Learning outcomes (or what you will be able to do after working through the exercises for this week)
- Describe concept of reflection
- Recognise Kolb’s learning cycle and apply to own learning experiences
- Describe difference between reflection in action and reflection on action
- Write a reflection on a specific event
- Recognise questions that that prompt and guide reflection
This week we would like you to start reflecting on your experiences. This might feel odd at first – but stick with it.
Each week there will be a series of readings and exercises for you to do. It is up to you how much you do – there are lots of suggestions for following up something you are interested in. I would recommend you do as many of the exercises as possible – reflective practice, as we will discuss, is about doing – not just theorising, reading and planning.
What is reflection?
Read this page and follow some of the links to find out more about reflection. Visit the library, or the library gateway site, find a book on reflective practice and read an introductory chapter. You might like to try
Jasper, M. (2013). Beginning reflective practice (2nd ed.) Andover: Cengage Learning.
Or anything else that looks interesting to you.
When you have finished write down three things that stood out to you from your reading.
Kolb and learning
Use the book you found to read about Kolb’s learning cycle. Does it make sense to you? Can you think of any example in your own learning that fit the different stages of the model?
Reflection-in-action and Reflection-on-action
Donald Schön’s work is very influential in the field of reflective practice. Find out what you can (from one of the textbooks, or the internet!) about the difference between reflection in action and reflection on action and his work on the ‘reflective practitioner’. We would like you to leave this course as a reflective practitioner, able to consider your practice from different perspectives and learn from your experiences, on your way to becoming an ‘expert’.
Getting Started
(Students on the MSc OT go here for your specific task Password protected).
Have a go at writing a reflection on an experience you have had this week – perhaps something you have at university. Write some notes – there are some questions here which might help you.
You will be doing reflective writing for each week to get you in the habit of reflection.
Try not to worry about whether it is ‘right’ or ‘good enough’ – it’s a first attempt! As long as you have written some notes down about the experience you are doing the right thing.