Uploading your Professional Experience Report to InPlace

Here is a visual explanation of how I uploaded my Professional Experience Report to InPlace:

Uploading your Professional Experience Report and EDC3100 ICT Statement

I uploaded my Professional Experience Report and ICT Statement to my ePortfolio https://eportfolio.usq.edu.au/ and InPlace https://inplace.usq.edu.au. I received very positive and professional feedback from my Mentor and I enjoyed reading back over feedback from each lesson plan and weekly interim report. Reflecting on our journey through our University studies and Professional Experience practicum is a wonderful tool for self-reflection and professional growth.

I believe it is almost natural for us to seek and receive feedback on many levels. It is a normal, healthy and positive way for us to learn and improve throughout our University studies (and our life). As a University student, you almost have to prepare yourself for the negative feedback or for a more positive and productive way to think of it ‘constructive feedback’.

This morning I was surprised when I opened my emails. The ICT Course Examiner asked for my permission to use Uploading your Professional Experience Report to InPlace in the learning path for this and future offerings of the course. I thought, “Well yes Sir you’re welcome to use it” (I had better not get too proud! I’m just proud of all my hard work!). I’m going to perceive and value this as positive feedback!

I’m sure we’ve all had those moments when you’re anticipating the return of an assignment. Your first thought is ‘what grade did I receive?’ followed by the curiosity of the feedback that has been left for you to consider. Most often, there are suggestions in areas to improve on and a few points of positive praise.

In my experience, sometimes you don’t receive the positive feedback that you were truly hoping for. In the ‘catch 22’ it’s most often the opinions of others that bite at your heel. I once heard a saying, “Opinions are like Lego in the night, unexpected and extremely painful” (The Great Debate, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, 2016). We can still learn from the negatives or criticism and reflect on this on the balance scales. I hope that we all experience that balance between positive and negatives.

Sometimes I find myself wanting to enter into rebuttal with the marker to seek further clarification or defend my decisions. Then I realised ‘it’s not all bad, it’s just one perspective, one opinion and the marker’s interpretation of how my work measured up to the marking rubric’. There is a moderation process in grading and I was fortunate to attend a few moderation meetings during my Professional Experience at a local Primary School. I still believe moderation is one person’s perspective and interpretation verses another person. It was a beneficial process to experience for sure. Back to feedback, just enjoy the process of reflection and learn from the experience that you are gaining throughout your journey. “Good Feedback it the Key to Improvement” (unknown), this will be my advice to my future students.

[Good Feedback is the Key…] Image. Retrieved June 10, 2016, from https://au.pinterest.com/pin/985231141304610/