As I reflect on the orientation week, with every activity, day after day, I felt the pressure of commencing a new course gradually removed. My fears were withdrawn and I am eager to push forward. The Orientation week definitely helped me overcome my hesitation and increase my confidence level. Most of all I enjoyed learning about Padlet. I believe I can do more than just pass this course. I believe I can get my A+.

What stood out to me in this unit are the ethical concerns when conducting research. As a manager in my organization, we are highly dependent on research when making decisions. I was reminded of how critically important it is to warrant that the researcher is guided by the rules of ethics when conducting, interpreting and assessing information so as to not misrepresent the research finding which will be used in the decision-making process in a business.

 

I am glad that this unit is over as it was indeed a challenge to complete all the readings including the graded discussion on time. I can now take a deep breath and move on to Unit 3.

 

 

I have also become aware of the concept map and its significance when commencing the research process. I can now construct a concept map to help me organize my thoughts and ideas relating to a topic. Before completing this unit, I did not appreciate the link between concept maps and the critical role it plays in the research design. The easy to understand videos did, in fact, enhance my knowledge on this topic. The Sampling process was also covered in this unit and the step-by-step instructions greatly assisted with the completion of the graded discussion. I never truly understand how important the sampling process is and its contribution to the research process.  I can now appreciate why selecting an appropriate sampling technique is crucial to conducting research. Definitely a knowledgeable unit 

 

I have followed all the instructions and guidance given by the ETutor and I believed that I did my best. What petrified me was the thought that this proposal is worth 10% of my final grades. So I set my aim to scoring the highest grade as possible on this research proposal. Looking forward to receiving my grades. 

Working in groups was never a favorite of mine, as in the past, I would end up doing more than my allocated share of the workload, in addition to challenges of working with group members with different cultures and study schedules.
In this project, this was not the case. My peer and I equally shared the workload and completed our presentation before the deadline. I also learned a new software screencast-O- Matic, which I absolutely loved. This was indeed one of my favorite graded assignments. 

In addition to the knowledge gained from our report and presentation, I had the privilege of viewing two other presentations. I also enjoyed the question and answer segment, which allowed me to fully understand our topic ‘Understanding social media effects across seller, retailer, and consumer interactions’

 

The week did not stop there, as I was required to complete a Quiz worth 10% comprising of 20 MCQ to be completed in 30 minutes. That was the indeed the fastest 30 minutes as I barely had time to click submit in the last 2 seconds. I must admit I would have preferred to be informed of the grades immediately after completion.  Nevertheless, I am happy to move on to the next week. I can breathe a sigh of relief. 

 

 

After completing this unit, I am more confident with designing of a questionnaire and have noted that questionnaires must be properly constructed to effectively communicate and assist the respondent in understanding the question posed. Researchers should avoid confusing, excessively vague, and overextended questions. I now realized that I have made errors in the past, which caused my response rate to be very low. 
Upon completion of this unit, I made a few changes to the questionnaire in the research project. I have become more informed of the modes of communication and the many ways to avoid errors that may be caused by myself (the interviewer) and the respondents (my staff). 

 

The graded discussion was interesting and allowed me to view many different designs of a questionnaire used in a pizza company to collect data from the customers. This will also help me in enhancing the design of questionnaires in the future. 

 

 

 

 

I was prompted of the importance of checking data collected for errors, so as to ensure its integrity. I was also introduced to information relating to the data dictionary and coding of data. 

Throughout this unit, I reflected on my current job and how we focus more on collecting data to make decisions and occasionally neglect to realize that the data may contain errors.

 

This unit is an important one, as it would greatly assist me in completing the research project. It identified the many different ways of displaying data such as frequency tables, graphs, and charts.  I enjoyed the graded discussion as it took me back to my “Introduction to computer course” where my skills in excel and graphs were awakened. I was able to complete my initial post and comment on two of my peers before the deadline. I utilized the time remaining to work on the debate that becomes due next week, in an effort to put forward the best possible argument. I’m excited indeed.  

 

As I reflect on this week, I am thankful for all that I have accomplished. Not only did I complete the research project that I was working on for weeks, but also, I was able to grasp some critical information from the unit reading that will definitely be beneficial to me. This unit enlightened me about qualitative data analysis and how it enables the researcher to move from the collection of qualitative data to an interpretation and rationalization of what is being studied. It has become clearer to me, that data analysis is one of the most critical aspects of research as it involves analyzing the data collected that will be used for decision-making. 

I would have preferred to read this valuable unit before commencing my research report, however, I was still able to use some valued information to enhance my report. 

The knowledge gained from this unit will be extremely useful in completing my degree and my career.

 

As we draw closer to the completion of this course, I must admit, while it was challenging, I have gained tremendous knowledge to take me through my journey to my degree and guide me in my job.

 

 What a great feeling it is!

Almost to the end, what an amazing journey !

 

As I reflect on the final week of this amazing course, I must admit that I am extremely ecstatic. Not only am I closer to completing this course but also the “no exam” is indeed a plus for me. 

 

The week marks the submission of the Individual Presentation. Wow! I listened to the video that I made using a Screencast-O-Matic, over and over. I was not familiar with program until I commenced this course. This is one task I always wanted to learn and I am thankful for this accomplishment. 

While drafting the presentation, my biggest difficulty was condensing my ‘46 page research report’ into a 5-10 minute presentation. There was so much critical information I wanted to share to enhance my presentation as I aim for full marks. The time frame was also a major factor, however, I was able to complete within the allotted timeframe. 

 

The presentation concluded with a question and answer forum. I was able to successfully complete this assignment within the timeframe, which was a surprise to me. I believe this part of the assignment can be looked into, as timeframe may not be sufficient for the volume of work required. 

This assignment was indeed a beneficial one for me as it enhances my presentation skills, critical thinking skills and voice control. It also improved my time management capacities.

 

I am more than proud to say that I completed all the assignments in this course and I’m looking forward to passing this course with an A. 

 

Thank you to my ETutor and Course Coordinator for the dedication and support