Challenges that Affect My Tertiary Education

Challenges that Affect My Tertiary Education

Tertiary education in Australia requires students to possess characteristics that are conducive to a positive learning environment. A student needs self-efficacy, resilience, adaptive help-seeking, and self-regulation. I commenced studying at Griffith College in Trimester 1 of 2018. I have completed a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis to identify challenges that affect my tertiary education. This critical reflection will explore two challenges I have faced while studying at Griffith College: low self-efficacy in high-pressure situations and time management, and will aim to find ways of improving on these weaknesses.

Low Self-Efficacy Under Pressure

My first issue in tertiary education is self-efficacy when under pressure. Self-efficacy is defined as a person's belief in their ability to succeed in specific situations, and it affects their choices and determination in life (Bandura, 1993). This affects the choices I make in tertiary education; I avoid putting myself in uncomfortable situations due to low self-efficacy. This has an adverse effect on my grades as I become overwhelmed with school workloads and tasks such as public speaking. Bandura (1993) states, "Seeing oneself gain progressive mastery strengthens personal efficacy." This suggests that to gain self-efficacy, one must feel capable of success. By practicing public speaking, I would become more confident in future speeches and perform better. This can also be applied to my school workload; by gradually increasing my workload, I won't feel overwhelmed and anxious. A strong self-efficacy instills the confidence to perform well, and I am working on building this through small, incremental successes.

Time Management Challenges

The second challenge I have faced since commencing studies at Griffith College is managing my time between lectures and tutorials, at-home study, work, and personal leisure. Zimmerman (2002) states, "Self-regulation is not a mental ability or an academic performance skill; rather, it is the self-directive process by which learners transform their mental abilities." I need to work in order to pay bills, which consumes a significant portion of available study time. However, to be successful, I must be strictly organized. Fortunately, the student advisers at Griffith College have provided me with a weekly planner template to efficiently organize my study and leisure times. Self-regulation is significant not only for education but also teaches skills to use throughout life. I can also use self-regulation skills to arrange with my manager to work shifts on days when I do not have class. Freeing up my schedule and regulating specific study time will allow me to achieve the best in tertiary education. Moreover, understanding that time management is a lifelong skill further motivates me to master it now.

Conclusion

This critical reflection has demonstrated that self-regulation, time management, and high self-efficacy are crucial to success in tertiary education. To increase my chances of success, I will build myself up with small successes to become more confident and successful in my schoolwork. I will also continue to fill out my weekly planner and organize work around school to maximize my study time. These minor changes will not guarantee success in tertiary education, but they will set me on the path toward successful study.

References

Bandura, A. (1993). Perceived self-efficacy in cognitive development and functioning. Educational Psychologist, 28(2), 117-148.

Zimmerman, B. J. (2002). Becoming a self-regulated learner: An overview. Theory Into Practice, 41(2), 64-70.