SIEN6006 Entrepreneurship
Critical Reflection guide
IMPORTANT INFO
Due: Tuesday 10th June, 23:59 via Canvas
ULOs assessed: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Length: 1500 words (excluding references)
Weight: 25%
The task
Over the semester, you have explored how and why entrepreneurship occurs, how entrepreneurship varies across different contexts and times, and your own entrepreneurial interests. For this assignment, you will synthesise this knowledge by reflecting on your learning and how it has contributed to your individual development in the field of entrepreneurship.
Identify two learning experiences from the semester and critically reflect on how they have contributed to your future development in the entrepreneurship space.
The two examples should include:
• a learning experience where you discovered something about your personal entrepreneurial identity;
• a learning experience where you discovered something about your approach to entrepreneurship, now and after you have completed this unit of study.
You can use the 4Rs reflection framework outlined below to support your reflection, or another model of your choosing. Note that use of a structuring framework is a minimum requirement for this assignment.
Tips for writing your reflection:
Reflection is a crucial capacity for successful entrepreneurs. This unit has emphasised the importance of reflection and reflective practice as a key entrepreneurial skill. By purposively reflecting on active experiences, you can consolidate knowledge and build understanding. Practising reflection and reflective writing throughout the semester will assist you when you come to write your final reflection. Activities in the weekly workshops are designed to support you with practising reflection regularly.
Strong critical reflections will move beyond simple description of the learning experiences to analyse how and why these experiences were impactful. To do this, you will need to apply relevant concepts and tools from the unit into your reflection.
The 4Rs framework for reflective writing involves four key elements:
1. Reporting and responding to a critical issue or experience,
2. Relating this issue or experience to disciplinary knowledge in this field,
3. Reasoning about causes and effects of the experience according to relevant theories or tools, and,
4. Reconstructing your thinking to plan new ways to engage in similar experiences in the future.
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Level
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Stage
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Questions to get you started
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1
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Report (describe) the experience and explain why it is important to your
personal entrepreneurial identity /
approach to entrepreneurship. Give your initial response to the experience or issue.
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What happened? Why is it relevant?
Respond to the incident or issue by making observations, expressing your opinion, or asking questions.
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2
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Relate the experience to your own discipline knowledge, skills, and
experience of entrepreneurship.
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How does this connect to your knowledge of the entrepreneurship field or your
professional/personal experiences of this field?
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3
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Reason about (discuss) the experience to show an understanding of how it
relates to your knowledge of the discipline.
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Which factors in the experience are
important for a new understanding? How do these factors relate back to the
concepts and tools from the unit? What evidence can support your claims?
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4
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Reconstruct your understanding for future practice
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What are the changes in your
understanding as a result of the
experience and your reflection upon it? What are the implications of what you
learned for your future entrepreneurial practice? What actions will you take and why?
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Source: this framework is based on Bain, Ballantyne, Mills & Lester (2002). The reporting and responding stages in the 5Rs model have been combined in the model above to create 4Rs.
Reflective resources are available in Module 13. You are recommended to familiarise yourself with these resources during semester.
Format and style guide
Reflective writing can be more personal in tone than a formal academic essay. It is appropriate to use first person perspective. However, as a critical reflection your work must not be merely anecdotal, your style should be analytic, and your claims supported by evidence.
You should structure your report clearly and logically, including an introduction at the beginning and a conclusion at the end.
Avoid merely describing your experiences. Rather, demonstrate your understanding by applying concepts and tools to your experiences within the unit.
You must provide appropriate referencing of any data sources or quotes, using
APA style 7.
Use 12-point font with normal (2.54cm or 1”) margins all around, and double spacing.
Documents must be submitted in Microsoft Word format. No other format, including PDF, will be accepted. Any assignment submitted in an incorrect format will be considered incomplete and penalties of – 5% for everyday or part thereof will be applied until the assignment is resubmitted in the correct format. A mark of zero will be awarded for work resubmitted in the correct format more than 10 days after the due date.
Write in full sentences. Dot points are only for listing issues. You must still explain the issues. Do not exceed the word limit. The top end of the word limit is the UPPER BOUND. Anything beyond that will not be read. Present your ideas convincingly, creatively and concisely.