Author: Nadia Bafekr

Originally published here.

When i first came into this course, i had a few in(ter)dependent learning skills, for example i had worked in teams or by myself in school, but that was really the only time that i had got that opportunity

After the first few weeks, i realised and gained skills that i never even knew i was capable of, this course has not only helped me to expand my knowledge on in(ter)dependent learning and how much more beneficial it is to work in a team.

I learnt that the research that i do and the time that i take to analyse is a very important factor of in(ter)dependent learning as it not only expands my knowledge but it also gives me an insight to other views and opinions which is a very important thing.

I will be coming away from this course with new skills and knowledge, and i know that because of this course,and because i have worked with people that i have never met before i will now be in so much of a better position for university as the majority or their assignments are in(ter)dependent involved and without this course i feel that i would have been going into it with minimal knowledge and then i would have panicked, but now i feel prepared and i feel like i am now so far ahead other entrants.

Thank you for this opportunity and it had been my up-most pleasure to be involved

 

Originally published here.

This weeks assignment included having to make a collaboration video in groups. I very much enjoyed this assignment as i took on the responsibility of putting everyone’s videos together and i personally had never done this before but realised how fun it was and i really enjoyed it. I learnt skills in that too, skills i never knew i had

I also feel that the way our group worked together to decide who did what, we worked extremely well and managed to sort things out very efficiently and it worked perfectly

It showed me that working in a team is more fun than working by yourself and making a video is a very fun and good way to learn.

Making a video was fun but also tricky as 30 seconds is a very short amount of time to speak in so it made me realise that picking out the important parts to a paragraph is very important 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgbeVeUOF9I&feature=youtu.be

here is the link to our video

Originally published here.

This weeks assignment on what came first, the chicken or the egg? was an extremely interesting title to be given.

The person that i was paired with and i, worked very well together, discussing what needed to be done and how we were going to sort out who did which part. We handled it very well, and together with our own research, i believe that we overall produced a very thorough essay, giving research and data from both sides to the argument, for or again the egg/chicken.

I believe that our conclusion and introduction give a clear insight to the chosen area topic and a good closing of analysis of the ‘Critique’ section. I believe that this section provides a wide variety of various opinions and theories related to this topic and therefore making the conclusion easier to write and generalise.

This weeks assignment has given me the opportunity to work in a pair, which in my opinion is a lot easier and helpful than working in a group, although that is also very helpful and necessary in future life. From this assignment, i have learnt the importance of analysis and how it is not always about explaining or describing but it is more about the analysis of the data that you provide, being able to break it down into parts until it becomes understandable. Being able to analyse a question that nobody is 100% sure of the answer to was a very useful and helpful technique that will most definitely help me if future experiences like this.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Xk1-6GkI_lO-Ntibu7WAtCKv581X-nYI1P3R8aQPwoE/edit

Originally published here.

Week3’s assignment was a tricky one, as not only did we have to rely on our own knowledge, but we also had to rely on the persistence and knowledge of others. My original group did not go to plan as i ended up being the only person to have done any group, so being moved to a more enthralled group helped me a lot as i was able to give my opinion and share with them what i had found, although this did not seem to make a massive difference. 

The final essay was amazing, it had everything that was asked, a good findings section that was reliable and rich in data, a conclusion that showed a clear match to the findings produced, although it did seem to go off topic slightly, it still related largely to the findings. 

Being able to work as a team and produce an essay between us has been a new experience for me and i feel that my skills have strengthened and i have learnt things that i didnt necessarily know before, it has given me the opportunity to combine my knowledge and research with that of others which i feel has helped me a lot.

This week has really helped me to understand and realise how much research does matter and how much it can help you to reach your final answer, without research it would be hard to ever really come to a clear conclusion and i feel that this week’s assignment has really shown me the value of research and working as a team.

Reaching the halfway point through the course, i feel that the new skills and knowledge that i have has helped me to improve my way of learning, whether that be with essay writing techniques, structure or even to help me with revision. I feel like in the last 3/4 weeks, i have improved my learning and developed into a more organised and hardworking individual.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14JenDif7mk0jRWXDp4bp8AIJxuIIKPqgqFnu9viyxHc/pub

Originally published here.

The reason that i decided to participate in this course is because i feel that by doing so, i will be putting myself in the best possible position for the future, being able to tackle any independent tasks or challenges that i may face in my life. 

Independent learning is learning without any help from others, being able to research and produce final products/assignments without any assistance  and without having anyone there to guide you or tell you what to do. This is important because in places such as University, we are expected to sit in a lecture, listen to the lecturer, make notes, and then go away from it and almost teach yourself the whole topic, research and make sure that you understand exactly what you are being told to learn. For this, i believe that you need to be motivated to well, you have to be a very focused and work driven person and you have to want to do well and thrive in what you do without feeling the need to require help from others.

I believe that yes, it is possible to learn how to be more independent, learning is a very important part of our lives in order to succeed in what we do, But learning how to be more independent, is a challenge in itself. You can do this by setting yourself individual challenges, and set yourself a deadline  do not ask for help and use sources such as books and the internet for your research. You will always find a way of getting an answer, you just have to know the right places to look.