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Reflection helps with language and supports a diversity of visual and active learners
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WHAT REFLECTION IS
• We reflect on things for which there is no obvious answer
• Reflection is a means of working on what we already know
• Reflection may involve emotion
• We draw out of it something that connects with the purpose for which we are reflecting
• Emotion is used to trigger the memory. e.g Fear, happy,
WHAT REFLECTION IS NOT
• Conveyance of information, instruction or argument in a report, essay or "recipe"
• A straight - forward decision about whether something is right or wrong, good or bad, etc
• Simple problem solving
Purposes of writing Reflection 1
• To record experience
• To develop learning in ways that enhances other learning
• To increase the ability to reflect and improve the quality of learning
• To enhance problem solving skills - think around the pros and cons of problem solving situations
• To enhance professional practice or the professional self in practice - current theories say, its difficult to improve teaching / learning if you are not a reflective practioner.
• To facilitate learning from experience
• To foster reflective and creative interaction in a group - collaborative nature of groups.
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Purposes of writing Reflection 2
• To deepen the quality of learning, in the form of critical thinking or developing a questioning attitude
• To enable learner to understanding their own learning process
• To increase active involvement in learning and personal ownership of learning
• To explore the self, personal constructs of meaning and one's view of the world
• To enhance the personal valuing of the self towards self empowerment
Purposes of writing Reflection 3
• As a means of slowing down learning, taking more thorough account of a situation
• To enhance creativity by making better use of intuitative understanding - holistic, incorporating left and right brain activities
• To provide an alternative voice for those not got at expressing themselves - visuals, mind mapping
Bibliography:
: Brockbank A & McGill I. (1998) Facilitating Reflective Learning in Higher Education, Buckingham: SRHE
: Brookfield S. (1995) Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher, s.f Cal. Jossey - Bass
Moon J. (1999)
: Learning Journals: A Handbook for academics, students and professional development. London: Kogan Page
