Discuss the importance of reflection in relation to professional development

[tillypincott]

hi, i have been doing my research on this last question and i have have shared my views bellow:
Importance of reflection in relation to professional development
Reflection in this context may be described as a form of training method that progresses a learner’s mind by encouraging the independent acquisition of knowledge. It involves the practitioner in a critique of his/her practice, it enables him to learn front the past, deal with the present and forms the basis of future planning and development. It helps teachers to maintain their effectiveness by building their capacity to focus on childcare and development.
Reflective learning is important to practitioners because it provides an effective way to learn and develop the skills required in childcare. This primarily because it allows the practitioner to learn from their past by recollecting what has transpired in the course of their activities. Reflective learning can come in the form of self and peer assessment where the individual looks back on what has happened in the past and allowing friends to observe and give feedback to the practitioner.
Another positive aspect of reflective learning is that, It allows the practitioner to create a reasonable and sensible assessment of his/her personal work. This can form the basis for new thinking which will result in the delivery of improved quality childcare methods. It also provides a procedure for measuring and evaluating ones teaching performance, improving the gains and making the necessary corrections and adopting the concepts of new teaching methods.
Two theorists throw more light on the importance of reflection in relation to professional development.
David Kolb’s Learning Cycle
David Kolb explains extensively in his learning styles theory published in 1984 in which he expressed his concerns about what happens during a learner’s internal cognitive process. From this he developed the learning styles theory. In his work he opines that there is a learning cycle that provides the opportunity for people to reflect on their learning and development. He broke these into four processes which he argues could take place for effective learning.
These four processes are:
Concrete experience – This describes when a new experience is encountered or an existing experience is being emphasised. In a nursery setting an example of this could be using a pencil for the first time or helping him to hold it better.
Reflective observations – This also describes an observation and reflection of the above experience.
Abstract conceptualisation – Here, reflecting on the above experience will then give rise to a new idea. Alternatively, he could develop new thinking about an existing concept in relation to what has just been experienced.
Active experimentation – The learner implements his new ideas onto the situations around him to see what will happen.
Kolb highlights in his work that learning is an integration of these processes and each of the stages mutually supported each other.
Gibbs Reflective Cycle
Another theoretical perspective to consider in this context is Gibbs Reflective Cycle. Building on David Kolb’s work, Gibbs developed a different approach which in his view could help people to reflect on their responses to different situations and come to the conclusion on what to do to expect a different outcome.
Gibbs theory of reflection allows for evaluation of the acquired experience which ultimately helps the practitioner to reflect and make use of the acquired experiences to examine his practice. This ensures that the practitioner has actually reflected on his experience and used it to inform his future practice.
In summary, Gibbs theory encourages the reflective practitioner to examine his own practice and plan what he could change in future to make an improvement.

[MESuddaby]

Hello tillypincott,
I have read your post and I agree with you about reflective practice could be considered another form of training as it highlights weaknesses and strengths of practice for professional development. What do you think about my research of Phil Race's experiential learning model? Can you relate to this type of reflection in your own practice?
MESuddaby

[tillypincott]

Hi MESuddaby,
I completely agree with your with opinion on Phil Race’s experiential learning model. It seems to throw more light on reflective learning. Digesting offers practitioners the opportunity to learn and reflect from an experience, for example an activity where he/she could learn by doing something. Obviously both intrinsic and extrinsic feedbacks from peers and parents help you to assess what has transpired, reflect on them and learn from the experience. I think Phil Race’s theory enriches the basic principles of reflective learning and its worth pointing that out, well done.

[MESuddaby]

Hello tillypincott,
Thank you so much for your comment. Good luck with your level 3 Early Years Educator course.

[Valchoco]

Hi am on my last assignment for level 3 and I have been ask to join online forum to discuss about the importance of reflection in relation to professional development. I am still searching and want to know if something have something to say. Thanks

[Chantalcs]

Hi I'm also on unit 23 - The last unit of my studies !!!!

Here is my answer to question 3 - How does reflection relate to professional development.

I have learnt that when working with children things don't always go to plan.
I have planned activities or set up play environments with expectations of the children doing certain things in a certain way and the results have been far from what I had expected. When I reflect on this it helps me to keep an open mind and to change my expectations quickly and easily.

Reflection is a great way of progressing. Deciding whether the experience was bad or good doesn't really matter, it's about learning from it and being able to move forward professionally and personally to improve yourself.

When I leave work I tend to reflect on the day I have just had. I think about what I have done, how I have dealt with situations that have arisen, if I have dealt with them correctly, and most importantly whether I have inspired any children.

When it comes to activities that I have carried out with the children I reflect on what I have done with them and by observing the children I can decide on not only what the children may have learnt from the activity but also what I may have learnt from the children.

The term reflective practice basically means the process of thinking about the work I do in me early years setting as a play worker.

As far as theoretical perspectives on reflection in relation to professional development there are two main theories that help us to understand the reflective progress:
Kolb's learning cycle and Gibb's reflective cycle.

Kolb's learning cycle is a way of helping us reflect on what we have learnt. There are four processes that need to take place
Concrete experience - Doing something or actually having the experience.
Reflective observation - Reflect on what has happened or review the experience
Abstract conceptualisation - What I have learnt from the experience
Active experimentation

Gibb's cycle of reflection was developed from Kolb's learning cycle but it relates more towards learning through repeating processes and experiments.
The aims of Gibb's reflective cycle are challenging assumptions, exploring different ways of doing things and ideas that promote self improvement. Addressing strengths and weaknesses. [/list]

[Carowall]

Hi
I have read all the response with interest and would like to add my own findings to the thread.
Reflective Practice is the process of observation, assessment and critical evaluation of yourself or your colleagues to monitor and improve practice. Reflective practice is one of 2 key ingredients for ongoing professional development along with keeping up to date with knowledge and skills. Ongoing professional development is very important to Early Years professionals, due to changes to policies, procedures and research that can lead to new knowledge on child development or learning strategies.
The process of reflection can appear to be a daunting one. We are fortunate that there are several theorists who have studied reflection and created processes to help us reflect and develop.
David Kolb published his learning cycle model in 1984. The cycle consists of 4 processes that Kolb believes needs to take place for effective learning.
1. Concrete experience
This is taking part in an event or activity, for example teaching a phonics session.
2. Reflective observation
Here you review and reflect on the experience. Did all the children engage well with the activity? Did the session flow well? Were they any elements that didn’t work and why?
3. Abstract conceptualisation
Use your reflections to develop new ideas.
4. Active experimentation
Try out your new ideas.
The process is a cycle as once we have tried out these new ideas, we need to reflect on them.
One of David Kolb’s most famous quotes is ““Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience”
Going through Kolb’s learning cycle helps us to transform our experience into knowledge.
Graham Gibbs created a more structured and detailed reflective cycle, inspired by Kolb’s learning cycle. Gibbs cycle enables us to reflect on incidents and occurrences and how the practitioner has responded to these events.
The major difference between Gibbs cycle and Kolb’s is that Gibbs model acknowledges that personal feelings can influence a situation. Gibbs cycle has 6 stages compared to Kolb’s 4.
After an incident or occurrence, which could be positive or negative, the practitioner goes through the following 6 stages.
1. Description
What happened?
2. Feelings
What were you thinking and feeling at the time?
3. Evaluation
What was good or bad about the experience?
4. Analysis
What sense can you make of what happened?
5. Conclusion
What can you conclude from this?
6. Action plan
Adapt the way you work
In 1993 Phil Race, a British educational and training developer revealed a new and innovative model of learning, “the ripples model of learning”.
The thing that makes this model unique from other reflective “cycles” is that it is not a cycle at all, but 4 processes that interact with each other like ripples on a pond. Each process influences and pushes the next, the ripples intersect with each other.
Race’s model is like Kolb’s in that they are both experiential learning models. Experiential learning is the process of learning through experience or more simply learning by doing. Where Race and Kolb differ is that Race has identified a new element in the learning process, motivation. A person needs to want to learn to be able to learn.
The 4 processes that need to take place for effective learning according to Race are:
1. Needing/Wanting – Motivation
2. Doing – Practice, trial and error
3. Feedback – Seeing the results, other people’s responses/reactions
4. Digesting – Making sense of it, gaining ownership

[ktknight25]

Hi i too have to join an online forum to discuss reflective theoretical perspectives on reflection in relation to professional development, I too have found Kolbs and Gibbs, I feel that Kolbs is turning experience into knowledge and Gibbs is more how staff and practitioners deal with incidents and how they respond.
This is what I have found,

Two main theories that have influenced people’s understanding of the process of reflection, in relation to professional development, Kolb’s learning cycle and Gibbs’ reflective cycle. Below they are explained:

Kolb’s Learning Cycle*- Kolb suggested that there may be a learning cycle this cycle could be used to help people reflect on their learning. The cycle includes four processes which Kolb suggested need to take place for effective learning.*
The first being Concrete experience – This is means doing something in an early years setting such as teaching a child how to use scissors.
The second is Reflective observation – This is reviewing and reflecting on the experience which elements teaching the child which things were a success and which didn’t work.
the Third is Abstract conceptualisation – This is about developing new ideas. Meaning thinking of activities that involve cutting if that child is interest in scissors then that is in that child's interests and you could think to include other interests such as cutting out pictures of things that interest them as well and this will lead to discussion and building relationships with the child.
The fourth is Active experimentation – Meaning putting in to practice the new ideas and then carrying out activities using the new ideas.
The cycle means that once we have carried out our new ideas, we reflect on these once more and so the cycle continues.*
In relation to professional development, it is thought that the cycle allows you to reflect on your practice, think of new ideas and put them in to practice and reflect on the ideas. The process of continuous evaluation and reflection leads to improvements in practice.*

Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle*
Gibbs adapted Kolb’s work to develop a more structured approach which could be used to help people reflect on their responses to certain situations and come to conclusions about what they could do differently next time.*

The cycle suggests that following an incident or situation that arises that you think about what happened and how you felt at the time. You then evaluate it and ask questions such as was it good or bad and why, You then go on to analyse why it happened and what conclusions could be reached once you have wrote your evaluation an action plan is then drawn up.*
In relation to professional development Gibbs’ reflective cycle provides a structured approach for practitioners to reflect on how they react or manage a situation or incident. For example a two year old child who continues to pour water on the floor after being asked to stop is shouted at by a practitioner and then cries. This incident can be reflected on using Gibbs’ reflective cycle, the cycle provides steps to help us understand how this situation could have had a different and more positive outcome. Asking how was the practitioner feeling at the time and did this effect their response? The evaluation step asks the question if the response was the right one and if not the analysis allows us to understand why this could be and what we could do to improve this. The conclusion brings together the information about the incident in order to form an action plan to prevent this situation happening again. This could be gaining knowledge about the development of a child of this age and ways to manage unwanted behaviour and strategies to stop a situation such as this. The practitioner may also have to think about resting more to make sure they are not so tired while at work to ensure patience is not affected through tiredness or stress.

[Chantalcs]

I think that we all agree that when we examine the processes of reflection the models are all different but the basic principles are all the same.
We should begin with the actual experience and describe what has happened. We should then think about and reflect on what went well and what didn't go quite as well, the strengths and weaknesses should be identified and areas of improvement should be noted. Then analyse and decide on what can be improved or changed before implementing a new plan with a possible different approach or strategy.

Thank you all for reading and I wish you the best of luck with your studies.

[ktknight25]

I agree and I think both of these are very effective and something that we use without realising in early years, sometimes if we have a difficult child it is sometimes hard to control them and then afterwards think about did we say the right thing or do the right thing which is where i find Gibbs theory useful.

I wish all of you luck in your studies!