The document discusses various methods and theories for writing reflective journals, including Gibbs' reflective cycle, the What? Model of structured reflection, and Boud's model. It provides guidance on reflection activities, such as describing experiences and evaluating them to gain insights, as well as tips for writing reflectively for academic purposes by balancing description with analysis and linking experiences to theory. The overall aim is to help students learn from their field experiences by systematically reflecting on and writing about what happened, their role and insights gained.

1. WRITING REFLECTIVE
JOURNALS
How to make sense of your field
study experiences

2. Introduction and aims of session
 To explore the idea of reflection
 To outline and discuss some
theories of reflection
 To reflect on experience and explore
the idea of writing reflectively

3. What is reflection?
Definition:
"The process of internally examining and
exploring an issue of concern, triggered
by an experience, which creates and
clarifies meaning in terms of self, and
which results in a changed conceptual
perspective"
(Boyd, E. & Fales A.(1983) Reflecting
learning: key to learning from experience.
J. of Humanistic Psychology 23: (2): 99–
117.

4. What is reflection?
 Learning from experience: means of
processing experience and using it
to promote learning
 Thinking systematically about past
and present events/incidents and
your role in them
 Forming generalisations/theories
 A way of linking theory and practice

5. Gibbs’s Reflective Cycle
(1988)
 Description
 Feelings
 Evaluation
 Analysis
 Conclusion
 Action Plan
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6. Description
 Where was I?
 Who else was there?
 Why was I there?
 What was I doing?
 What happened?
03/11/15

7. Feelings
 How was I feeling at the beginning?
 What was I thinking about?
 What did other people’s actions
make me think / feel?
 How did I feel about the outcome?
 What do I think about it now?
03/11/15

8. Evaluation
 What was good about the
experience for me, the patient,
others?
 What was bad about the experience
for me, the patient, for others?
03/11/15

9. Analysis
 ‘Breaking it down’
 What did I do well / not so well?
 What did others do well?
 Did it go as expected?
 Why / why not?
 What theory / research helps me
understand the experience?
03/11/15

10. Conclusion
 Could I have done anything
differently?
 What are the key things I have
learned from this incident - about
me, my performance, others and
their performance?
 Can this be evidence of
achievement of placement
outcomes / competencies?
03/11/15

11. Action Plan
 What would I do in a similar situation
in the future?
 What aspects of my knowledge /
skills could I develop?
 How will I do this?
 What goals can I set myself for the
future?
 What outcomes / competencies do I
need to focus on now?
03/11/15

12. The What? Model of structured
reflection (Driscoll 2000)
What….
 ..is the purpose of returning to this
situation?
 ..happened?
 ..did I see / do?
 ..was my reaction?
 ..did other people do?
03/11/15

13. So What?
 How did I feel?
 How did these compare with other
people’s feelings?
 Do I still feel the same?
 What were the effects of my actions?
 What are the positive aspects?
 What have I noticed about my practice?
 What have other people noticed about
my practice?
03/11/15

14. Now what?
 What are the implications of this analysis –
for me and others?
 What if I do nothing?
 What information / skills would I need to
cope with similar experiences?
 What help would I need to acquire these?
 What is the main learning from this
experience and reflection?
 Is this evidence of achievement of
placement outcomes / competencies?
03/11/15

15. Basic things to put in place to be
successful
 Experiment with different approaches until
you find one that ‘fits’
 Commit to giving time to reflection in
whatever form you choose. See it as an
essential aspect to your practice rather
than an ‘add on’.
 Start small and work up to the big issues
 Be open to new ideas and new ways of
thinking
 Be willing to challenge your assumptions
and practices
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16. Reflective writing
 Helps you learn from experience
 Helps you build on your expertise
 Developing your expertise is an important
aspect of evidence based practice
 Reflective writing can be used as evidence
to include in your portfolio to help you
achieve your placement outcomes
03/11/15

17. Boud’s model
 Returning to experience
 Attending to feelings: utilizing positive
feelings and removing negative feelings
 Re-evaluating experience: changing
perception/interpretation of the event
 Application of new learning in new situation
Boud D, Cohen R and Walker D (1985) Reflection:
turning experience into learning. London: Kogan
Page

18. Contexts of reflection
 Internal factors
e.g. your feelings, your emotions
around the event
 External factors
e.g. the environment, other people
involved, social factors such as
power differentials

19. Outcomes of reflection
Particular:
 Clarification of an issue
 Development of a skill
 Problem solving
 Increased self-confidence

20. Outcomes of reflection
General:
 New perspectives on experience
 Changes in behaviour
 Readiness for action

21. B a s i c s i n a B o x
Reflective Essay at a Glance
RUBRIC Standards for Writing
A successful reflective essay
should
• be written in the first person
• describe an important experience
in your life or in the life of someone
you admire
• use figurative language, dialogue,
sensory details, or other
techniques to re-create the
experience for the reader
• explain the significance of the
event
• make an observation about life
based on the experience
• encourage readers to think about
the significance of the experience
in light of their own lives

22. Activity 1 Reflecting on experience
In pairs: One person to act as the
`storyteller’, the other as the
listener/note taker
Stage 1:
 Storyteller to think of an event or
incident in your last placement
which challenged you
 Describe the incident briefly to your
partner
 Partner to make brief notes

23. Activity 1 Reflecting on experience
Stage 2: Partner to question
storyteller about their experience
 What happened?
 What went well, and why?
 What went less well, and why?
 What would I do (differently) next
time?
 What insights have I gained from
the experience?

24. Activity 1 Reflecting on experience
Stage 3: Writing reflectively
 Together write a short (no more
than 1 side A4) reflective account of
the incident
 Use a reflective model to underpin
your account
 Weight your account in favour of
analysis rather than description

25. Activity 1 Reflecting on experience
Stage 4: Feedback to group
 What have you learned?
 About the process of reflection?
 About yourself?
 About writing reflectively

26. Summary: Writing reflexively for academic
purposes
 Writing in the first person: not
simple storytelling or description,
but reflecting on your experience in
relation to academic literature.
 Standing back from the original
experience and analyzing it as an
`outsider’ – what insights have you
gained?

27. Writing reflexively for academic purposes
 Balance of description and
reflection: how much description of
case/patient and how much
reflection on your role
 Incorporating theory: how is your
practice underpinned by theory?
 Using learning journals/reflective
diaries to aid reflection

28. General Guidelines
 For written:
 Short bond paper
 Calibri, font 12, double space
 Minimum of 2 pages, max of 5
 Heading:
 Name and Section
 Entry Number and Title

29. JOURNAL TOPICS
 No. 1 – Readiness as A Teacher
 No. 2 – Prior Observation of
Learners
 No. 3 – Lesson Planning
 No. 4 – Lesson Preparation (IM,
Help from the CT, Working with
groupmates)
 No. 5 – Execution of Lesson Plan
(Video Journal)