Hi Everyone.
We hope everyone is doing well!
I know were getting closer to the end of the semester now. How exciting! How’s everyone’s e-Portfolios coming along?
Part of your e-Portfolio assignment requires you to submit a Reflection/Personal Philosophy.
This is your chance to tell your story. This is where you can write about who you are and what drives you to make the decisions you make. You can write about what gets you motivated, the things you love, your values, and what makes you unique.
Here are a couple of helpful links to get you all get started.
http://www.ehow.com/how_6088211_write-one-personal-philosophy-statement.html
http://ezinearticles.com/?Writing-a-Personal-Philosophy-and-Mapping-Your-Goals&id=998468
-Tell us how you're planning to use reflection in developing your e-Portfolio content pages
-Share your understanding of reflection. How is it different from description?
GOOD LUCK!
Hi all!
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of background so I was planning to use reflection to look back on my accomplishments and what they meant to me then and now. I have so much stuff but with the medical field being the thing I like the most, I am trying to use those things to shape my reflection story. I want to make my past career as a nurse as the main focus of that and use all the skills I gained during the years that I worked as a nurse to help round out my story and reflect upon what I want to use those skills for as I move forward as a interdisciplinarian and how they will help mold my future career in the medical or healthcare field.
Reflection to me means looking back at what you have done in the past and reflecting about how that will help me move forward in the future as I move forward on a new career path.
Description means that you are describing something not telling about what it did for you then or can do for you in the future. It's like saying being a nurse means taking care of people. Reflecting is more like being a nurse helped me to understand other people's needs other than my own and gave me a better understanding of what it is like to be on the receiving end of patient care.
Well I hope everyone does well with their reflection and e-portfolio. It is something that is new to me and I have found some of it very frustrating to say the least. All we can do is give it our best and thats what I have been doing. Good luck to everyone!!!!
Lorri Cowart
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHey Lorri,
DeleteThat is a great explanation of reflection and description. When you reflect on the past being in the medical fields and knowing how many people you have helped along the way really motivates you to keep going and find new ways to help others. I am glad I am not the only one who thinks the E portfolio is frustrating. Only a couple more weeks though!!! good luck with it!!
Cory Stoekel
Lorri,
DeleteI plan to use reflection in the same way. My interests are in the dental field and my audience is a dental school admissions committee so I'd like to highlight things I have done in my past that have furthered my interest in dentistry.
You have given some great things to think about when reflecting on my past experiences. I really admire your way of viewing your career as a nurse. So many people just go into the medical field for the money, but I'm happy to see you have put meaning and feelings into your career!
-Charlotte Haught
Hey Lorri!
DeleteI know just what you mean about how these assignments are new to you and sometimes frustrating! I am in the same boat over here! Sometimes it seems as though what the professor is looking for is so out of reach for me, while it's actually as close as the tip of my nose and I am over-thinking it!! Hopefully we'll both survive the portfolio! ;) Good luck!!
Heather Coleman
Hey everyone!
DeleteHeather,
I completely agree that it seems out of reach at times. I am not so sure about the overthinking it though, sometimes it just seems like so much information to take in to try and do the assignment. I sometimes just prefer a more straight forward approach so I know exactly what is expected of us! It has been an interesting semester and I hope that we all take away some positive things we can use from this class even though we have been frustrated at times I hope it will all come together in the end for us!
Charlotte,
I am so glad that I am able to give you something that you can use to help you. That makes me feel good. I like being able to help others whether it involves patients or fellow classmates, I like to try to lend a helping hand because someday I might need help with something. Do unto others is always a good motto to follow. I always loved being a nurse and from the time I was young I knew I wanted to be involved in the medical field in some way. I am happy to hopefully return to that field when I am done with my education. Thank you for the kind words and I wish you all the best.
Cory,
You really seem to have a good head on your shoulders. The e-portfolio is something completely new to me but I am giving it my all to try and do it justice. I think that all of us in this class who are interested in the medical field are doing it for the right reasons. It is hard to find young people who are well meaning and have the dedication and drive to do a career justice and do themselves proud. I think you have what it takes to succeed and I wish you all the best in your future endeavors!
Best of luck to us all!! Fingers crossed we will all get through this with our sanity intact and e-portfolio's completed.
Lorri Cowart
Lori,
DeleteBest of luck to you. You have a lot to reflect on....good for you!!
Lorri, I like how you differentiated between the description of being a nurse and the reflection of being one. There is a big difference. All jobs are more than a title or name. When working in a position you do much more than what a job description could entail. Each person makes that job their own and learns something different from the experience. A description is just the tip of the iceberg and a reflection allows us to understand how we have been affected.
DeleteMary Cooley
I hope everyone does well with their reflections too. I need to put my imagination to use and just go crazy, lol.
DeleteYou did a good job explaining your thoughts, I was having a hard time writing what I thought to be the difference between reflection and description. Good luck!
Tanveer Mia
I plan to use reflection to explain why I want to be successful and who has motivated me along the way to get there. With being brought up in a loving and caring household who continuously got involved in the community and helped others I want to continue that and help others through my Physical Therapy practice. I reflect on my past and how I was brought up and use that to motivate me to be like my parents. With my mom being in the medical field, she is always hosting breast cancer walks and gaining sponsors for events to get people involved. I reflect on these when I volunteer and it motivates me to come up with my own ways to get people involved in the future. Reflection means looking back on the past and seeing what you accomplished and wondering how you can do better in the future. Description is telling what you have done and talking about how you did it but it does not account for the future and how you can change to make it better. Your future usually reflects on your past, but sometimes people and things do change. So do not always reflect on the past to tell your future.
ReplyDeleteCory Stoekel
Cory,
DeleteGood thinking about how you're going to include important people who motivated you in your past experiences. That will give you more credibility and make your story more personable.I think your audience will connect with you better and see your true sincerity behind your passion in physical therapy. I'll have to keep this is mind when reflecting in my e-portfolio.
-Charlotte Haught
Cory and Charlotte-
DeleteI agree about using people who inspired you in the reflection. I didn't even think of that! Certainly I have had some people that have inspired me to be who I am today. Thanks for the "inspiration"!
Heather Coleman
Cory,
DeleteI too am using people who have motivated me in my reflection. My story has a bit of a twist from yours though. I did not grow up in a family that was very involved in the community, outside of our childhood sports clubs. However, after seeing my father pass from cancer, I became very involved in my community. While I did not organize them, I did get involved with every cancer walk I could find. Whether new found or tradition, I think this involvement and experiences can be something to make us stand out.
Steven Bloom
Those are good things to reflect on. I would do the same. I don't know too many people in the medical field, maybe a few or so, but they are nurses. They have a lot of stories to tell so I am hoping to elaborate on their stories.
DeleteTanveer Mia
My audience is a dental school admissions committee, proving to them I am the best applicant for their school. So, I'd like to gear my reflections toward beneficial experiences that have furthered my interest in dentistry. I want them to know what I got out of my volunteering services and leadership positions. I want to come off as sincere and passionate in my reflections because my experiences I have been through I am truly passionate about. Putting it into words will be a bit tough for me I think but hopefully I'll manage!
ReplyDelete-Charlotte Haught
Charlotte,
DeleteI am sure you will do a great job relaying your personality and reflection in to a beautifully written story. It will be important for you to stand out among the others. Your passion will help you do that.
Good luck!
Heather Coleman
Charlotte, I completely understand how intimidating this assignment and project can be. It would seem that every individual who is applying for a position would want the school to believe that they have something special that the other applicants do not have. I think you do have some stand out experiences that will make the school take notice to you. To speak about volunteering services that you have participated in shows that you have given your time to this cause and how serious you are about perusing a career in the dental field. Good luck to you!
DeleteMary Cooley
Charlotte,
DeleteI find it is always easier to write when it comes from the heart. Sometimes we don't always get our point across, but I think one's passion can always be seen in their writing. While you want it to be well written, it seems to me like we shouldn't over think these reflections. If you have a real passion, and a story that can be evidence of that, it practically writes itself.
Steven Bloom
Definitely agree, I believe that if you are sincere and passionate in anything you do, the results will speak for themselves. I think you have a great strategy for your e-portfolio and much luck to you!
DeleteMatthew Vickers
Hey Charlotte,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, and volunteering and leadership positions is a main part in getting into dental school. Its crazy how little applicants the school accept each year based on how many people apply. Good luck with the portfolio and getting into dental school!!
Cory Stoekel
My reflection tells a story. A story of where I came from and how I got there. A reflection should be in the past tense with sensory descriptions included. My story tells of how I got to the place that I am and what I went through to get there. A description would be just a brief statement of my accomplishment.
ReplyDeleteHeather Coleman
Charlotte,
ReplyDeleteI'm sure your going to do just great! Be yourself! Your going to write an awesome story! Good luck!! Maybe one day you'll be working on my teeth :D
The way that we think and behave is a direct result of events that have occurred in our lives. Reflection is a chance to remember these events and how they have changed us. It is studying the history of us. I plan to use the history of myself to understand want I want to accomplish in my life. Experiences have taken me part of the way, but I have to plan to get myself all the way there. Thinking about things that I have done and accomplished has given me a better idea of what I find truly fulfilling and a glimpse of what I want my future to hold. A reflection is different from a description because it does not only list abilities, but rather speaks of things that we have grown and learned from. It creates a foundation to build upon.
ReplyDeleteMary Cooley
My audience will be an nursing school admissions board. I plan to use my reflection to show how I have rededicated myself after my father's death to achieve my goals. I want to show that I have not only the required education and experience, but an almost unmatched passion to achieve my goals. That no matter how many obstacles have come my way, I have found ways to overcome them.
ReplyDeleteA reflection will include your personal thoughts and feelings, as well as the effect it has had on us. A description on the other hand is more like a text book giving dates and a general review of what happened.
Steven Bloom
Hello All,
ReplyDeleteI have also been working on my Eportfolio. It is one of the last assignments in Capstone. It has really made me reflect on the last four years since I returned to school to finish my degree. It is difficult to put everything I've gone through into a few pages. I would recommend that you keep record of those defining moments that you will experience as you continue on your studies. Also artifacts that represent who you are or what you will or have accomplished thus far at UCF. I am excited about finishing but also sad because I have trully enjoyed being a student. All of you have a good head on your shoulders and know what you want. I pray that all of you will be blessed and will achieve all that you strive and work for out of your academics as well as your personal lives. Just remember to keep a balance and don't sweat the small stuff. Take care and God bless you all.
Claudia Perez
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI plan on telling a story about the last 10 years of my life and how I got to this point in my life. I never imagined my life to have been so adventurous and meaningful. I don't think people realize the twists and turns that are awaiting them on the path of life. I have changed majors so often that I don't even know how many times or what I began school for. What I do know is how I came to realize my calling and the opportunities that presented themselves to me to bring me to a career path. Lets see how it goes and what kind of story it becomes. I think a reflection is exactly what it means, a reflection back on your years and experiences. You are not describing any of the events, rather telling it as is was in timeline.
ReplyDeleteTanveer Mia
I am glad to hear you have finally found your calling, I hope it works out for you! It can be tough to do, especially in today's world where its hard to find something that you are passionate about when there is so much to do and it's impossible to try out everything. I have been in the same boat, I've changed my majors at least 5 times but I've always loved helping people so I think I've found my calling as well finally as well. Much luck to you!
DeleteMatthew Vickers
What drives me is the constant need to learn more about the world in order to help people one day from my knowledge. As a child I really enjoyed reading books about science and the human body, I just found it so fascinating that we are in this thing that basically allows us to move around and sense the world. I wanted to know how it worked from a very young age and still have hundreds of questions waiting to be answered. I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to these things but I can’t help it! Some values I hold very close to me is fairness and rights of other people. In my opinion people should be allowed to do whatever they want provided they aren’t infringing on other people’s rights or hurting other people. What makes me unique I think is that I am a bit of a thinker, I don’t speak very often but when I do I try to make what I say meaningful to get other people to think as well about different issues and themselves.
ReplyDeleteI’m going to use my reflection in order for people to get a glimpse of who I am as a person and for me personally to organize my accomplishments in an easy to read way. I like to think of reflection as looking back in consideration in an almost nostalgic way. Description is much different because there are little to no emotions when you are simply describing something, whereas reflection includes emotion and desire.
Matthew Vickers