Time to Reflect

Using time is an interesting way of thinking about practice.

Chris Argyris and Donald Schön did that in 1978, proposing a two stage process of reflection based on problem-solving in the present and in the future. Their model has strongly influenced the education, health and architecture professions.

There are two parts to Argyris and Schön's model: reflection-in-action, and reflection-on-action.

1. Reflection-in-action is our ability to "think on [our] feet" or 'felt-knowing' (Argyris & Schön, 1974, p. 203). When we are faced with a professional issue, we usually connect with their feelings, emotions and prior experiences to attend, to be present in that situation.
   
   
2. Reflection-on-action is the idea that AFTER the experience we analyse our reaction in that situation and we explore the reasons around, and the consequences of, our actions. The ‘normal’ way is through writing up our reflection afterwards, or by talking about it with a supervisor. However, this is not simply reviewing the experiences and poking at our reasoning for those actions.
   
   As Sharpiro puts it, it is "responding to problematic situations, problem framing, problem solving, and the priority of practical knowledge over abstract theory” (2010, p. 311).

Argyris and Schön think that our professional growth really only begins when we start to use a critical lens, and to doubt our actions. That doubt means that we think there is something else we can learn and hone.

Doubt allows us to think in questions, and helps us to frame situations as "problems". If we plan carefully and systematically get rid of other possibilities, then our doubt is settled. If instead we can ask "what if?", then that opens us up to other possibilties. We can re-explore the landscape. We may well still find that, “OK, we did that pretty well” and affirm our knowledge of what happened was roughly right (because we always know that we can never get it perfectly correct). But if we go in with no doubts, then we are unable to learn from that experience.

Reflection LETS us think about other possibilities and their likely outcomes, and to really openly consider whether we carried out the right actions (Argyris & Schön, 1978).

It closes our learning loop (Kolb, 1984).

And feeds into a growth mindset (Dweck, 2006).


Sam

References:

• Argyris, Chris & Schön, Donald A. (1978). Organizational Learning: A theory of action perspective. USA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company
• Argyris, Chris & Schön, Donald A. (1974). Theory in practice: increasing professional effectiveness. USA: Jossey-Bass Publishers
•  Dweck, Carol (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. USA: Baltimore Books
• Kolb, David A (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. USA: Prentice Hall, Inc.

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Reflecting: where Schön meets Kolb

Reflection is a critical component of learning. It is our intentional attempt to synthesise, apply the abstract to the concrete, and to HONESTLY articulate the key lessons learned within our experience (Schön, 1983).

Reflection is critical to developing as a professional, because it helps us challenge our attitudes, beliefs and assumptions. Otherwise, they too become concrete, and possibly too rigid. Instead of being open, we become closed.

Purposeful reflections on one's own accumulated experiences leads to greater learning as we accumulate more experience. We get a boost in learning - and build our self-efficacy - because reflection builds our confidence in achieving a goal. In turn, that translates to higher levels of learning and retention.

Kolb proposed a model of adult learning in 1984 (which I have written about before here). Kolb's work looks at how adults transform information into useable knowledge. He proposed that all learners work on two axes: north to south is prehension, and east to west is transformation. Prehension is where we move from being fearful of new learning to understanding it. Transformation is where we move from just watching and thinking, to doing and being.

Kolb (1984) considered what happens at each of the four quadrants outlined by the intersection of the two axes, and determined four learning stages. Firstly, experience: the accommodator, where we make some cautious room for the new ideas. Secondly, reflection, or the diverger, where we put some skull-sweat into working out how this fits with our current world view, and what would happen if we adopted this new learning. Thirdly, abstraction, or the assimilator, which is where we start forming an idea of fit and use for our future work. Lastly, active testing, or the converger, which is where we apply our new learning in practice and build new muscles.

After a situation, we reflect on it. We then gain an understanding of what we have encountered during the experience, and we test what we think we have learned. Then repeat. And repeat.

This pattern that Kolb (1984) proposed appears to be necessary for adults learning to take place. So adults need to be good reflective learners, for learning to be sticky.

Career practitioners in particular need to help others to develop unique solutions, so we too need to build our reflective learning skills.


Sam

References:

• Kolb, David A (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. USA: Prentice Hall, Inc
• Kreber, Carolin (2001). Learning Experientially through Case Studies? A Conceptual Analysis. Teaching in Higher Education, 2001, Volume 6, Issue 2 (pp. 217-228)
• Schön, Donald A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: how professionals think in action. New York: Basic Books

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Learning Moments

Should learning be fun? I suspect not, because learning can sometimes be uncomfortable as it transforms us. Effective - sticky - learning is not something that allows us to remain the same.

But perhaps sticky learning can be an 'enjoyable' process.

Knowles (1977, p. 202) tells us that the early gurus – Socrates, Euclid, Confucius, the Hebrew prophets and Lao-Tze – were all teachers of adults.

Entry for learning was usually 18+, so these great teacher's educational approaches were andragogical (adult), not pedagogical (child). Knowles also points out that, because delivery was an active, learner-centred process of enquiry, our early educators were case teachers. The Socratic method of “engaging the learner in a process of dialogue, an active process of enquiry” is how case learning takes place today.

In 1984 Kolb developed an experiential learning model which helps us link education, work, and our own personal development. Kolb reckoned that all learners move through four learning stages: firstly we experience, then we reflect, then we think about how this fits with our world (we abstract), then at last we test it (action) for fit. We tinker around with things through those four stages, around and around until we master something.

If something just doesn't make our cut in fitting our four stage learning process, we dump it. Some of us have more tenacity and determination in seeking mastery, so we will persevere longer. Others will be quick to dump or will lack tenacity.

But we have to go through all four of those stages. If we try to skip any bits, we don't get sticky learning. And we have to do it for ourselves.


References:

• Kolb, David A (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. USA: Prentice Hall, Inc
• Knowles, Malcolm S. (1977). Adult Learning Processes: Pedagogy and Andragogy. Religious Education, 1977, Volume 72, issue 2 (pp. 202-211)

Sam

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