reflective practice a model for how best to implement it?

University of Calgary

PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository

Conferences Conference on Postsecondary Learning and Teaching

2019-04-30

Reflective Practice – A Model for how best to

implement it?

deBraga, Michael; Sonne de Torrens, Harriet; Evans-Tokaryk, Tyler

deBraga, M., Sonne de Torrens, H., & Evans-Tokaryk, T. (2019). Reflective Practice – A Model for

how best to implement it?. Presented at the Conference on Postsecondary Learning and

Teaching: Exploring Experiential Learning, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB.

http://hdl.handle.net/1880/110348

presentation

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0

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Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca

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Reflective Practicewriting reflectively – April 30th, 2019Michael deBraga Ph.DRobert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre

What is Reflection & Why Should we reflect?

• What is reflective practice? What does it mean to you?• Think of a recent concept/skill that you

learned/taught in class and describe how you currently understand/apply it – are you confident that you or your students understand it or not? How do you know?

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Defining reflection(A personal definition)

• Take a few minutes and contemplate what reflection means to you.• Write down a few thoughts and

key words that articulates your view on reflection.• Share your thoughts with your

group/partner

Reflection defined (General Definition)

• "Careful thought or consideration.." Wiktionary, 2015.• "Serious thought or consideration..." Oxford English

Dictionary, 2006.• "Quiet thought or contemplation..." Collins Free

Dictionary, 2003.

• SOURCE - https://www.businessballs.com/self-awareness/reflective-practice-1824/#toc-3

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Reflection defined (Formal Definition)• Reflective Practice - "...the capacity to reflect on action so as to engage in a

process of continuous learning..." (Schon 1983:102-104), and "...paying critical attention to the practical values and theories which inform everyday actions, by examining practice reflectively and reflexively." (Bolton 2010:xix) Wikipedia, 2015.• Reflexivity - "Finding a way to stand outside ourselves to get a more

objective view of ourselves..." Kitchener, 1983• Critical self-reflection - "To know how and to what extent it might be

possible to think differently, rather than legitimating what is already known … a test of the limits that we may go beyond" Michel Foucault, 1992.• Critical Reflection - "The [Brookfield] 'Lens theory' suggests that apart from

reflecting on our own personal beliefs, we reflect through other 'lenses', on multiple perspectives including theory..." Brookfield, 1995.

• SOURCE - https://www.businessballs.com/self-awareness/reflective-practice-1824/#toc-3

Kolb’s Experiential learning Cycle(How does it apply to reflection?)• Concrete experience – either a completely new experience

or a reinterpretation of one that has occurred before• Reflective observation – thinking about the experience and

noting anything you haven’t experienced before• Abstract conceptualisation – the reflection process causes

you to develop new ideas/concepts about what might have happened• Active experimentation – applying what you have learnt to

new situations• Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development / D. Kolb (1984)

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What Reflective Writing Looks Like(How can I write reflectively?)

Reflective writing is…• Written in the first person • Analytical• Free flowing • Subjective• Tool to challenge assumptions • Time investment

Reflective writing isn’t…• Written in the third person• Descriptive• What you think you should write• Objective• Tool to ignore assumptions• Waste of time

The Reflective Practice Guide: an Interdisciplinary Approach / B. Bassot (2016)

Reflection as a skill(4 domains – Teaching Critical Reflection – Smith, 2011)

• First Domain: self-critical (reflecting on your own thoughts and actions)• Second Domain: interpersonal (reflecting on interactions with others)• Third Domain: contextual (reflecting on concepts, theories or

methods used)• Fourth Domain: critical (reflecting on political, ethical and social

context)

Elizabeth Smith (2011). Teaching critical reflection. Teaching in Higher Education 16(2) pgs.211-223.

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First DomainSelf critical

• Why are you interested in a particular issue or topic?• What questions seem important to you?• What informs your views?• What aspects of your background are you drawing on?• What personal experience do you have?


Second domaininterpersonal

• What disciplinary-based ideas and frameworks inform your interpretations?• What aspects of your disciplinary background lead you to dwell on

certain aspects of an issue or problem and not others?• Whose perspectives might be missing or overlooked?


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Third Domaincontextual

• What insights were generated, or do you hope to generate, by using a particular approach?• On what basis do/will these insights contribute to knowledge or

practice?• What different insights may be/have been made if a different

approach or perspective had been taken?


Fourth Domaincritical

• What is the political context in this situation, what are the contentious issues?• Is there a political agenda at stake: what might the outcomes be?• Who might gain because of what has been done or not done: who

might lose out?


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3 models for Reflection(See how reflection can be applied)

ERA (Experience, Reflection, Action)Gibb’s Reflective CycleDriscoll’s What Model

Putting Reflection into practice(Approaches to reflection)

ERA• Experience – what happens to us• Reflection – the process which helps us think through the experience• Action – what we do as a result of reflection

The Reflective Practice Guide: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Critical Reflection / B. Bassot (2016)

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Gibb’s Reflective Cycle• Description – what happened during the event?• Feelings – what were you thinking and feeling about the experience?• Evaluation – what was good and bad about the experience?• Analysis – what sense can you make of the situation?• Conclusion – what else could you have done?• Action plan – what would you do differently next time?

Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning / G. Gibbs (1998)


Driscoll’s What Model• What? – describe the experience• So what? – reflect on the experience. What have you learnt as a

result?• Now/Then what? – how will you use what you have learnt in future

practice?

Practicing Clinical Supervision: A Reflective Approach for Healthcare Professionals / J. Driscoll (ed.) (2007)

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Using Driscoll’s model in writing reflectively

• What? – describe the situation: achievements, consequences, responses, feelings and problems• So what? – discuss what has been learnt: learning about self,

relationships, models, attitudes, thoughts, understanding and improvements• Now/Then what? – identify what needs to be done in order to

improve future outcomes and develop learning

Reflective writing exercise

Starting Reflection using “What?” (Driscoll’s model)• Get into pairs and choose person “A” and person “B”.• Person “A” needs to think of an activity they have recently taken part

in.• Person “B” will ask the three what questions: what, so what, now

what?• Person “A” should note their answers below. • After five minutes switch places so Person “B” is now describing an

activity.

Modified from: Reflective Practice Workshop (Sewell, 2017 – Cambridge University)

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Free Writing exercise(Everyone experiences an event in their own way!)

• Using either of these images and following Driscoll’s method (What? – So What? – Now What?) –Write about this experience as though we had been a part of it!

Writing about an experience(What prompts should we use & how should we use them?)

Think about what you learned as a result of participating in the activity:• How did your knowledge and understanding change?

• What would you do differently if faced with a similar situation in future?

Looking back at an activity reflect upon:• Your expectations before embarking on

the activity

• How you approached the activity

• Which parts of the activity you found easy/hard

Modified from: Reflective Practice Workshop (Sewell, 2017 – Cambridge University)

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Key POINTS to take away

• Make the reflection exercise relevant to the course.• Make the effort count – students will apply themselves if they see a

benefit.• Emphasize to the students that a strong reflection connects with

evidence from the experience/task and provides analysis/interpretation• Provide opportunities to practice reflection regularly – share your

own experiences where appropriate.

Selected Bibliography

• Bassot, B. (2016). The reflective practice guide: an interdisciplinary approach. Abingdon: Routledge.

• Bolton, G. (2014). Reflective practice: writing and professional development. London: Sage.

• Brookfield, S. 1987. Developing critical thinkers: Challenging adults to explore alternative ways of thinking and acting. Milton Keynes: Open University Press.• Brookfield, S. D. (1995). Becoming a critically reflective teacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

• Driscoll, J. (ed.). (2007). Practicing clinical supervision: a reflective approach for healthcare professionals. Edinburgh: Balliere Tindall.

• Ghaye, T. (2011). Teaching and learning through reflective practice: a practical guide for positive• action (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

• Gibbs, G. (1998). Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning. Oxford: Further Education Unit.• Illingworth, E. (2012). Thing 5 – Reflective practice [CPD25]. http://cpd23.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/thing-5-reflective-practice.html

• Kolb, D. (1984). Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.

• OpenLearn (2016). Learning to teach: becoming a reflective practitioner. http://www.open.edu/openlearn/education/learning-teach-becoming-reflective-practitioner/content-section-0

• Ronan, S. (2015). Thing 17: Reflective practice [Rudai 23]. http://rudai23.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/thing-17-reflective-practice.html

• Sewell, C. (2017). Reflective Practice Workshop https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.10945• Smith, E. (2011). Teaching critical reflection. Teaching in Higher Education 16(2) pgs.211-223.

• Stone, D. & Heen, S. (2014). Thanks for the feedback: the science and art of receiving feedback well. London: Portfolio Penguin.

http://rudai23.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/thing-17-reflective-practice.html

https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.10945

reflective practice a model for how best to implement it?

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