The document discusses critical reflection and reflective practice. It defines critical reflection as thinking about one's own thinking and being open to change, which enables reflective practice. Critical reflection broadens traditional reflection by considering sociocultural and historical contexts. Reflection can occur on action after an event or in action as a problem unfolds. Reflective practice provides a safe environment for learners to apply knowledge and develop more sophisticated judgements over time. Critical reflective practice challenges technical rationality and requires diagnosing problems, testing solutions, and taking responsibility amid uncertainty.

1. Critical Reflection and the Reflective Practitioner By Yannis Karaliotas MAODE (Open) Full Text: http://users.otenet.gr/~kar1125/cr.html

2. The meaning of 'Critical Reflection' C ritical reflection can be defined as thinking about what we are thinking , acting upon rather than reacting to a stimulus . It is inter-related with social constructivist practice s and openness to change , and it enables reflective practice ( Donald Schön , 1983 & 1987 ) .

3. The “Critical” in Reflection T he term ' critical ' broadens the perspective on Schön's and Eraut's 'reflection' by bringing into focus sociocultural context and historical events . C ritical R eflection is in itself a learning process (Allen, 1992)

4. Reflection On and In Action Reflection on action describes the process of reflection which takes place after the event where the practitioner makes explicit and evaluates the theories of action used to solve a problem. Reflection in action describes interaction with a 'live' problem as it unfolds. The capacity to reflect in action assumes that the problem-solver has the capacity to surface their 'knowing in action', that is, the hidden or tacit knowledge which we use to deal with particular tasks . ( Schön , 1987 - Hawkridge, 2000 )

5. R eflective P racticum R eflective P racticum is a safe learning environment where learners may put their rule-based knowledge into action and develop a repertoire of responses and judgements which become progressively more complex and sophisticated as they develop to cover a wider range of experiences. ( Schön, 1983 )

6. Critical R eflective Practice Critical R eflective practice constitutes an attempt to break with positivist 'technical rationality‘ . It requires diagnosis, testing and belief in personal causation. Diagnosis is the ability to frame or 'make sense of' a problem through use of professional knowledge, past experience, the uniqueness of the setting and people involved, and expectations held by others. Once framed, the practitioner engages in on-the-spot experimentation and reflection to test alternative solutions. F inally, the practitioner accept s responsibility for action - has the courage to act in situations of uncertainty. ( Kirby and Paradise 1992: 70 )

7. "The focus goes beyond simple understanding or identification of issues: its primary concern is with change, achieving a more equitable society through informed social practice .... These new understandings become the basis for decision making which has equity as a fundamental goal“ ( Hawkridge, 2000).

8. Action Reflection Action reflection, as an outcome of critical thinking, seems to help practitioners develop the habits of mind in which "change is regarded as the fundamental reality, forms and structures are perceived as temporary, relationships are held to involve developmental transformations and openness is welcomed“ ( Brookfield, 1987, p. 13 ).

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