Reflective Learning in Practice

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Reflective Learning in Practice

• Wednesday 12 November 2008

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• Please let me know if you have any queries
• Hugh Jones, Registrar and Secretary
• Goldsmiths, University of London
• hugh.jones_at_gold.ac.uk

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Outline Programme

• Learning cycles (Kolb and Lewin)
• Reflective Practice (Donald Schön)
• Learning styles their application in study

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• Willingness

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• Wittingness

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Donald Schön

• The Reflective Practitioner
• Educating the Reflective Practitioner
• Concerned to understand how expert practitioners
  use their knowledge in unfamiliar situations

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Learning cycles

• Kolb and Lewin are the key names
• Idea is that learning by experience proceeds as a
  cycle of four stages, which follow from each
  other

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Concrete Experience
Active experimentation
Reflective observation
Abstract conceptualisation
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Concrete Experience
Active experimentation
Reflective observation
Abstract conceptualisation
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Concrete experience

• An actual experience, with which the learner
  engaged in some way as either participant or
  observer

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Concrete Experience
Active experimentation
Reflective observation
Abstract conceptualisation
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Concrete Experience
Active experimentation
Reflective observation
Abstract conceptualisation
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Reflective observation

• On a personal basis
• May take some time after the event
• Use questions
• What was happening?
• What was expected to happen?
• What actually did happen?
• Why might this have been?

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Concrete Experience
Active experimentation
Reflective observation
Abstract conceptualisation
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Concrete Experience
Active experimentation
Reflective observation
Abstract conceptualisation
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Abstract conceptualisation

• This is where you try to make sense of it!
• May draw upon theories developed by others
• May be drawn from hypotheses developed by learner
• Not necessarily immediate

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Concrete Experience
Active experimentation
Reflective observation
Abstract conceptualisation
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Concrete Experience
Active experimentation
Reflective observation
Abstract conceptualisation
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Active experimentation

• Conscious development of way to intervene or act
  so as to modify the next occurrence of the
  experience
• Involves the learner as agent in some way
  perhaps intervening actively in the next
  occurrence, perhaps seeking out, as a more
  passive observer, a different context for the
  concrete experience

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Concrete Experience
Active experimentation
Reflective observation
Abstract conceptualisation
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Learning styles

• Honey and Mumford

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• The idea is that people have preferences for
  different styles of learning
• Activist
• Reflector
• Theorist
• Pragmatist

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Concrete Experience
Active experimentation
Reflective observation
Abstract conceptualisation
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Honey Mumford draw on Kolb!

• Activist Concrete Experience
• Reflector Reflective Observation
• Theorist Abstract Conceptualisation
• Pragmatist Active Experimentation

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The learning styles questionnaire

• 80 statements about your preferences
• Tick those that apply to you cross those that
  dont
• Think about each one, but not for too long!
• Then circle on the grid, under the appropriate
  column, only those numbers that you have ticked

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Learning Styles - Activists

• Possible characteristicsFlexible and
  open-mindedHappy to have a goHappy to be
  exposed to new situationsOptimistic about
  anything new and therefore unlikely to resist
  changeTendency to take the immediately obvious
  action without thinkingOften take unnecessary
  risksTendency to do too much themselves and hog
  the limelightRush into action without sufficient
  preparationGet bored with implementation/consolid
  ation

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Learning Styles - Reflectors

• Possible characteristicsCarefulThorough and
  methodicalThoughtfulGood at listening to others
  and assimilating informationRarely jump to
  conclusionsTendency to hold back from direct
  participationSlow to make up their minds and
  reach a decisionTendency to be to cautious and
  not take enough risksNot assertive

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Learning Styles -Theorists

• Possible characteristics
• Logical 'vertical' thinkersRational and
  objectiveGood at asking probing
  questionsDisciplined approachRestricted in
  lateral thinkingLow tolerance for uncertainty,
  disorder and ambiguityIntolerant of anything
  subjective or intuitiveFull of 'shoulds, oughts
  and musts'

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Learning Styles - Pragmatists

• Possible characteristicsKeen to test things in
  practicePractical, down to earth,
  realisticBusiness - get straight to the
  pointTechnique orientedTendency to reject
  anything without an obvious applicationNot very
  interested in theory or basic principlesTendency
  to seize on the first expedient solution to a
  problemImpatient with what they see as waffleOn
  balance, task orientated not people orientated

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Developing learning

• Learning styles enable us to choose learning
  experiences to match our preferences
• They also enable us to select learning
  experiences to develop our ability to learn (over
  and above the learning that we are undertaking
  anyway)

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Working on unpreferred learning styles

• Look at the score key, and think about one
  learning style that youd like to develop
• Look at the boxes with no tick (or 1) in them
• These statements describe the sort of activities
  that you dont prefer and which, if you
  developed, would help you to learn more
  effectively in the particular style

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Developing an Activist style

• What inhibits?
• Fear of failure and making mistakes?
• Fear of ridicule?
• Anxiety about new and unfamiliar things?
• Self-doubt, lack of self-confidence?
• Taking life very seriously?
• Not (necessarily) bad things, but useful to be
  aware

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Some things to try

• Try to do something new once a week. Doesnt
  have to b a big thing
• Practice initiating conversations
• Deliberately fragment your day
• Force yourself into the limelight volunteer to
  lead on things
• Practice thinking on your feet join in debates.
  (Do this with friends?)

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Strengthening a reflector style

• What inhibits you?
• Being short of time to think?
• Preferring to do new things?
• Impatience?
• Reluctance to listen carefully and
• analyse?
• Reluctance to articulate things verbally?
• Again, not (necessarily) bad

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Things to try

• Practice observing (eg at meetings) and making
  notes
• Keep a reflective diary
• Conduct reviews of activities record the process
• Undertake a detailed research project
• Write an essay force yourself to redraft it
• Write down both sides of an argument try to make
  sure that your views are balanced

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Developing a theorist style

• What inhibits you?
• Tendency to take things at face value?
• Preference for intuition or subjectivity?
• Dislike of structured approaches?
• Prioritising fun and spontaneity?
• Dont forget, these arent necessarily bad

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You could try

• Force yourself to read heavy work (philosophy)
  regularly and then summarise it in your own words
• Practice spotting inconsistencies
• Undertake a detailed analysis of a complex
  situation
• Pick an area where there are conflicting theories
  (eg the environment) and try to analyse and
  understand different approaches
• Practice at planning work and activities in a
  more structured way

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Developing a pragmatist style

• What holds you back?
• A preference for perfection?
• Seeing techniques as gimmicks?
• Being side-tracked?
• Preferring open-endedness?
• Believing your situation to be unique?
• Not always bad but

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Try

• Collect and learn about practical techniques or
  approaches personal development, statistical -
  just add to your repertoire
• Make a rule never to leave a meeting without a
  (personal) action plan
• Try out the techniques you are using make
  opportunities to do so
• Model yourself on others who use particular
  techniques or approaches
• Undertake some DIY

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• Any final thoughts or things to share?
• Thank you!