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Reflecting on learning
The document discusses the importance of reflecting on learning experiences, outlining various methods and frameworks for reflection, such as Gibbs' reflective cycle and Driscoll's 'what?' model. It emphasizes the skills and attitudes necessary for effective reflection, as well as its benefits in enhancing learning and personal development. The author shares personal insights gained from facilitating a session on reflection, highlighting how creativity and structured thinking aid in the learning process.
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Reflecting on learning
- 1. Reflecting on Learning ChrisCardew – chris_cardew@hotmail.com Swansea Employability Academy
- 2. Reflecting on Learningand Reflective Writing • What is reflecting on Learning • Sources of reflection • Skills/attitudes for reflection • Starting reflective writing • Frameworks for reflection Gibbs reflective cycle and the ‘What?’ model of reflection
- 3. What does reflectingon learning mean to you? (e.g. a lecture) A. Thinking about the learning experience. B. Making brief notes maybe for revision C. A structured process to include a description, feelings about the experience and any key points to take forward. D. It doesn’t mean anything to me E. It means something else to me ngaboutthe learning... gbriefnotesm aybe fo... tured processto incl... n’tm ean anythingto m e nssom ethingelse to m e 0% 0% 0%0%0%
- 4. Do you reflecton learning experiences? (e.g. lectures) A. No B. I may think about what I have just learnt. C. I make brief notes (e.g. in a lecture) D. I make comprehensive notes (passive) E. I make comprehensive notes including an action plan. No thinkaboutw hatIhav... ke briefnotes(e.g.in a... ke com prehensive notes... ke com prehensive notes...
- 5. What is reflection? (seriousthought or consideration) • Thinking about…an experience • Asking yourself questions about…an experience • Discussing with yourself…as you drive in to work… • Trying to work something out…while doing something… • Making sense of things…why does a drone bee have no father? • Learning from experience…I still struggle with plumbing.. • Helping to plan the future…sources of income…
- 6. Sources of reflection •Everyday events…lectures (attending and giving) • Positive experiences…something ‘clicked’ and you laughed out loud • Negative experiences…you tried something and it didn’t work as expected • Eventful incidents…you attended a conference and met someone • Unusual incidents…you solved a problem in a dream… • Routine activities…how you prepare a certain kind of meal…(no ginger) • Important events…Exams…? • Meaningful events…did this really change the way I feel about the way I go about things? (Some books, speeches, lectures can do this for me)
- 7. Skills and attitudesfor reflection • Willing to learn from experience and to change things • Able to make time for reflection • Being open and honest • Willing to share and discuss experiences • Being motivated to replay/describe/analyse experiences • Able to make an Action Plan and prioritise
- 8. Reflective writing • Havea pen and paper or a ‘device’ available to you at all times (I use the notes app on my phone if I don’t have any paper. I also have a blog to make ‘meaningful’ reflective posts) • Be spontaneous – mind maps can help • Write down ideas as they come • Don’t worry about structure, order, spelling, grammar – it is better to get your ideas down as they come to you. • Be imaginative • Make sense later with the help of a more formalised structure
- 9. Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle(1988) • Description – What was I doing? Was I alone/with others? What happened? • Feelings – How was I feeling at the beginning, during and after the event • Evaluation – What was good and bad about the experience • Analysis – What did I agree/disagree with. Did it go as expected? Why/why not? What theory/research helps me understand the experience • Conclusion – What have I learnt? Could I have done anything differently. • Action Plan – What might I change? What knowledge/skills could I gain/develop? What goals can I set. What outcomes can I focus on?
- 11. The ‘What’ modelof structured reflection (Driscoll 2000) • What… is the purpose, happened, did I do, was my reaction? • So What… How did I feel, Do I feel the same, What are the positive and negative aspects. • Now What… What are the implications, What information/skills do I need to gain/develop. What help might I need. What is the main learning from the experience
- 13. Reflecting on learning •Helps you learn from experience that you have • Can move learning from being passive to active • Helps you build on your expertise • Brings out new things that you might not otherwise be aware of • Helps you with assignments and with research • Can be used as evidence in some assessments
- 14. What is ReflectiveLearning
- 15. Reflect upon thissession In PebblePlus, go to Resources and select the workbook called Writing a Reflective Account: • Describe what it was about • How did you feel throughout? (Bored, interested, confused, inspired) • Did you make notes? • Write down two key learning points to take forward • Will you follow up any references to reflecting on learning? (Gibbs, Driscoll)
- 16. What does reflectingon learning mean to you? (e.g. a lecture) A. Thinking about the learning experience. B. Making brief notes maybe for revision C. A structured process to include a description, feelings about the experience and any key points to take forward. D. It doesn’t mean anything to me E. It means something else to me ngaboutthe learning... gbriefnotesm aybe fo... tured processto incl... n’tm ean anythingto m e nssom ethingelse to m e 0% 0% 0%0%0%
- 17. Do you reflecton learning experiences? A. No B. I may think about what I have just learnt. C. I make brief notes (e.g. in a lecture) D. I make comprehensive notes (passive) E. I make comprehensive notes in a learning journal which includes action plans. No thinkaboutw hatIhav... ke briefnotes(e.g.in a... ke com prehensive notes... ke com prehensive notes..
- 18. On reflection I’d beenwanting to write an explanation on reflecting on learning for some time. In the SEA award I have relied on Gibbs method for reflection which is a great help, but I hadn’t created anything myself to help and support reflective learners. This time I was asked to give a session on reflection so with the idea firmly in my mind I parked it for a week or so and let my mind work on it. Sure enough early one morning I was dreaming; half a sleep half awake and the ideas came to me. That day in a meeting that I was in I started to doodle about these ideas and the lesson came together. I was still able to participate in the meeting being a major contributor, but I could also put new ideas down on paper in this fixed environment. A strong feeling of excitement and anticipation came over me and I had to get started. After the meeting I created the plan for the lesson and produced it in Turning Point (PowerPoint). In true reflective style even as I was creating this lesson ideas were coming to me simply by writing things down. Things like a mind map, not being afraid to speak with an open mind. At lunchtime I went for a walk by the sea and called my father for a chat, even then ideas were coming to me. On returning to my desk I completed the lesson. Learning points for me are that creativity sparks interest and excitement, so important, and there are many ways that it comes to us. I have learnt to build on these situations some of which I have talked about above. For the future I feel that must make more time for reflection. (296 words)
- 19. References • Reflection inLearning and Professional Development: Theory and Practice - By Jennifer A. Moon. Link to Google books
Editor's Notes
- #2 This lesson is about reflecting on learning. To most us it is a new concept. We are aware of what is meant by reflection or indeed ‘on reflection’, but what do we actually do?
- #3 This lesson talks about what reflection is and more specifically on reflecting on learning. It makes suggestions for what might be sources on which we might gain by reflecting. It talks about the skills and attitudes learnt and required for good reflective practice. In particular I emphasise how reflecting on learning moves the experience from being passive to active. I introduce the notion of using our imagination to take our reflection as far as we might want it to go. Some models of reflection are discussed
- #4 I may repeat these two questions at the end of the session.
- #5 This question is asked of the learners at the start of the session to gauge their current understanding of what reflecting on learning is and whether they believe that do it it or not
- #6 These are examples of what reflection might be to us. The examples are my own and I use them as a prompt to regale an anecdote…humour is so important!
- #7 So what might we reflect upon? Here I give some ideas of experiences upon which we might want to reflect. Once again the examples are for me to talk about my experiences. We are all different and I explain the situations that I find are most rewarding and useful to me when wanting to reflect in any kind of depth.
- #8 What skills and attitudes do we need for meaningful reflection? Well, the first attitude is that we need to be serious about how powerful this tool is in advancing our learning. If we don’t take it seriously then we will get very little from it, indeed we may go backwards. However, with any new skill we need to practice.
- #9 Reflective writing is about writing it down. Just like speaking out loud, once we start to write new ideas will come to us…
- #17 I may repeat these two questions at the end of the session.
- #18 I wonder if the learners will answer differently. If they don’t I won’t continue to ask this a second time