Program Overview

PD12: Critical Reflection for Growth in the Workplace

PD12: Critical Reflection for Growth in the Workplace is a course designed to help students develop their skillset in relation to critical reflection and gain an appreciation for the importance of critical reflection for personal and professional growth.

Course Description

In this course, students will make connections between volunteer/work experiences and degree-related course content, examine their skills in relation to Waterloo’s Future Ready Talent Framework, and explore practical work considerations, such as equity in the workplace, skills for self-advocacy, and strategies for navigating organizational cultures.

Course Objectives

• Set a SMART goal that supports professional growth.
• Practice giving and requesting feedback through email correspondence.
• Develop effective strategies for navigating workplace stress.

Grading Information

To pass PD12, students must satisfy both requirements below:

• Earn an overall grade of at least 50% on the first four assessments (Assignments 1a, 1b, 2, 3) plus any bonus opportunities.
• Achieve a grade of at least 50% on the Major Reflective Report.

Course Instructor

The course instructor is Zara Rafferty, a continuing lecturer in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies at the University of Waterloo. Zara promotes active student learning that emphasizes learning outcomes and instructional design best practices. She has developed and delivered courses in face-to-face, blended, and fully online environments and aims to create courses that are engaging and relevant for students.

Student Testimonials

Students have praised the course for its ability to outline key components that contribute to their success as co-op students, while providing elements they will refer back to in the future. The course has also been credited with helping students analyze themselves as employees, think about their strengths and weaknesses, and learn how to utilize or improve those areas during their work term.

Additional Information

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of its work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. The main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. The university's active work toward reconciliation takes place across its campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, coordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.