Personal Learning Experience: Processes And Reflection

Task 1: Personal Learning Experience

This report highlights my learning experience while taking “Intermediate French Classes” for professional development and to interact with French clients. It is not easy to learn something successfully but applying several tactics one emerges successful. There are several factors to consider such as

• Was the work involved well connected to the real-world implementation?
• An assessment of the relevance of the content to the individual during the learning process.
• Does the learner get an opportunity to interact and apply the knowledge imparted?
• The impact of the learning process gives a learner a chance to share or transfer the knowledge, skills, confidence, and change in attitude acquired during the learning process.
• The learner is exposed to a challenging situation in which he/she is able to apply the lessons learnt in the given situation.

Based on the above reflections, there are several themes that are evident that a learner needs to take into consideration.

• Strategy

It is crucial to have a breakdown or a plan on how to learn a given concept. It implies that a learner needs to set goals and objectives that he or she should have met at the end of the learning experience. This is the initial stage of every learning process. This ensures that in the process of learning, a learner can evaluate the experience and deem it successful or not. The strategic plan should eventually make an individual more efficient and effective especially in a professional environment.

• The prerequisites

It is very important for an individual to know what is require in the learning process. The pre-requisites detail the background knowledge an individual is expected to have as well as the skills needed to commence the learning experience. Here, an individual determines the reason for the learning experience, the need for it, and a problem statement is drafted for study.

• The structure

This refers to the learning outline. It comprises of the activities, knowledge, and skills to be acquired in the learning process. The individual lists the activities in a chronological or progressive order. The skills are acquired in a way to improve the learning experience at each stage.

• Interaction with other people. The easiest and fastest way of learning is through interaction with the other learners. This is done through questions and answer sessions, through group discussions, or random discussions. A learner is able to understand concepts further and in the process, there is knowledge transfer.
• Sensory impact of the learning experience. A learner gets a level of confidence having acquired certain skills and knowledge. The learner has evaluated and met most if not all of the objectives. There is a satisfactory feeling of success on the learner’s end.

The team responsible for the training and development process are quite efficient and perform highly. The tutors implement knowledge transfer techniques implementing the modern technology to provide the best learning experience. They use e-learning services, power-point presentations, and graphical information. The process involves learning sessions and examinations. The examinations are done periodically to assess the progress of a learner based on the concepts taught in a given period of time. The process ensures that the learner engages the trainer in their learning process through discussions and questions. A learner is able to grasp more concepts by asking questions.

My personal training and development planning process mainly involved setting objectives and strategies that need to be addressed in the development process. I dig deeper to identify areas that need more attention in order to get the most out of the session. Having identified the concepts to learn, the requirements to enroll in a given training and development process, I identify suitable tutors to help me with the learning process. Each learning process requires a time schedule which I discuss with my tutors to ensure availability. This are some of the things I choose to work on as I plan for the training process.

Task 2: Learning a Foreign Language

After planning for the training sessions, I need to consider the most cost-effective method to ensure that I train effectively, yet at an affordable cost. I have options to choose from as I can do the training online or offline in an institution of learning. Depending on my convenience in terms of time and cost, I choose an offline platform where I interact with other learners in a campus.

When learning a foreign language, a lot of materials are available both online and off the shelf in many bookstores and libraries. My aim was to learn the language well enough to read periodicals and books in French as well as have a level of fluency in speaking the language. This was not easy as I have a background in English and I am more conversant with the language as opposed to this new language. There are seven main learning style a learner can utilize namely:

• Visual style
• Verbal learning
• Interpersonal learning
• Intrapersonal learning
• Logical learning
• Aural or musical learning
• Physical learning

When learning a new language, several learning styles can be applied to aid the learning process. The learning process. In the beginning of the learning process, the tutor introduced us to the basics of the language. The language dynamics and semantics. This basic information is important to know how to use terms or words in the correct tenses etc. The tutor progressively engaged us in verbal recitation to define the terms well and pronounce the words in the French accent. Some of the words are easy to learn as they are similar in English. The tutor engaged us in discussion held purely in French to test our fluency and apt in relating with each other in the new language. Learning is made easy using music. The music aided in pronunciation of words as well as the assimilation of the content. The tutors provided us with audio e-books and conducted e-learning classes for us when we were outside the campus. The materials provided for the study were quite resourceful in the learning process.

The learning experience was challenging as we progressed. The pronunciation tests and lessons were more challenging than the theoretical ones. It was required of one to learn how to speak well, articulating the words as expected. I had set aims and objectives at the beginning of the learning process. Unfortunately, the timelines I had set were a bit unrealistic. Learning a language is not a one-off exercise. It needs time, exposure, and deeper interaction with experts or native French. That was an oversight that I made when setting the objectives in the training and development planning process.

Some of the aim and objectives that I set, I managed to achieve. It was my aim to learn how to speak in French fluently without thinking too much about it. I also learnt how to interact with others to gather the most out of them. In the process, I have tried to improve my confidence level during the learning process. I have gathered a lot of knowledge of the French culture through the language lessons and as a result my confidence was increased.I am able to interact with people at a personal level and make meaningful conversations. The training and development session required one to have a good grasp of technology and how to use it.  

The training was partially successful. This means that I could have done better planning to accommodate risks and constraints that caused the few unachieved aims and objectives. In my re-evaluation of the plan developed, I would put a better timeline for the lessons so as to gather as much out of it as possible. I have effectively improved and corrected my weak points. During the learning period, I interacted with other persons. Our tutor engaged us in presentations. I was able to improve on my public speaking skills and learnt how to interact with an audience to ensure they did not lose interest in the subject matter. I am now in a position to discuss critical issues of the company with the French clients and come to an agreement in the native French language. This learning process has been successful but it is a continuous process as I have something new to learn from the French every time we hold discussions. Training and development is crucial for the improvement of one’s professional or personal life.

Eisele, L., Grohnert, T., Beausaert, S. and Segers, M., 2013. Employee motivation for personal development plan effectiveness. European Journal of Training and Development, 37(6), pp.527-543.

Khumalo, N.N.Y., 2015. A review of the alignment between the Integrated Development Plan and the performance management system of Capricorn District Municipality (Doctoral dissertation, Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University).

Olsen, B., 2015. Teaching what they learn, learning what they live: How teachers’ personal histories shape their professional development. Routledge.