Participation in class discussions and online activities is important in any learning endeavor because it promotes effective learning activities, stimulates creativity, and instills confidence. Active contribution to discussions is a reflection of competency of the skills I have gained in class. This paper provides a self-reflection on course participation concerning various learning elements.
All-Over Class Participation
I participated adequately in class and online discussions (High rating). I only missed one out of the 12 on-campus sessions. However, my contribution to the attended sessions was up to the recommended standards. I stuck to the objectives of the course throughout the sessions. Consequently, I posed questions meant to complement the learning objectives to engage my classmates during discussions (Akkaya & Demirel, 2012). I avoided using ‘leading questions’ that could otherwise prompt the answers and in so doing enhanced critical thinking and creativity. I also avoided asking ambiguous questions that could lead to unnecessary discussions and wastage of time (Etemadzadeh, Seifi, & Far, 2013). I tried my best to provide precise answers and made a habit of giving other students a chance to speak without interruption.
Listening and Reading Skills
Listening and reading are important in grasping and mastering the course content. Listening requires focus and concentration with the ability to analyze different situations critically while reading requires internal listening. Therefore, poor listening and reading skills are indicators of failure. Throughout the course, I demonstrated an interest in my peers’ and instructors’ contributions. During the class sessions, I used keywords to note down the ideas presented by others. I also strived to make eye contact with my audience during discussions.
Class Preparation
I prepared for class by completing required readings (High rating). Before every class and online session, I read ahead on the topic to be discussed as suggested by Ding, Kim, and Orey (2017). The designated course readings were useful in this regard. I found that this approach prepared me for the discussions because the preparation helped me to anticipate various questions on the discussion topics.
Quality of Contribution
Though I made significant contributions to the class, I was not able to answer all questions posed to me as comprehensively as I had wished, which indicated that my preparation was not as thorough as I thought. I had small problems in linking some of the readings to the discussion. These problems may have been caused by internal interferences such as mental state and nervousness (Staveley-O’Carrol, 2015). Nevertheless, most of my answers were accurate. Therefore, I rate myself as high in this aspect.
Impact on Seminar
My contributions were useful in stimulating new ideas and setting the base to recognize the strengths of other people. Therefore, I grade myself in the high category in this aspect. The use of real-life examples and happenings in the contemporary world helped me to deliver my sentiments effectively (Bosangit & Demangeot, 2012).
Frequency of Participation
Maintaining consistency in schoolwork requires frequent participation in class. The frequency of participation is also an indication of classroom attendance because it is impossible to participate in a class where one is conspicuously absent (Heaslip, Board, Duckworth, & Thomas, 2017). Frequent participation also encourages other students to be active participants in the class. I rate my frequency of participation as high because I attended all class sessions except one.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I rate myself in the medium category for all the aspects of class participation. However, I rate my participation in group activities and all other categories as high. Overall, my performance was good because this was my first semester even though I aim for a score of 10 come next semester. This reflection has helped me to identify my strengths and weaknesses, which will help me perform better in the coming semester.
References
Akkaya, N., & Demirel, M. V. (2012). Teacher candidates’ use of questioning skills in during-reading and post-reading strategies. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 46, 4301-4305. Web.
Bosangit, C., & Demangeot, C. (2016). Exploring reflective learning during the extended consumption of life experiences.Journal of Business Research, 69(1), 208-215. Web.
Ding, L., Kim, C., & Orey, M. (2017). Studies of student engagement in gamified online discussions.Computers & Education, 115, 126-142. Web.
Etemadzadeh, A., Seifi, S., & Far, H. R. (2013). The role of questioning technique in developing thinking skills: The ongoing effect on writing skill.Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 70, 1024-1031. Web.
Heaslip, V., Board, M., Duckworth, V., & Thomas, L. (2017). Widening participation in nurse education: An integrative literature review.Nurse Education Today, 59, 66-74. Web.
Staveley-O’Carrol, J. (2015). International Review of Economics Education, 20, 46-58. Web.