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

www.abdn.ac.uk

Models

• Gibb

• Kolb

• Johns

• Schon

www.abdn.ac.uk

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?

www.abdn.ac.uk

John’s

• Similar to Gibb’s

• Description of experience

• Reflection

• Influencing factors

• Could I have dealt better with situation?

• Learning

www.abdn.ac.uk

Kolb

www.abdn.ac.uk

Schon

Reflection-in-action

• Thinking ahead

• Analysing

• Experiencing

• Critically responding

Reflection-on-action

• Thinking through subsequent to situation

• Discussing

• Reflective journal

www.abdn.ac.uk

Where it fits

• Part of a process

• Part of a learning journey

• Helps use every experience and encounter as a learning opportunity

www.abdn.ac.uk

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

www.abdn.ac.uk

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

www.abdn.ac.uk

Moon levels of reflective writing

• Descriptive

• Descriptive account with some reflection

• Dialogic reflection

• Critical reflection

www.abdn.ac.uk

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

www.abdn.ac.uk

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

www.abdn.ac.uk

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

www.abdn.ac.uk

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

www.abdn.ac.uk

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