John Dewey once said, “We don’t learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.” In our daily lives, reflection is an evaluation of our skills. To reflect means to analyse the good, and bad parts of a situation/experience. It helps us in sharpening our skills. It also helps us in knowing how we can become more effective in general.
Reflection forms an integral part of the learning process. It allows an individual to learn more. In academics, reflection helps the learners in identifying their skills. It also helps strengthens their strong areas. This helps the learners in working on their weak areas for betterment. It helps in further exploration too. Reflection is beneficial for both teachers, as well as learners.
It helps in educating the learners. This encourages them to reflect on their performances. To do so, learners identify, and fix their own errors. The tasks and behaviours that help them in succeeding are also key components. It is important in the learning process, but many schools overlook it. As instructors, academicians should set an example for the students. They can do this by reflecting, and including them within their own thoughts.
What is a Reflection Paper?
In academics, students are often required to write a reflection paper. It is often written at the end of a course, a class, or semester. According to the assignment writing service firm, A reflection paper discusses primary themes of the readings. You reflect through this paper as it relates to your experience. You also identify how those experiences influence your thinking and practise. A reflection paper is an opportunity for you to contribute your ideas and insights. It provides insights into what you’ve read and experienced. It intends to show your comprehension of the content. It also influences your views and potential practise in the future (Iirp.edu., 2021). Many different models and frameworks exist. Reflection frameworks guide the learner in this aspect. It signifies how to structure the reflection paper.
Different Models/Frameworks Used Within The Reflection Report
A reflection report may help you in strengthening your analytical abilities. Since it challenges you to describe what you believe. It also highlights how, and why you think that way. You write a reflection report in the first person’s narrative. With the use of “I,” the whole reflection report revolves around you. This includes your perspectives as well (Trentu.ca., 2021).
Models of Reflection
There are many models of reflection. Individuals choose the one that helps them in understanding their own thinking. Also, you incorporate both abstract, as well as concrete modes of thinking. Within the models of reflection, you apply abstract and concrete reasoning. To assist in learning experience, individuals choose the best framework. This is a framework that best suits their area of expertise.
Gibbs Reflective Model
Gibbs expanded the theoretical method of reflection as a circular paradigm. This concept comprises of six stages, and begins with a narrative of the incident. Then it progresses to the conclusions and concerns for upcoming developments. A majority of its key ideas are identical to that of Kolb’s. Gibbs' approach is simple. This is because it enables teachers to focus on their own feelings and emotions. Gibbs' model is an excellent tool for helping one reflect after an event. And it’s a good model to start with if you’re new to reflection. This is because it divides into more defined components.
The description part is a factual account. It should describe the experience, or event. Next, in the ‘Feelings’ part, the learner should write about honest feelings. Be those negative or positive, the learner should identify them within the report. In the next stage of ‘Evaluation,’ the learner analyses good, and bad parts of a situation. In the ‘Analysis’ section, the learner consults any related literature, or study. The conclusion summarises what you’ve learned. This Action Plan highlights a step-by-step plan. It relates to what the learner aims to do in general (Cambridge-community.org.uk., 2021).
John’s Model Of Reflection
John's model of reflection focuses on both internal, and external reflection. It was developed for nursing students. But you can use it in other contexts as well. It comprises of 5 stages involving the description of experience. The CEO of a cheap dissertation writing service firm said that the reflection of what one was trying to achieve is also mentioned within it. Influencing factors such as thoughts, feelings, and events are also used. These affect the decision making process in general. Then comes the aspect of how that person could’ve dealt with the problem. In the learning stage you describe your experience. You describe it on the basis of scientific, and moral knowledge.
Kolb’s Learning Cycle
Kolb's (1984) Learning Cycle emphasises on reflective activity as a technique. Learners use it for making judgments, and taking insights from an experience. The goal is to apply what you learnt in new situations, thereby ending the cycle. Kolb's cycle divides into four phases. For starters, learners have hands-on experience. This entails learning something new in curriculum for the very first time. The engagement should be dynamic. It should allow for the testing of new ideas, as well as instructional approaches.
The observation of concrete event includes reflection on the experience. Here the learner talks about strengths, and areas for improvement. What acted as barriers during the learning process?
Next is the Abstract Conceptualisation phase. In this phase, the learner should connect with what they’ve done. They must also highlight what they already know, and everything they need to learn. To increase growth and understanding, the learner should depend on concepts. He/she should take concepts from academics, and publications. The final stage is that of active Experimentation. The learner thinks about how they will highlight what they’ve learned into practise. Abstract notions become tangible for learners. Suppose you’ve applied ideas from observations and conceptualisation into future education. In this case, they will turn into active experiments.
Schon’s Reflective Model
Schon’s model of reflection rests on two phases. These include Reflection during action, and Reflection on Action. At the ‘doing’ stage, the learner reflects on what happens during the lesson. It is an effective method. This is because it helps learners in responding. It also helps them in altering changes while it is happening. Reflection-in-action allows you to deal with unforeseen happenings in the classroom. It gives you the ability to be both accountable, and creative. It does this by enabling you to rely on your background experience. Then you use it through applications within real scenarios. It also enables customised learning.
Instead of depending on prior ideas, you should choose what actually works for that specific experience. Reflection-on-action is the thinking of how to deepen practise. In this phase, you reflect when teaching is already done. Reflection-on-action implies that you reflect after the occurrence. It includes reflecting on prior understanding. This can also be the understanding that led to what you experienced.
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