7/28/2019 Reflection Guidance in higher education

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Reflection/Critical Thinking

Why Reflect

Contrary to how it might seem, reflection is not about looking back but about getting newinsights and meanings from what you already know. It can also provide of evidence of 

critical thinking and personal development, qualities which are likely to be valued by futureemployers and professional organisations which are increasingly looking for  professionals rather than just experts.

Reflective techniques will help you develop ways of dealing with the real life, complexproblems you will undoubtedly come across in your professional career. So it is a verypractical skill rather than something that scientists and engineers see as ‘airy fairy’.

Techniques

 At outset reflection needs practice, time and commitment. It is widely acknowledged thatsome people naturally find it easier than others so don’t worry if you find it difficult –

particularly when you first start. It helps if you can be curious, patient, open and honest,and if you accept that not everyone thinks like you do or has the same values and goals asyou.

Essentially you need to take some time now (PRESENT) to think over something that hashappened (PAST) and decide how it will affect what you do in the next time (FUTURE). Asimple way to get started is based on Reed and Koliba (1995). Take a situation and askyourself three basic questions about it what? So what? Now what?

What?  Explain the facts as you see themSo what? Why do you think it turned out the way it did? what might others think?Now what? What will you do again or different as a result of this?

 At first you will probably find What? questions easiest to answer, and it might feel strangeusing ‘I’ instead of the academic third person. However, answering each of these questionswill help you to get started on thinking about different aspects of an event and will moveyour reflection from shallow descriptions to deeper interpretations which have been put intocontext.

Other people have found it helpful to allocate a regular time for reflection - say every weekor fortnight. And something like an end of semester review can help with looking for themes and issues – a sort of reflection on reflections.

Some Further Reading

Honey, P. and Mumford, A. (1992) The manual of learning styles. Maidenhead, Berks., Peter Honey. Third edition.

Moon, J. A. (2001) Reflection in Higher Education Learning. LTSN Generic Centre.. 21/08/02

Race, P. (2002) Evidencing Reflection – putting the ‘w’ into reflection. http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:x3EBXhpU1coJ:escalate.ac.uk/downloads/3573.pdf+Http://www.escalate.ac.uk/exchange/Reflection&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk

Reed, J. and Koliba, C. (1995) Facilitating Reflection. A manual for leaders and educators.http://www.uvm.edu/~dewey/reflection_manual/