Personal Learning Plan
The aim of this personal learning plan is to create an objective method that will be followed in the achievement of academic goals that will be set. The plan will seek to identify the problem which I am facing that needs to be worked upon to avoid underperformance, formulate the goal of the plan and develop action plans that will be followed to achieve the stated goal.
The objective of the personal plan learning plan is to ensure proper utilization of time in the learning process so as to meet all the learning objectives expected from me as the learner. Specifically, the personal learning plan will enable me to evaluate my strengths and weaknesses regarding time keeping which is my most chronic academic challenge.
I will develop, in the most objective and impersonal manner possible, a list of what I consider to be my strengths and weaknesses to enable me objectively evaluate my learning abilities. I will then be able to work on the ways of improving the strengths that I have to better suit my learning purposes. My weaknesses will be evaluated to ensure that they do not hinder the outcome of my learning objectives. The development of the action plan on how to achieve the goals of the plan and the evaluation of the challenges of the plan and the best methods of dealing with the challenges will also be part of the goal.
Rationale of the Personal Learning Plan
The time allocation for specific learning of objectives is limited against a lot of learning to be carried out. The personal learning plan will be important to ensure that there is proper utilization of time and that time wastage is avoided or kept at the minimum possible level. The objectives to be met will be analysed and specific units that need to be studied allotted appropriate time within which it is expected they will be exhaustively studied. Time will be allocated for studies, revision and taking of tests to ensure that the best outcome from the learning process is achieved.
Another important reason for the learning plan is to ensure that the most appropriate learning strategy will be adopted. This will involve the evaluation of all the available methods of conducting the study and choosing the one which seems the most suitable based on the current existing conditions in the learning place and at home.
The personal learning plan will also enable me to develop attainable objectives for the learning process within the time limit provided. This will mean that I will need to actually come up with realistic numbers that will be used for evaluation purposes, for instance, the percentage points that I should attain in the continuous and final assessment tests, the percentile performance that I should aim to achieve in the course and the percentage of time that will be spent on studying.
The personal learning plan will also enable me to formulate the best way to involve others in my learning process. An evaluation of the resources available for learning will be carried out and thus I will be able to objectively determine what amount of time I will need for consultation with teachers and other learners. Meetings with teachers will have to be planned, and thus the personal learning process will enable me to plan for such meetings in the most appropriate manner possible. The plan will also enable the involvement of the other learners in academic discussions.
Scheduling usually is the source of many conflicts within the academic calendar. The personal learning plan will be used as an appropriate tool to reduce the number of scheduling conflicts which may occur by developing a comprehensive timetable which takes into account all the planned events which fall within the time period that the plan will be in effect. This will ensure that time wastage is reduced to negligible levels.
Action Steps in the Personal Learning Plan
The initial action will be the evaluation of the goals that need to be achieved from the learning process. This will be through an evaluation of what is expected from me by the tutors and other stakeholders. An example of such expectation will be the grade that is expected of the student in order to progress to the next level, what level of performance will constitute failure and the level of interaction with other students that will be required in the form of group work. This evaluation of the expected goals will be conducted at the onset of the learning programme and will be the initial stage of the personal learning plan.
The second action step will be the evaluation of my strengths and weaknesses. This will be through the development of an objective list of what I perceive to be my strengths and weaknesses which can impact positively or negatively on the learning process. The strengths that can be integrated into the learning process will be selected and used to better the application of study methods and achieve goals in the most objective manner possible.
The weaknesses that I have as a student regarding the learning process will be used to determine the areas where improvement is required to achieve the academic goals that I have already set. Effort will have to be made to ensure that the weaknesses which may have significant negative impact on the learning process are dealt with in the most expeditious manner possible. Habits such as lack of concentration, watching television for long hours and indiscipline in following set timetables will have to be dealt with so that they do not affect the study goals that need to be achieved.
The third action step will be the development of a comprehensive study timetable to guide the studying. The timetable will have in consideration the specific activities that need to be accomplished within a given period of time and will be particular to each day. This will involve planning of all the activities that will be carried out in that period of time and allowances made for other calendar events which have to be considered such as holidays and family events. The timetable will allocate specific number of hours every day for studying and specify the venues that the studying will be undertaken. The timetable will not be a final draft and allowances will be made for changes as appropriately as possible. Group discussions will also be in this timetable, and care will be taken to ensure that such meetings are attended and proper preparations for the discussions are conducted prior to them. The use of the timetable will require personal discipline to follow it to the word and ensure success in the long term.
Potential Challenges
The potential challenges in the implementation of the personal learning plan will be in three major areas; the implementation of the timetable so set, the potential of group members in discussion groups to disrupt the learning plan and the occurrences of unplanned events.
Implementation of the timetable will have to be followed to ensure that its objectives are met. The best way to ensure compliance with the timetable will be the involvement of a third party to monitor compliance of the timetable, preferably an individual in authority. The timetable will be shared with a teacher or a parent with the intention of making periodical checks on whether it is being followed or not, with proper channels of communication. Failure to follow the timetable will require that the teacher or parent takes time to demand that it be followed and recovery sought for time that may lost.
The choice of discussion groups will have to be made in the most careful manner so that the individuals who will be selected will be of similar mind and probably with the same schedules so that scheduling conflicts do not occur. The best way to undertake this will be to initially compare schedules and expectations of potential discussion group members so that future conflicts are avoided.
Unplanned events may disrupt the implementation of the personal learning plan. These are the events which are not foreseeable and therefore which cannot be planned for such as the occurrences of natural disasters and extreme weather conditions. Since such events cannot be avoided, a provision will be made in the timetable, preferably towards the end of the period to recover time which may have been lost.
Success of the Plan
The personal learning plan will be successful because it identifies the core challenge to my study success and provides the most relevant action plans to comprehensively deal with this challenge. If followed to the letter, the plan will be integral to the improvement of my study habits and ultimately my performance.
Conclusion
The personal learning plan will be used to ensure that I set specific and measurable academic goals that will need to be achieved within a specific time. The plan will ensure that there is proper collaboration with the relevant people in the setting up and implementation of the academic goals that need to be achieved, the challenges that may be encountered and how they will be dealt with in the most appropriate way to ensure that deviation from the goal is avoided.
Armstrong S. J. (2012). "Natural Learning in Higher Education". Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning.
"The Development/Learning Plan". Yale University Library. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
