Using journal writing to enhance reflective practice

International Education Journal, 2007

2020

What does it mean to be a reflective practitioner? Is reflection something I write in a journal after work or perhaps it is something I do in clinical super-vision? Is reflection a technology I might be exposed to on an educational course? Is it simply a form of thinking that I do anyway? Or is it a way of being within everyday practice that makes me more mindful of the ways I think, feel and respond to situations? Is it a particular style of leadership? Perhaps it is all of these things and more? In response to these questions, I am going to suggest a typology of reflective practices that moves from doing reflection towards reflection as a way of being within everyday practice (Box 1.1). I suspect that many practitioners consider reflection as reflection-on-experience or reflection-on-action (Schön 1987): looking back at 'an experience' or some event that has taken place. The idea of an 'experience' is difficult to grasp: where does one experience begin and another ...

These materials were developed for the course Integrative Seminar 4: Societal Challenges (3803ISQPVY), an interdisciplinary 4 weeks course at the PPLE college (UvA). The course was taken by 183 2 nd year students, and taught by 12 tutors. One of the prime learning outcomes of the course was formulated as "The student is able to reflect on his or her own biases and assumptions". In relation to this learning goal, assessment was decided to stress reflective writing as prime means of training this skill. As appropriate formal Reflective Journal was chosen.

1991

Varieties of Qualitative Research Methods, 2023

The roots of reflective journaling as a formal method of inquiry are often attributed to Dewey's (1933), and later Schön's (1983), writings on reflective practice-the idea of intentional, structured reflection as a tool for improving one's practice, for educators (primarily) and other professions (e.g., nursing, social work). While Dewey's emphasis was on pedagogy and professional development, Schön described reflective practice as knowledge acquisition in itself; he rejected the dichotomy between researcher and practitioner, and suggesting, instead, a cyclical process of doing-reflecting-learning. The use of reflective practice (generally) and journaling (specifically) have since become commonplace in many forms of qualitative research, both as a supplement to the research process and as a stand-alone method of inquiry. The increasing mainstream acceptance of reflective journaling as research has, in large part, grown in tandem with recognition of the importance of students' and teachers' social-emotional well-being. Of course, these ideas-attention to holistic development, reflection as knowledge creation-are prominent themes in many ancient religious and spiritual traditions including Buddhism (Tremmel, 1993) and various Indigenous traditions (Kovach, 2009). So, while their incorporation in modern, mainstream, Western research and education is typically thought of as fairly new, they have indeed existed as knowledge cultivation strategies for millennia.

2017

Advanced Methodologies and Technologies in Modern Education Delivery, 2019

Over the years, the education system in India has been following a surface approach to learning that is characterised by lecture-based classroom teaching and rote learning. However, there is a growing clamor for intersection of theory and practice in the field of management education. A shift in focus from a teacher-centric approach to a student-centric, learning-focused approach is required. There are many learning models that enable students to develop their cognitive abilities and to learn from experience. Several of these models are based on the practice of reflection. Reflection as a process is meant to facilitate self-awareness in the context of practice. This chapter aims at understanding the significance of reflection. It also proposes to throw light on the practice of reflection as understood by students and the role of the instructor in creating a learning environment in which reflective learning is facilitated.

1992