1. Learning and Reflection
CHAPTER 25
Learning and Reflection

2. 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.

3. 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.

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

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

6. 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.

7. 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).

8. 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

9. 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?

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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