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