Reflection - Exercise 1

This entry is part of journal-writing requirement in the Theories of Learning course of the Professional Teaching Certificate program offered by the University of the Philippines Open University.

Hi folks! In the course EDS103, we had a Group Exercise that we started working on in October 2023, but only got to finish around January.

Well, supposedly a group activity in which social interaction could have been maximized, but as it turned out, the dynamics of group activity - good and bad came into play.

Just a context about the survey -As a requisite exercise, strategically given after Modules 1 and 2 of the course EDS 103 (Theories of Learning), the primary purpose of the exercise is for readers to have an overview of various evidence-based perceptions about learning and intelligence, via a survey with two groups of respondents – teachers and students.

The research question is - “What is the connection between intelligence and learning?” From which, a number of related questions are looked into – perceptions on who is intelligent, characteristics of an intelligent person, indicators showing effective learning, requirements for successful learning, and other areas in which the nexus of intelligence and learning may be best understood.

Now, on to the learning experience. How did the exercise help me as a learner?

The exercise sharpened my understanding of the topic by connecting academic theories with practice. For example, the nurture and nature debate suggests why some people tend to follow their parents' footsteps in the careers that they pursue, or even develop to become better because of the environment that is conducive to learning.

By working in a group, I have learned that

1. Communication is vital in any group activity. 

2. But Responsibility and commitment are more important.

3. Patience and understanding are crucial especially when some members are not able to communicate for any reason - try to be understanding.

4. Collaboration works only when everyone is proactive. When only 1 or few are proactive, the work may still be pursued but at a slower pace. It also works when we do our part - that speaks of responsibility and accountability.

A few "new tools" am I taking with me so I may be instrumental in developing stronger and more productive teamwork include patience and understanding. Understanding. Patience. Understanding. Patience. Kindness never fails.

God knows that I tried my best to motivate the group to get going and to facilitate the flow of tasks.