Secondary Assignments: Reflective Journals

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Models of Reflection
"We do not learn from experience, we learn by reflecting on experience" (attributed to John Dewey)
What is reflection?
"... the way that we learn from an experience in order to understand and develop practice" (Jasper, 2003)

We reflect on everyday problems and situations all the time: What went well? What didn't’? Why? How do I feel about it? Reflection is a means of processing thoughts and feelings about an incident, or a difficult day ... gives us a chance to come to terms with our thoughts and feelings about it.

Reflection can be particularly useful in dealing with a difficult or challenging situation. This type of reflection may take place when we have had time to stand back from something, or talk it through, as in: ‘on reflection, I think you might be right’, or ‘on second thoughts, I realise I was upset because...’ This type of more focused reflection can lead to a new way of reacting in or approaching a situation next time.

We can think of reflection as being informal (involving self-questioning and developing awareness of our own assumptions) and formal (drawing on research and theory and providing guidance and frameworks for practice).

When you think and write reflectively as part of your academic studies, you are expected to record the process of your reflection, and identify and evaluate the learning that comes from it.

When you are reflecting on an idea:

  • you should be exploring and explaining events – not just describing them,
  • you might be revealing anxieties, errors and weaknesses, as well as strengths and successes,
  • It is usually necessary to select just the most significant parts of the event or idea on which you’re reflecting. if you try to tell the whole story you will often end up only describing rather than reflecting,
  • it is useful to reflect forward to the future – when you might do something differently as a result of reflecting – as well as reflecting back on the past.
What is involved in reflection?

"Reflection is a form of mental processing that we use to fulfil a purpose or to achieve some anticipated outcome. It is applied to gain a better understanding of relatively complicated or unstructured ideas and is largely based on the reprocessing of knowledge, understanding and, possibly, emotions that we already process"

Jenny Moon (2005)

Reflection is a type of thinking aimed at achieving better understanding and leading to new learning. According to Banks (2006:140) reflective practitioners:

"Recognise ethical dilemmas and conflicts and how they arise. They are more confident about their own values and how to put them into practice; they integrate knowledge, values and skills; reflect on practice and learn from it; are prepared to take risks and moral blame"

Whilst defensive practitioners (Banks 2006:139):

"Go by the book and fulfil duties / responsibilities defined by the agency and the law. There is no need to take blame if prescribed rules and procedures have been followed. Workers are “officials” or “technicians”. Doing my duty means fulfilling my obligations to the agency, rather than doing the right action; personal and agency values tend to be separated, and the latter adopted whilst in role”

All of the following are important aspects of the reflective process:
Making sense of experience We don’t always learn from experiences on their own.. Through reflection, we can analyse experience, actively attempting to ‘make sense’ or find the meaning in it. This should lead to learning.
Standing back It can be hard to reflect when we are caught up in an activity. Reflection provides a way of ‘standing back’ from the emotions and quick judgments made at the time, in order to develop a clearer view or perspective.
Repetition Reflection involves ‘going over’ something, often several times, in order to explore what happened from different points of view.
Deeper honesty Reflection is associated with ‘striving after truth’. Through reflection, we can acknowledge things that we find difficult to admit at the time: feelings or thoughts we might have chosen to ignore at the time, particularly if we felt unsure or worried about what others might think.
Weighing up Reflection involves being even-handed, or balanced in judgement. This means taking everything into account, not just the most obvious.
Clarity Reflection can bring greater clarity, like seeing events reflected in a mirror. This can help at any stage of planning, carrying out and reviewing activities.
Understanding Reflection is about learning and understanding on a deeper level. This includes gaining valuable insights that cannot be just ‘taught’.
Making judgements Reflection involves an element of drawing conclusions in order to move on, change or develop an approach, strategy or activity.
Reflective Writing

Reflective writing is evidence of reflective thinking. In an academic context, reflective thinking and writing can be organised into three stages:

  • identifying the subject of reflection (often an event, something that happened, a critical incident on a placement, or the progress of a group project);
  • looking closely at what happened, including your thoughts, feelings and reactions at the time; analysing what happened in depth, or from different perspectives, often using theory from your subject to explore and understand the event;
  • thinking carefully about what you have learned from the whole reflective process and how your understanding has developed, and finally, identifying key points to take forward for future development, both personal and professional.

Reflective writing is more personal than other forms of academic writing, but still needs a formal structure - this is not something that comes simply or naturally so it is useful to keep a reflective journal.
Some Models of Reflection
"Reflection is an important human activity in which people recapture their experience, think about it, mull over & evaluate it. It is this working with experience that is important in learning" (Boud et al)
1. Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle (1984) Kolb's Learning Cycle is a well-known theory which argues we learn from our experiences of life, even on an everyday basis. It also treats reflection as an integral part of such learning. According to Kolb (1984), the process of learning follows a pattern or cycle consisting of four stages, one of which involves what Kolb refers to as 'reflective observation'.
2. Gibbs' reflective Cycle (1988) Gibbs' (1998) reflective cycle guides us through six stages of reflection.
3. John's C's of reflection (2000) Johns' model was developed for nursing practitioners but is applicable to any field. Johns suggests that the "Model for Structured Reflection" is a technique that is especially useful in the early stages of learning how to reflect. The "Looking in" and "Looking out" is a way of challenging our natural tendency to judge ourselves too harshly.
4. Bain's (et al) framework - the 5Rs (1999) Bain's model was developed from research done with student teachers and is used by many other writers on reflection. Bain's framework is commonly referred to as the '5Rs'. Or sometimes as the '4Rs' - where the 'Reporting' and 'Responding' levels are merged together and called 'Reporting and responding'.
5. Moon's levels of learning (1999) Jenny Moon (1999) outlines five stages of learning.
6. Schön's Reflection model (1983) This is a framework for thinking but is not necessarily a step-by-step process to report.
7. Boud's Experiential Learning (1985) Boud's model focussed on the analysis of the event or incident on both a emotional and the cognitive level.
8. Justice et al (2007) This is a über model of leanring that underpins the idea of critical reflection and self-regulated learning.
Barriers to reflection
TIME & ENERGY Kolb (1984) says that to reflect effectively you need to actively set aside part of your working day.
CLIMATE The organisation in which you work needs to see reflection as a valuable activity and to support this.
SUPPORT You need the support of those around you who will also engage in reflection and be willing to look at change.
PSYCHOLOGICAL Fear of judgement, fear of criticism, being closed to feedback, defensiveness, professional arrogance.
KNOWLEDGE Not having enough knowledge or skills about various methods of refection.
References
  • Banks, S (2006) Ethics and Values in Social Work (Third Edition). Basingstoke: Palgrave.
  • Boud, D., Keogh, R. & Walker, D. (1985) Reflection: Turning Experience into Learning. London: Kogan Page
  • Johns, C. (2000). Becoming a Reflective Practitioner. Oxford; Blackwell A
  • Jasper: M (2003) Beginning reflective practice. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes.
  • Kolb, D. (1984) Experiential Learning. New Jersey
  • Moon, J. (1999) Reflection in Learning and Professional Development: theory and practice. London: Kogan Page
  • Moon, J., (2004) A handbook of reflective and experiential learning. London: RoutledgeFalmer
  • Schön, D.A. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner: how professionals think in action. London: Temple Smith
Resources and Reading
  • Reflective Journal: According to the Gibbs (1988) model - PDF
  • Reflective Journal: According to the Heath (1998) model - PDF
  • Collin, S et al (2012) - Reflective Practice: International and Multidiscipliniary Perspectives - download
  • Finlay (unknown) Reflecting on 'reflective practice' - go to resource
  • Gibbs, G. (1988). Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods. Oxford: Oxford Further Education Unit (1988) - download
  • Infed: Reflection, learning and education - go to resource
  • Question to support Gibbs - some questions to support using Gibbs' model - download
  • Reflective Teaching: exploring our own classroom practice - go to resource
  • ‘Reflection’ Learning Development, Plymouth University (2010) - download
  • Reflective Writing some support materials - download
  • Moon, J Reflective Writing - some initial guidance - download
  • Moon, J The Park: An exercise in Reflective Writing - download
  • Moon, J The Dance Lesson: An exercise in Reflective Writing - download
  • Moon, J Strategies for Enhancing Learning from Everyday Experience - download
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