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Practice Written Assignment Activity Worksheet 12 2022

The document discusses the importance of understanding one's purpose for attending university, emphasizing the use of 'The Five Whys' technique to uncover deeper motivations behind educational choices. It highlights that knowing your 'why' can enhance motivation, reduce stress, and increase job satisfaction. The text encourages readers to reflect on their reasons for pursuing higher education to gain clarity and direction in their studies.

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miladbader14
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5 views

Practice Written Assignment Activity Worksheet 12 2022

The document discusses the importance of understanding one's purpose for attending university, emphasizing the use of 'The Five Whys' technique to uncover deeper motivations behind educational choices. It highlights that knowing your 'why' can enhance motivation, reduce stress, and increase job satisfaction. The text encourages readers to reflect on their reasons for pursuing higher education to gain clarity and direction in their studies.

Uploaded by

miladbader14
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Why Are You in University or Have Chosen to Continue

Your Learning?
We know that university is not mandatory—like kindergarten through 12th
grade is—and it is not free. You have chosen to commit several years of hard
work to earn a degree or to further your learning. In some cases, you may
have had to work really hard to get here by getting good grades and test
scores in high school and earning money to pay your fees and other
expenses. Now you have more at stake and a clearer path to achieving your
goals, but you still need to be able to answer the question.

To help answer this question, consider the following questioning technique


called “The Five Whys” which was originally created by Sakichi Toyoda, a
Japanese inventor whose strategy was used by the Toyota Motor Company to
find the underlying cause of a problem. While your decision to go to university
or continue your studies is not a problem, the exercise is helpful to uncover
your underlying purpose for studying.

The process starts with a “Why” question to which you want to know the
answer. Then, the next four “Why” questions use a portion of the previous
answer to help you dig further into the answer to the original question. Here
is an example of “The Five Whys,” with the first question, “Why are you in
university, or have chosen to continue your studies?”

While the example is one from a student who knows what she wants to study,
this process does not require that you have a specific degree or career in
mind. In fact, if you are undecided, you can explore the “why” of your
indecision. Is it because you have many choices, or are you unsure what you
really want out of university/your studies?

The Five Whys in Action


1. Why are you in university?

I am in university to earn a degree in business administration.

2. Why do you want to earn a degree in business administration?

I want to be able to build a business.

3. Why do you want to build a business?

I believe that building a business will enrich my life and those of others.

4. Why do you feel it is important to have a business that will enrich your
life and those of others?

www.UoPeople.edu
I feel that we must provide for ourselves as well as others and having a
business will facilitate this.

5. Why do you feel that we must provide for ourselves as well as others
and that having a business will facilitate this?

I feel that it is my purpose and responsibility to help others as well as


provide for my family and myself.

Do you see how this student went beyond a standard answer about what they
wanted to study and connected it to her study plans and an overall purpose
to help others in a specific way?

Had she not been instructed to delve a little deeper with each answer, it is
likely that she would not have so quickly articulated that deeper purpose. And
that understanding of “why” you are studying—beyond the degree you want,
the job you desire or personal enrichment—is key to staying motivated
through what will most likely be some challenging times.

How else does knowing your “why,” or your deeper reason for being in
university, help you? According to Angela Duckworth (2016), a researcher on
grit—what it takes for us to dig in deep when faced with adversity and
continue to work toward our goal—knowing your purpose can be the booster
to grit that can help you succeed. Other research has found that people with
a strong sense of purpose are less likely to experience stress and anxiety
(Burrow, 2013) and more likely to be satisfied in their jobs (Weir, 2013).
Therefore, being able to answer the question “Why are you in university?” not
only satisfies the person asking, but it also has direct benefits to your overall
well-being.

ACTIVITY
Try “The Five Whys” yourself below to help you get a better sense of your
purpose and to give you a worthy answer for anyone who asks you, “Why are
you in university?”

The Five Whys: Your Turn


Complete the following statements as best as you can, then save this
document, and submit it to the Practice Written Assignment.

Why are you in university?


I'm in university to study for a Master's in Business Administration
(MBA).

Why do you want to earn a degree in business administration?

www.UoPeople.edu
I want to study business administration because it helps me reach a higher
position in my job and helps me make the right decision, and opens up a
wide field of work.
Why do you . . .
I...

Why do you want to reach a higher position in your job?

I In order to obtain a higher income and help the employees for whom I am
responsible in the field of work and direct them in the correct field, because
as an employee, I now mean that there is no manager to help me properly.

Why do you feel that we must provide for ourselves as well as others
I We must help people not only with money, but also with words, and make
them feel that they are also people capable of developing more and more.

References:

 Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The power and passion of perseverance.


Simon & Schuster.
 Burrow, A.L. & Hill, P.L. (2013). Derailed by diversity? Purpose buffers
the relationship between ethnic composition on trains and passenger
negative mood. Personality and Psychology Bulletin, 39 (12), 1610-
1619. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167213499377.
 Weir, K. (2013). More than job satisfaction: Psychologists are
discovering what makes work meaningful--and how to create value in
any job. American Psychological Association, 44 (11), 39.

www.UoPeople.edu

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