Reflective Practice
Reflective practice is "the capacity to reflect on action so as
to engage in a process of continuous learning".
According to one definition it involves "paying critical attention to the
practical values and theories which inform everyday actions, by examining
practice reflectively and reflexively. This leads to developmental insight".
to engage in a process of continuous learning".
According to one definition it involves "paying critical attention to the
practical values and theories which inform everyday actions, by examining
practice reflectively and reflexively. This leads to developmental insight".
Rolf
Rolfe’s reflective model is based around Borton’s 1970 developmental model. A
simplistic cycle composed of 3 questions which asks the practitioner, What, So
What and Now What. Through this analysis a description of the situation is given
which then leads into the scrutiny of the situation and the construction of
knowledge that has been learnt through the experience. Subsequent to this, ways
in which to personally improve and the consequence of ones response to the
experience are reflected on.
simplistic cycle composed of 3 questions which asks the practitioner, What, So
What and Now What. Through this analysis a description of the situation is given
which then leads into the scrutiny of the situation and the construction of
knowledge that has been learnt through the experience. Subsequent to this, ways
in which to personally improve and the consequence of ones response to the
experience are reflected on.
Gibbs
Graham Gibbs discussed the use of structured
debriefing to facilitate the reflection involved in Kolb's "experiential learning cycle". He presents
the stages of a full structured debriefing as follows:
Gibbs' suggestions are often cited as Gibbs' reflective cycle or
Gibbs' model of reflection (1988), and simplified into the following six
distinct stages:Therefore, offering constructive vital questions to assist in
structuring reflection of learning experiences (Finlay, 2008).
Description
Feelings
Evaluation
Analysis
Conclusions
Action plan.
the stages of a full structured debriefing as follows:
- (Initial experience)
- Description:
"What happened? Don't make judgements yet or try to draw conclusions; simply
describe." - Feelings:
"What were your reactions and feelings? Again don't move on to analysing
these yet." - Evaluation:
"What was good or bad about the experience? Make value
judgements." - Analysis:
"What sense can you make of the situation? Bring in ideas from outside the
experience to help you."
"What was really going on?"
"Were different people's experiences similar or different in important
ways?" - Conclusions (general):
"What can be concluded, in a general sense, from these experiences and the
analyses you have undertaken?" - Conclusions (specific):
"What can be concluded about your own specific, unique, personal situation
or way of working?" - Personal action plans:
"What are you going to do differently in this type of situation next
time?"
"What steps are you going to take on the basis of what you have learnt?"
Gibbs' suggestions are often cited as Gibbs' reflective cycle or
Gibbs' model of reflection (1988), and simplified into the following six
distinct stages:Therefore, offering constructive vital questions to assist in
structuring reflection of learning experiences (Finlay, 2008).
Description
Feelings
Evaluation
Analysis
Conclusions
Action plan.
Brooksfield
Critically reflective practitioners constantly research their assumptions by
seeing practice through four complementary lenses: the lens of their
autobiography of learners of reflective practice,the lens of learners eyes,the
lens of colleagues' perception and the lens of theoretical, philosophical and
research literature.
Reviewing practice through these lens makes us more aware of the power dynamics
that infuse all practice settings It also helps us detect hegemonic
assumptions-assumptions that we think are in our own best interests but actually
work against us in the long run (BROOKFIELD 1998) To become critically
reflective Brookfield thinks that the four lenses stated above will reflect back
to us stark and differently highlighted picture of who we are and what we do.
Lens 1 Our autobiography as a learner is an important source of insight into
practice. As we talk to each other about critical events in our practice, we
start to realize that individual crises are usually collectively experienced
dilemmas. Analysing our autobiographies allows us to draw insight and meanings
for practice on a deep visceral emotional level Lens 2 Our learners Eyes. seeing
ourselves through learners eyes we discover that learners are interpreting our
actions in the way that we mean them. But often we are surprised by the
diversity of meanings people read into our words and actions. A cardinal
principle of seeing ourselves through learners eyes is that ensuring the
anonymity of their critical opinions. You have to make students feel safe.
Seeing our practice through learners eyes help us teach more responsively Lens 3
Our colleagues'Experiences. our colleagues serve as critical mirrors reflecting
back to us images of our actions. talking to colleagues about problems and
gaining their perspective increases our chance finding some information that can
help our situation. lens 4 Theoretical Literature. theory can help us "name"our
practice by illuminating the general elements of what we think are idiosyncratic
experiences
seeing practice through four complementary lenses: the lens of their
autobiography of learners of reflective practice,the lens of learners eyes,the
lens of colleagues' perception and the lens of theoretical, philosophical and
research literature.
Reviewing practice through these lens makes us more aware of the power dynamics
that infuse all practice settings It also helps us detect hegemonic
assumptions-assumptions that we think are in our own best interests but actually
work against us in the long run (BROOKFIELD 1998) To become critically
reflective Brookfield thinks that the four lenses stated above will reflect back
to us stark and differently highlighted picture of who we are and what we do.
Lens 1 Our autobiography as a learner is an important source of insight into
practice. As we talk to each other about critical events in our practice, we
start to realize that individual crises are usually collectively experienced
dilemmas. Analysing our autobiographies allows us to draw insight and meanings
for practice on a deep visceral emotional level Lens 2 Our learners Eyes. seeing
ourselves through learners eyes we discover that learners are interpreting our
actions in the way that we mean them. But often we are surprised by the
diversity of meanings people read into our words and actions. A cardinal
principle of seeing ourselves through learners eyes is that ensuring the
anonymity of their critical opinions. You have to make students feel safe.
Seeing our practice through learners eyes help us teach more responsively Lens 3
Our colleagues'Experiences. our colleagues serve as critical mirrors reflecting
back to us images of our actions. talking to colleagues about problems and
gaining their perspective increases our chance finding some information that can
help our situation. lens 4 Theoretical Literature. theory can help us "name"our
practice by illuminating the general elements of what we think are idiosyncratic
experiences