Reflecting on my progress

Hello and happy Wednesday to you.

 It doesn't feel like Wednesday - it feels like Tuesday,  with all these Easter holidays I am all over the place and I am having difficulty remembering which day it is.

Anyway today I am doing a little bit of self reflecting on my journey so far. This morning I posted my Research paragraph for Essay Writing away and now as part of that module I need to look back over the last 6 weeks and look at the progress I have made. And really when I think about it - I have come an awful long way. I was thinking that it would be interesting to look at a paragraph or an essay that I wrote before I started all of these Essay writing modules and compare it to the paragraph that I have just completed. I did write a couple of pieces for my entry into the STEPS program that I must drag out and have a look at.

I think that not only my writing style has changed but also I have changed as a person with each module that I complete for all three of my Uni courses. But when I look at the Essay writing skills I have acquired - there is a big change. I am definitely a more critical and active reader and I do enjoy the process of note taking and note making  - it is a really useful tool for extracting important information relevant to the topic from your readings. I am finding that I also like to make a concept map or cluster of my topic - being a very visual person - I find it helps to see it all laid out in front of me, so I will continue to do that. I also like doing things in stages and the graphic organisers help in this process. It helps me to take my notes that extra step and start to formalise my main points and begin to get my paragraph going. With this last paragraph I actually just copied and pasted my graphic organiser onto my paragraph page and then just worked over it to establish my actual final piece. I polished it several times to make sure I was happy with it. Really that just involved playing around with it until I liked how it sounded. I hope it is ok.

Now - How confident am I using the Harvard referencing style system? Hmmmm well I will say I am feeling fairly confident however I will not say that I am 100% confident because there is always room for improvement in anything. I get the concept and have read my book several times and I hope I have done everything right in this last assessment - but it will be good to get the feedback to make sure that I am understanding it properly. I would hate to think that I plagiarised unintentionally. I would rather be over referenced than under referenced - hehe I wonder if you can over reference something?

Then it's on to how my world view has expanded - well it certainly has expanded that's for sure. WOW I am looking at and seeing the world through brand new eyes and it is fascinating. I am loving every minute of it. I am exploring and investigating all sorts of things. I understand the term looking through rose coloured glasses now - the world seems all shiny and new to me. I am actively thinking about everything and I am loving it. I have always believed that we are never to old to learn and have tried to enjoy life and stop and smell the roses, but this is different! This is deeper!

Who has inspired me? Well can I say everyone that I meet, whether it be in person (at the Big day in) or via emails or video presentations. I have never come across such an inspiring place. Everyone is so helpful. I have watched lectures given by people who have also gone through the journey of being a mature aged student, who are just amazing and inspirational. I have received emails that give feedback in such a nurturing helpful way. Absolutely everyone within the CQUni environment is positive, helpful and inspirational. How could anyone not grow and become a better person when they are involved in such a positive learning environment!

Ok well I am off to go and get stuck into my Prep Skills module 6 - Oral presentation skills now. I am looking forward to this - I am one of a few people who does not find oral presentations scary. I was very lucky in one of my employment roles to get extensive training on speaking in public and I have also read (many years ago) - Feel the Fear and do it any way by Susan Jeffers - and I have had no trouble getting up in public ever since.

The is a little quote of the front of Module 6 that is by comedian Jerry Seinfield, it says

"According to most studies, people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you're better off in the casket than doing the eulogy."

I love it - give me the eulogy any day - I'm not quitting this life for anything - I have got too much fun and learning to be done!

ok well you have a good day

and remember if it isn't a good day - make it one

talk soon

x joy