Reflective Practice

As an ongoing process I have been thinking of ways that I can document and learn from the experiences during my traineeship in order to better prepare myself for further study and career development. Traineeships are fantastic opportunities to get on the job training and gain vital skills which are so important to individuals like myself, who have no prior library experience. I am a firm believer in the importance of both theory and action in learning, finding that a combination of both reading theory and completing practical tasks and projects is the most effective learning method for me as an individual.

The theme of learning styles is a topic that my manager and I discussed today, a topic that I believe is highly relevant in a field which is constantly changing and adapting. We discussed the Honey and Mumford learning styles questionnaire which is used as a tool to gain a better understanding of your individual learning style in order to effectively, become a more successful learner http://www.peterhoney.com/. This idea is of particular interest to me, having plans to forge a career in academic librarianship where education and training form a core part of the role. I am looking forward to completing the test myself, in order to establish my own development areas, but until then I am planning several reflective exercises alongside my daily duties as a Graduate Trainee.

Learning Journal

The first is my Learning Journal, which I am using to formally document my weekly learning, highlighting particular processes and skills that I acquire. This will be a print record of my year, which I will be able to go back to at any point to look over my achievements and use as a reference guide.

Blog

As well as keeping a journal, I am keen to interact with Librarianship on a more interactive level, using social media and forums to aid my learning and networking. I set up this blog to run alongside my journal in order for me to be a little more creative and to post relevant links and pictures.

I am also hoping that from blogging about my experiences it will give me a chance to network with other trainees from other institutions, allowing us to compare experiences and ideas and helpful websites and reading material.