Reflective Practices

Reflections can be formal or informal. A less formal approach could simply reflecting back on an event and considering the various activities carried during the event. We all do it unknowingly most of the time. Doing it deliberately make improvement is something great for every professional adult educator.  In DACE program we learn it theoretically and we starts practicing it with efforts to improve us.

What is Reflection?

Most of us would probably think of ‘what we see when we look in a mirror’ as the answer to this question.

The Oxford Dictionary does indeed have a definition very similar to that, but also includes

‘serious thought or consideration’ (OUP 2009)

This suggests something which is more than what we see or think about on the surface, and we believe that deeper, more thoughtful reflection is the key to Reflective Practice. We are not suggesting that there is one type of reflection which is the only one which works.

This set of resources intends to help you come to your own conclusions which approaches may suit you best.

Use the approaches and ideas which help you, your teaching and your students the most.

There are various approaches and methods of reflective practice to adopt. I come across this article which I found worth reading to find more about reflection.

http://reflectivepractice-cpd.wikispaces.com/Definitions

Reflection will be based on the following four approaches:

1. Our autobiographies as A E and Learners
2. The Learner’s Perspective
3. The Peer’s Experiences
4. The Theoretical Literature

Individual autobiographies as Adult Educator and Learners

Every trainer performance reflects deeply embedded influences from their past experience. Practices question our self who was our favorite teacher during my school days. Will try to relate own experiences of fear joy during lessons and feel the same to see learners from their angle. This will help to identify our strength and weakness to capture learners and create an impression on them.

The Learner’s Perspective

This approach of reflection is seeing things through learner’s eyes. Learners are influence by not only the lessons covered but many things such as trainer’s honesty, commitments, personnel touch, rapport and relationship also. 

Adult Educators must learn how to identify different body languages and able to interpret them. Should ask questions like “what would it if I am one of them?” I learned to think as I am in their shoes from.

The Peer’s Experiences

This approach helps o see through a colleague’s eyes. In this way will be able to identify one’s blind spots which left unattended.

The Theoretical Literature

This form of reflection refers to the importance of critically reading theoretical literature. It is necessary to have sound knowledge of things what we do. Having a strong theoretical knowledge may trigger to see old and known thing in a different angle. It initiates good conversation and trigger critical thinking.

To find out more on using these four lenses, please see this link below;

http://sydney.edu.au/arts/teaching_learning/academic_support/four_lenses_index.shtml

Image courtesy: http://joeypauley.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/CollaborationReflective-Practice.jpg

Competency Based Training approaches

Today in CBT module of DACE we had a perfect facilitation session with Mr Rhonny.  As I have never worked with civil agencies, I have not experience in WSQ frame work. How ever participating in various learning activities with my classmates who have a lot of experience with WSQ helped me to understand basics of WSQ system.

WSQ is a powerful business tool for employers to recruit and maintain a skilled workforce, thus enhancing their competitive edge and advancing their businesses. WSQ can benefit employers in the following ways:

• Benchmark best practices
• Guide development of job descriptions
• Improve performance management systems and training programmes
• Establish employees' career paths
• Guide training needs analysis
• Facilitate recruitment of competent staff equipped with required occupational and industry capabilities
• Strengthen in-house training capabilities

There are 33 Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) frameworks. Each framework is recognised by the respective industry

For each framework, an Industry Skills and Training Council drives the development and validation of skills standards, assessment strategies and training curriculum for the industry

Each council comprises key industry partners, including employers, industry associations, training organisations and unions.

Revisiting the WSQ frame work and recalling ACTA CU1 was really helpful. It helped in various activities to apply one of three Training pathways Facilitated Classroom Learning(FL), On Job Training(OJT) and E-Learning(EL). We also recalled on six level and seven qualifications in WSQ system.

Mr Rhonny brought in activities to understand National Training System (NTS) by comparing it against other countries such as Germany, UK and Australia.

In overall, I enjoyed and learned a lot today.

Source:http://www.wda.gov.sg/content/wdawebsite/L102-ForEmployers/L208-WSQforEmployers.html

12. How Games help in classroom facilitation

In DACE CU3 ID (Apply Instructional Design to create Courseware), our facilitators Darren was sharing with us on the assessment criteria of this module. According to him, I must include two of the following learning activity in the courseware we create:

·         Case Study

·         Game

·         Role play

This really made me think of how I am going to make difference in my classroom lectures. At this point I am doing a simple teacher centered presentation and my naval trainees are keep sitting and listen to me (no other choice). After spending some time researching on how learners learns moving away from classroom, I found the games are a powerful tool I must use to engage my young naval trainees in their learning. Let me explain why I should use games in my facilitation. Games follow several learning principles that make them better instruments for learning than the traditional classroom structure Games helps students to learn something that traditional education cannot provide

Games Provide Feedback and Adapt to the Learner
Another learning principle is that each student is different and, therefore, will have a different style of learning. Games allow players to customize their difficulty level or style of play. Students in the traditional classroom may feel material is too hard or too easy, and they cannot try on different learning styles or use another problem solving method without the risk of failing or receiving a bad grade.  Games make it less risky and pleasantly frustrating to fail. Players know the game is possible to beat with enough practice, and “good games adjust challenges and give feedback in such a way that different players feel the game is challenging but doable and that their effort is paying off.

Many games also allow players to win or play in multiple ways, allowing the player to take on challenges with a method that suits their strengths or try a new problem solving approach.

Games Utilize Situated Meanings

Traditional classrooms tend to focus heavily on facts, definitions and isolated events. Whereas Games act as learning scaffolds, delivering information to the player just in time when they need to use it. Game designers are constantly considering what the player needs to know for their next challenge; this helps break up content so that facts are learned as a side effect from simply participating in these challenges. Games encourages the player to experiment concepts while providing guidance and information whenever the player needs it.

Games Create Meaningful Experiences 

As players explore their game world, they also create memorable, rich experiences which can be used to retrieve and reflect upon knowledge. They are basically learning by doing, and this is also known as situated learning where people learn through active experiences and critical interpretation of their experiences via personal reflection and interpersonal discussion. Traditional classroom lectures rarely create these meaningful experiences without interactive or hands-on activities. 

Games Make Learning Socially Relevant 

Games are able to make learning socially relevant. As concepts become more difficult in school, “students no longer see science as connected to the real world and lose interest in the subject” (Honey and Hilton 2010). By participating in an immersive environment or storyline and taking on the role of a scientist or mathematician, players can watch how their knowledge applies in these realistic simulations.  Games often challenge players to take on the roles of professionals, allowing players to problem solve with a new frame of reference.

Games Encourage Interactive Learning

First of all, good learning allows the student to be a producer rather than a passive consumer of his own learning. A typical classroom has a teacher that gives a lecture while the student passively listens and takes notes without context or application. However, games are interactive; that is, “when the player does something, the game does something back that encourages the player to act again”. Their actions shape the game world around them, causing the player to reflect on their decisions and form hypotheses. Therefore, whereas traditional blackboard learning sees the learner as a passive recipient of knowledge, game-based learning allows…students to become an active member of their education.