When we are learning something new, we need to reflect to embed our learning. By creating the space to reflect on our learning, we will not only remember far more of what we set out to discover, but we are more likely to understand what we have been exposed to.
The key concept in the previous sentence is "creating the space". We have to create an environment where we have enough time to reflect. That is not pressured time, but peaceful time where we can be deliberate and evaluate, sort, and analyse our learning. Where we can take the time to consider what the learning means to us now, how we can use it, and when we may be able to use our learning in the future.
Another key element is to have enough expertise to reflect well. Sometimes that might mean good examples so we can guide ourselves. Sometimes that might mean having enough expert mentoring so that we reflect deeply enough, and are able to re-evaluate our pre-conceptions. We need to have enough resources to explore what we know and what we have learned, so that we now can dimly see what we are yet to learn. That work sometimes needs a guide.
Reflective thinking is important when we are learning for many reasons, but there are some key benefits. Reflection allows us to (University of the People, 2022):
- Grow: critical reflection helps us to develop, to undertake self-improvement both our personal and professional spheres. Good quality critical reflection increases our self-awareness, and our ability to better understand our motives.
- Push: reflective thinking can motivate us, because we truly understand what we are trying to achieve, and why we are trying to achieve it. The more challenges we take on, the less fear we will have of the unknown.
- Extrapolate: critical reflection extends our contextual understanding to a broad range of experiences, past and present, allowing us to see our past in a different light. We can now see 'what ifs' which we can extrapolate into new areas, making us more effective and growing our expertise.
- Stand in other's shoes: reflection helps us to better understand other's viewpoints; to better see why others acted the way they did. This knowledge makes us more open-minded, more accepting of difference.
Reflective learning is a process without cease. We observe, we understand, and we act. We take what we have learned and we apply it, all while continuing to reflect so that we continue to grow our understanding.
To learn more about critical reflection, go here.
Sam
References:
University of the People. (2022). How To Think Reflectively. https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/reflective-thinking/
Van Velzen, J. H. (2004). Assessing students' self-reflective thinking in the classroom: The self-reflective thinking questionnaire. Psychological reports, 95(3_suppl), 1175-1186. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.95.3f.1175-1186
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