CloudDeakin
Assignment instructions:
1. Please monitor CloudDeakin for any instructions/announcements.
2. This is an Individual assignment (there is no group option).
3. It must be completed as a Portfolio through CloudDeakin. You have been provided with a template. Please note that word documents or pdf files will not be accepted.
4. You don’t need to have completed any topic to complete this assignment, it is about your own experience with this unit.
5. If you choose not to submit this part of the assignment (Part 3) you will score zero – the marks cannot be added to the final examination result.
6. Submit/upload your Portfolio to the Assignment Dropbox under the Assessments tab. 2
A note on plagiarism and collusion
Plagiarism and collusion are forms of cheating and are considered a serious academic misconduct, and severe penalties are associated with them. Please refer to the MAA 262 unit guide for your responsibilities with regard to plagiarism and other academic offences.
Penalties applied in this assignment
1. Assignments submitted after the due date will attract a penalty of 1 mark per day out of a total 10 marks.
2. The final examination is the only hurdle requirement for the unit. If you choose not to submit this assignment you will score zero for this assignment.
Discussion area for this assignment
There is a discussion area on CloudDeakin entitled ‘Portfolio’. This area is for you to discuss about portfolio assignment.
You should approach this self-reflection by preparing one piece of writing which addresses the four questions below.
1. What were your contributions to the group, in regards to solving the problems that were outlined in Assignment Parts 1 and 2? Provide evidence that these were your contributions. (100 words).
2. What were the some of the problems that the group encountered? Discuss the strategy that was applied to solve the problems. When discussing the problems and solutions, provide evidence. For example, what were some of the issues you faced when dealing with the questions within the assignment. How did you resolve the issues? (200 words).
3. What would you do differently if you had another opportunity to do assignments part 1 and 2 with your current group? For example, how would you deal with the problems your group encountered more effectively if you had another opportunity to? (200 words).
4. What knowledge did you gain when completing this assignment? How will this help you in the future? (250 words).
You are required to submit this reflection as a Portfolio presentation. This allows you to add documents that you can refer to as proof or evidence of what you have reflected.
A Portfolio template has been created for you, that you can edit, or you can 5 create a Portfolio Presentation of you own, as long as you include all the information that is in the Portfolio template.
For further instructions on editing or sharing your Portfolio, refer to the CloudDeakin help guides for Portfolios – http://www.deakin.edu.au/students/clouddeakin/helpguides and general help guides on how to use the Portfolio tool can be found http://www.deakin.edu.au/students/clouddeakin/help-guides/eportfolio/eportfolio
Solution.
MAA 262
- My contributions to the group
As part of the group, I participated in the group task and made my contribution towards solving the problems. I was resourceful in providing different perspectives of solving the problems in both assignments and I can proudly say that my contribution was critical in coming up with solutions to the assigned problems.
I coordinated other members of the group throughout the assignment and subsequently ensured that the assignment was completed accurately and submission was as per the instructions provided. Occasionally, I made consultations to ensure that the answers provided were accurate.
- Problems encountered by the group and strategies used to solve them
My group’s main challenge was time management, with some member’s occasionally arriving late, which made it difficult for work to start as we wanted to ensure that everyone was available to make their contribution. To solve this, we made it clear to everyone that time management was a critical component of the task and therefore members improved on their timing.
It was difficult coordinating the group members as some of them were not making contributions and therefore we devised a method where each member’s contribution was written down with those that did not contribute being required to make contributions. This ensured that everyone was actively involved through-out the process
It was difficult harmonizing the member’s ideas to arrive at a solution since each member wanted their contribution to be factored into solving the problems. We had to get a strong moderator who decided what ideas were helpful in solving the problems.
Lastly, the questions were not easy, and needed a lot of brainstorming, research and discussions. This took time and resources. Luckily, we had the necessary materials and a strong team who were capable of handling those tough problems.
Personally, because my English is not good, I had a lot of catching up to do as most of the other members are good English speakers. This made it a bit difficult for me to follow through the group work. I am working on my English to be better with time.
- What I would do differently if I had another opportunity?
Given another opportunity to partake the assignment again, I would definitely change a couple of things. Firstly, I would ensure that we start early, other than wasting time and then rushing during the last minute. This would ensure that there is amble time to solve each problem, consult and research to ensure correct answers.
Communicating the goal and expectations of the group to each member of the group would be necessary so as to ensure that all group members are aware and prepared to make their contributions towards the success of the group.
Appointing a strong group leader is an important aspect of the success of the group task. I would impress on my fellow group members to rally behind a strong group leader who would be in charge of coordinating and leading the group activities.
Ensuring that there is availability of the required reference material, class notes, consultations and discussions so as to ensure that the solutions arrived at are understood by every group member would be one of my key considerations if another opportunity arose.
- Knowledge gained and how it would help in future
Team-work- I learnt that it’s very beneficial to work in a team environment especially if there is proper coordination of team activities. It not only makes work easier but also ensures cohesion of team members. As an accountant, I shall be required to work hand in hand with other members of the finance department of an organization and therefore the skills and knowledge gained about team work will come in handy in my future work as an accountant.
Interpersonal skills- This assignment was important since it helped in enhancing my interpersonal skills as I am now able to communicate well with other members of the team and my English is improving. Due to the integral role played by the accountant in an organization, having strong interpersonal skills is a very desirable trait that is highly sought after by employers.
Problem solving skills gained in solving the assignment tasks will be necessary in enhancing my capacity to solve problems which will be a key requirement for my success in the accounting profession. Being able to solve problems for any organization is the key reason why organizations recruit employees and therefore strong problem solving skills should be a key knowledge area that is desirable for organizations and should guide them in their recruitment process.
