry. Because many of the interviews and conversations were so wide-ranging and fascinating, I ended up with far more information and opinion than I really needed, and I wanted to include it all!

After this, as in, within the next couple of weeks, I'm planning on applying for a Masters Degree (I did apply for one before Christmas, but received an email saying the course was being suspended for the next academic year which is annoying because a) I really wanted to get onto that particular course, b) because the application form took me weeks to fill in, and c) because the page for that course is still active on the university website for the next academic year). I hope to use the skills and experience I've gained from this course to aid me in the next level, and possibly continue the research I've begun, as I definitely think that there's scope to expand from a single case study to a wider focus.

I hate waiting...
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All in all, it's been challenging but rewarding. Now it's the Oral Presentation to look forward to, followed by the waiting game until results day!!