Reflective learning Tutors’ Conference 17/05/12
Apr 01, 2015
Reflective learning
Tutors’ Conference17/05/12
www.abdn.ac.uk
Notes
• Handout with all the notes will be e-mailed to you next week
www.abdn.ac.uk
What is reflection?
• Not rocket science
• We all learn from our experiences
• We all think back as to how we could have done things differently
• When we do this in a formal way to identify areas of learning process is known as reflection
Cleland and Ross Phase 1 handbook
www.abdn.ac.uk
Why use reflective learning?
• We all do it to some degree
• Reflective learning is about making this process explicit
• Maximises learning from a given situation
• Promotes deep learning i.e. where material is understood in a personal context
• Builds on previous knowledge
• Promotes personal growth and development
• Helps integrate knowledge skills and values
www.abdn.ac.uk
GMC
• Specifically requires that medical students should be able to reflect on practice and be self-critical.
• Many postgraduate programs now use reflective learning particularly in portfolios
• c.f. GP training and revalidation
• There is an expectation that Drs will become reflective practitioners
• Includes being self aware, recognising limitations, identifying areas for improvement and CPD
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Models
• Gibb
• Kolb
• Johns
• Schon
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Gibbs
• Description - What happened?
• Feelings – What were you thinking and feeling?
• Evaluation – what was good or bad about the situation?
• Analysis – What sense can you make of the situation?
• Conclusion – what else could you have done?
• Action plan – what would you do next time?
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John’s
• Similar to Gibb’s
• Description of experience
• Reflection
• Influencing factors
• Could I have dealt better with situation?
• Learning
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Kolb
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Schon
Reflection-in-action
• Thinking ahead
• Analysing
• Experiencing
• Critically responding
Reflection-on-action
• Thinking through subsequent to situation
• Discussing
• Reflective journal
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Where it fits
• Part of a process
• Part of a learning journey
• Helps use every experience and encounter as a learning opportunity
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Reflective writing
• We use this to gather evidence of reflective thinking
• Looking back at an event
• Analysing an event or idea in detail
• Thinking carefully about what it means to you now and for the future
• Something concrete that the students can share with use with respect to their experience
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Moon purpose of reflective writing
• Record experience
• Facilitate learning from experience
• Support understanding
• Develop critical thinking
• Encourage metacognition!
• Increase active involvement
• Increase ability in reflection
• Enhance problem solving
• Personal and professional development
• Support planning and progress research or project
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Moon levels of reflective writing
• Descriptive
• Descriptive account with some reflection
• Dialogic reflection
• Critical reflection
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Descriptive
• Descriptive, little reflection
• Ideas linked by sequence of account/story
• Any references to emotional reactions not explored
• No focus on particular issues
• Most points given similar weight
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Descriptive with some reflection
• Basic account more than just the story
• Focused on event as if questions asked and answered
• Points where reflection could occur are signalled
• Recognise that exploration of points would be of benefit, but that is as far as it goes
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Dialogic
• Description focused on particular area or aspects accentuated for reflection
• Material being mulled around
• There is evidence of external ideas or information
• Account shows some analysis
• If appropriate is self critical
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Critical reflection
• Description serves process of reflection
• Evidence of standing back
• Recognition that frame of reference can change
• Critical awareness of own thought processes
• Others views and motives taken into account
• Recognition of influence of prior experience
• Learning points noted
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Group task
1. Try to identify areas where reflective learning can improve the student experience in practice
2. Are you a true, natural reflective learner yourself?
3. What are the barriers to being a reflective learner and how might you overcome them?
4. Look at the piece of reflective writing and try to work out where it lies according to Moon’s classification