Reflection & Reflection & LearningLearning

Why ReflectWhy Reflect “… “… people might want - or need – reflection people might want - or need – reflection because they seek interest, inspiration, because they seek interest, inspiration, cultural breadth, critical analysis and cultural breadth, critical analysis and reasoning, social insight and awareness, reasoning, social insight and awareness, challenge and critique, or to create new challenge and critique, or to create new knowledge”knowledge”

Ecclestone 1995Ecclestone 1995

After an activity or experience,After an activity or experience, t they just hey just might want to do better next time or not might want to do better next time or not

make the same mistakes twice.make the same mistakes twice.

i.e. Learn from experiencei.e. Learn from experience

Practice ReflectionPractice Reflection

• Think of your experiences on your Think of your experiences on your course so far.course so far.

• Think of one important event that Think of one important event that shows up for you.shows up for you.

• Write down the main issues or pointsWrite down the main issues or points• Share it with the person next to you Share it with the person next to you

for one minute then swap.for one minute then swap.

Lets AnalyseLets Analyse

• Examine what was going on Examine what was going on • Were you:Were you:

– Reporting?Reporting?– Describing?Describing?– Complaining?Complaining?– CreatingCreating

• How would the statements have to How would the statements have to change to become reflective?change to become reflective?

What was done and whyWhat was done and why

• We used ……………. In order to ……..We used ……………. In order to ……..

• The group decided to ……. Because….The group decided to ……. Because….

• We were asked to …… So that……We were asked to …… So that……

• The main aim was to …… this involvedThe main aim was to …… this involved

What was learnedWhat was learned• I gained a deeper understanding of…I gained a deeper understanding of…

• This resulted in ………………..This resulted in ………………..

• I found that …………I found that …………

• It was beneficial to ………It was beneficial to ………

• I gained practice in ……………..I gained practice in ……………..

EvaluationEvaluation

• I am now beginning to realise that ….I am now beginning to realise that ….

• This will influence my future action in..This will influence my future action in..

• I now understand ……….I now understand ……….

• It will be essential to …………It will be essential to …………

A critical incident approach A critical incident approach to writing reflectionsto writing reflections

• What happened? Describe the eventWhat happened? Describe the event• How did you think and feel at the time?How did you think and feel at the time?• Evaluate the event – what was good/bad?Evaluate the event – what was good/bad?• Analysis – what sense can you make of the Analysis – what sense can you make of the

incident?incident?• Conclusion – what could you have done?Conclusion – what could you have done?• Action plan – if it happened again, what Action plan – if it happened again, what

would you do?would you do?– (Gibbs 1988 Reflective Cycle(Gibbs 1988 Reflective Cycle

Critical LensesCritical Lenses

Learn to look at the situation from Learn to look at the situation from other points of viewother points of view

•Our own viewpointOur own viewpoint

•Our colleague’s viewpointOur colleague’s viewpoint

Hatton & Smith (1995)Hatton & Smith (1995)

Describe 4 Levels of reflective activityDescribe 4 Levels of reflective activity

• Descriptive WritingDescriptive Writing– Describing event or activity with no attempt at an Describing event or activity with no attempt at an

explanationexplanation

• Descriptive ReflectionDescriptive Reflection– Reflecting on an activity with an attempt to provide possible Reflecting on an activity with an attempt to provide possible

explanationexplanation

• Dialogic ReflectionDialogic Reflection– Reflecting on the issue over time, inner dialogue Reflecting on the issue over time, inner dialogue

investigating various solutions and assumptionsinvestigating various solutions and assumptions

• Critical ReflectionCritical Reflection– Considering the wider aspects including historical and Considering the wider aspects including historical and

cultural aspectscultural aspects

Reflective WritingReflective Writing• Key Purpose:Key Purpose:

– Evaluation of LearningEvaluation of Learning

• What does it involve?What does it involve?

– It’s not simply descriptive writing, it It’s not simply descriptive writing, it needs to be a balance of description needs to be a balance of description with analysis and evaluationwith analysis and evaluation

Keep a Learning JournalKeep a Learning Journal

• Purpose: (a selection)Purpose: (a selection)– To record learningTo record learning– To develop learning that enhances To develop learning that enhances

other learningother learning– To deepen the quality of learningTo deepen the quality of learning– To understand your own learning To understand your own learning

processesprocesses