Semester

1

Module Number

BSM260

Module Title

Personal, Professional and Academic Skills.

Assessment Method

Coursework.

Deadline (time and date)

Submission

Assessment Dropbox in the Module Study Area in CampusMoodle.

Word Limit

Part 1. Annotated bibliography. 2000 words.

Part 2. E-portfolio.

Personal development reflection 200 words.

E-portfolio extract and critical reflection. 1600 words.

Module Co-ordinator

This assessment aims to encourage students to become independent learners through enhancing personal, professional, and academic skills.

The assessment includes a requirement to select and analyse two journals in your own field and this will allow you to demonstrate academic reading skills and an ability to distil relevant information. By comparing both articles you will demonstrate in-depth critical thinking as you consider how to compare, and what elements to highlight.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and entrepreneurial thinking are key to becoming future literate and adaptable in the modern world of work and the e-portfolio you will require to prepare over the course of the semester will provide evidence of the work you have already done to support this. In selecting artefacts that evidence the four noted competences in the assignment brief, you will demonstrate understanding of the relevance of the module content to your own development. You will then go on to critically reflect on how well the chosen artefacts support learning and development in the context of your future career aspirations.

You will also demonstrate an ability to select and apply appropriate theories and models in an academic context.

On successful completion of the assessment students will be able to achieve the following Learning Outcomes:

1. To manage more effectively in the context of professional and educational environments.

2. Demonstrate competence in lifelong learning skills and development planning.

3. Demonstrate competence in post-graduate study.

4. Critically analyse and discuss existing literature relevant to the professional area.

5. Compare and contrast the relative merits of different research methods and their relevance to different situations.

Please also refer to the Module Descriptor, available from the module Moodle study area.

There is one assessment worth 100% of the overall grade for BSM260. The assessment has two parts of 50% weighting each. You must complete both parts to fulfil the requirements of the module. 

Part 1.

Annotated bibliography (50% weighting)

You are required to critique two articles on your selected theme. Consider your own course subject and select two journal articles on one of the taught themes from the following list. For example, if you are studying MSc Project Management, you might select two articles on Wellbeing at work in a project context.

• Learning in an organisational context.
• Wellbeing in the workplace.
• Collaborative improvement approaches in the workplace.
• The role of personal development in your professional field of study. 

What is an Annotated Bibliography? Here is a brief reminder.

An annotated bibliography is a written account of personal research that has been conducted on a certain topic.  It is a selection of sources (journal articles, books, websites etc.) that have been summarised and critically evaluated to highlight specific information that is key to the research. Key is that it includes an explanation of its relevance to the topic.

For the purposes of this assignment, you should choose two peer reviewed journal articles that present different arguments. You should produce an analysis of around 650 words for each article.  With the remaining 700 words, please compare both articles, concluding with development of your own, logically informed evaluation.

We recommend that you use one of the literature data collection forms from teaching week 6 to capture key information before you write up your work. DO NOT submit the completed form, instead, please use the data collected to produce an integrated, academic analysis.

Please note that while you are distilling information from, and comparing two journals, this is an academic work and should be supported with additional secondary sources where appropriate.  

To complete part 1, relevant material can be found in teaching weeks 4, 5 and 6.

Part 2.

Development opportunity reflection. E-portfolio extract and critical reflection (50% weighting)

For the first element of part 2, you will upload the Where Am I Now analysis (WAIN) completed in week 2. You will then consider the ratings and supporting evidence you recorded in the template and produce a 200-word critical reflection on a key development opportunity arising from the WAIN analysis. Please submit your completed WAIN analysis then your 200-word reflection.

The second element of part 2 is about demonstrating how the artefacts you have collated in the e-portfolio you have prepared over the course of the semester support personal development of a range of competencies.

Please select artefacts from your e-portfolio that demonstrate development of each the following competencies.

1. Creativity.
2. Critical thinking.
3. Intrapersonal and collaboration.
4. Problem solving.

You should submit one artefact for each competency and critically evaluate how they evidence personal development for the benefit of your career aspirations. For example, you might have applied the service design framework from teaching week 7 and uploaded the output as an artefact, then used it to support “creativity” as a competence, or you might critique the learning styles report you completed in the pause and reflect week to support critical thinking. 1600 words in total, (400 words of critical reflection for each artefact).

For the third element of part 2, please include the URL link to your e-portfolio at the end of your work but before the reference section. This will allow the assessment markers to view the contents of your e-portfolio. 

While critical reflection is written from a personal perspective, please note that this is an academic work and should be supported with relevant theories and models where applicable.

To complete week 2, relevant material can be found in teaching weeks, 1,2,3,7 and 8.

Please see the marking rubric for details of the weighting for each assessed element.

Recommended format

Title page     

 This is a one-page front cover. It should include your name, matriculation number and the title of your work. Please include your course of study, the module name and code as well as the final word count for each of the assessment elements. Lastly, please include the date of submission.

Annotated bibliography

Both sources should be headed using their references in RGU referencing style.  Each source for the bibliography should be approximately 650 words long, with the remaining 700 words used to compare your selected articles. 

CPD e-portfolio extract and evidence.

The Where Am I Now analysis and selected artefacts should be placed in the main body of work as part of your report.  Do not append them. There is no word count for the WAIN analysis as it was completed as a class task in week 2.

The CPD e-portfolio artefacts and supporting reflection are expected to demonstrate an ability to link the artefacts to your personal development. There is no word count for the artefacts from your e-portfolio as these will be extracted from pre-existing work.

CPD portfolio reflection on competencies.

All critical reflection should be written in the first person, “I”. It is essential that you integrate relevant theories and models and support your writing with literature where appropriate. The reflection is 1600 words, 400 words per artefact.

Reference section.

A detailed reference section should be included. This should list all sources cited through parts 1 and 2. Style should conform to RGU Harvard referencing conventions.

Total word count for this assignment is 3800 words

Annotated bibliography. 2000 words.

Development opportunity reflection. 200 words.

Critical reflection on CPD artefacts. 1600 words.

Please refer to the words limit statement in Assessment Information section of the module Moodle page for details about what is and isn’t included in the word count for this assignment.