Learning and Reflection CHAPTER 25 Learning and Reflection

Learning action plans Having a plan helps you manage any activity better. A learning action plan might have sections addressing: what you want to learn what you will do to achieve this the resources and support needed success criteria target dates for review and completion.

Reflection and learning Reflection involves considering how your ways of thinking and action have contributed to a situation. It involves thinking about what is happening, what you are doing, and how you are thinking. Reflection can take place during and after action.

Reflection has long been seen as important in learning Dewey’s view of reflection in learning

Reflection and learning Reflection can help you to learn from experience identify learning needs address specific problems develop better ways of thinking.

Reflection and research Dewey (1910) suggested that habitual action does not generate knowledge. When we are jolted out of habit, and think about what is happening and how we are thinking, we can generate new ideas and solutions. Reflection is central to Action Research and important for any research from a pragmatist or constructionist perspective.

When to reflect Your reflection can be prompted by a range of feelings or events and/or be specifically scheduled – so reflect: when you feel surprise, unease, concern when you fail to understand why something has happened at the end of a specific event at a specified time (eg the end of each day).

Structured prompts for reflection What was the experience? What were the aims/impacts? What was influencing you? What can you learn from the experience? What potential is there for useful inputs from others? Student Activity 1

Formats for reflection A simple narrative reflective journal or a more structured format, such as Date Event Purpose What did I learn? How will I use this?

Individual or collaborative? Individual reflection can take place at any time, and is private, so honesty may be easier . . . but it may trap you in particular thought patterns. Collaborative reflection can help you identify and escape from these.

Effective reflection Effective reflection: mixes reflection in- and on-action mixes individual and group reflection takes place often is frequently captured in writing leads to changes in thought and action.

Reflections in a dissertation A dissertation reflections section can: evidence an important professional competence allow you to demonstrate your awareness of, and explain, weaknesses in your dissertation demonstrate your learning from the research and dissertation experience. Student Activity 2