Receiving feedback can be both exciting and nerve-wracking, especially when it's your first major assignment feedback in a new program. The SKC (Study & Career Compass) assignment feedback provided valuable insights into my academic performance and areas for improvement. Here's how I processed this feedback and what it taught me about my learning journey.
Understanding the SKC Assignment
The Study & Career Compass assignment was designed to help us reflect on our study choices, analyze our strengths and weaknesses, and create a roadmap for our academic and professional development. It involved multiple components: self-reflection essays, SWOT analysis, career research, and goal setting.
This wasn't just another academic exercise—it was meant to be a foundational tool for our entire HBO-ICT journey. The feedback I received would not only affect my grade but also provide crucial insights into how well I understood myself and my chosen field.
The Feedback Breakdown
Strengths Highlighted
The feedback highlighted several areas where I performed well:
Positive Feedback Points
- Deep Self-Awareness: My self-reflection showed genuine understanding of my motivations and challenges
- Thorough Research: Career research was comprehensive and showed real engagement with the ICT field
- Honest Assessment: SWOT analysis was realistic and didn't sugarcoat weaknesses
- Time Management: Submitted well before the deadline with all required components
- Personal Examples: Used concrete examples from my own experience to illustrate points
It was encouraging to see that my professor recognized my genuine engagement with the assignment. The feedback noted that my career research went beyond surface-level job descriptions to explore industry trends, required skills, and future opportunities.
Areas for Improvement
However, the feedback also identified several areas where I could improve:
Writing Structure and Clarity
The main area for improvement was my academic writing. The feedback indicated that while my ideas were sound, my presentation could be clearer and more structured. Specific issues included:
- Inconsistent paragraph structure
- Some sentences were too long and complex
- Transitions between ideas could be smoother
- Need for stronger topic sentences
Goal Specificity
My goal-setting section was deemed "too general." The feedback suggested that I needed to make my goals more specific, measurable, and time-bound. Instead of saying "I want to become a good programmer," I should specify what "good" means and by when I want to achieve it.
Before and After: Goal Improvement Example
Original Goal: "I want to become proficient in multiple programming languages."
Improved Goal: "By the end of my second year, I will achieve intermediate-level proficiency in JavaScript and Python, demonstrated by completing two substantial projects in each language and passing relevant certification exams."
Processing the Feedback
Initially, I felt a mix of pride and disappointment. While I was pleased with the positive aspects, the criticism of my writing stung a bit. I had to remind myself that feedback is a gift—it's information I can use to improve.
My Emotional Journey
Mixed Emotions
Pride in strengths, disappointment in weaknesses. Brief moment of defensiveness about writing criticism.
Acceptance and Curiosity
Recognized feedback as valuable information. Started thinking about how to address the issues raised.
Strategic Response
Developed specific plans to improve writing skills and goal-setting techniques for future assignments.
Action Plan for Improvement
Based on the feedback, I've developed a concrete action plan to address the identified weaknesses:
Improving Academic Writing
- Writing Center Visits: Schedule regular appointments with the university writing center
- Practice Exercises: Complete online academic writing courses and exercises
- Peer Review: Join a study group where we review each other's work
- Reading Analysis: Study well-written academic papers to understand structure and style
- Feedback Integration: Create a checklist based on this feedback to review future assignments
Better Goal Setting
- SMART Framework: Apply Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound criteria to all goals
- Milestone Planning: Break larger goals into smaller, trackable milestones
- Regular Review: Schedule monthly goal review sessions to track progress and adjust as needed
- Accountability Partner: Find a classmate to share goals with and check in regularly
Lessons Learned
This feedback experience taught me several important lessons about academic growth and professional development:
Key Insights
- Feedback is Data: Don't take criticism personally—it's information to help you improve
- Strengths Matter: Build on what you do well while addressing weaknesses
- Specificity is Key: Vague goals and ideas don't lead to concrete progress
- Writing Skills are Universal: Good communication is essential in any field, including ICT
- Growth Mindset: View challenges as opportunities to develop new capabilities
Moving Forward
The SKC feedback has become a reference point for my ongoing development. I regularly refer back to it when working on new assignments, checking whether I'm addressing the areas that need improvement while continuing to leverage my strengths.
Most importantly, this experience taught me that receiving feedback is a skill in itself. Learning to listen, process constructive criticism without defensiveness, and create actionable improvement plans is crucial for both academic success and professional growth.
As I progress through my HBO-ICT program, I'm actively seeking feedback from professors, peers, and eventually employers. Each piece of feedback is an opportunity to become better at what I do and who I am as a future ICT professional.
Key Takeaway: Feedback, even when challenging to hear, is one of the most valuable gifts you can receive in your learning journey. The key is to approach it with curiosity rather than defensiveness, and to transform insights into actionable improvement plans.