2c. Reflective Practice

Reflective practice is a process of learning from experience and turning information into knowledge. There are a number of theory’s on this I will have a look at a few and critically reflect on my use of reflective practice, discover what processes I already use in my practices and what new theory I can find to benefit my own critical reflections to progress myself. 

I have looked at John dewey and david Kolbs ideas and theories on reflective practice in detail and find that their methods best describe the way of practice which can efficiently progress a professionals career.

Dewey a was an educationist  and considered a philosopher he was interested in experience. He belived that experience along with reflective thought was the key to gaining the most out of something. 

David Kolb’s work was inspired by Dewey and he deleloped the idea of a ‘learning cycle’, that shows the importance of being able to identify  you have had an experience and and the importance of  having tools to be able reflet on that experience.

Kolb’s Learning Cycle is based on the John Dewey’s claim that learning must be grounded in experience he put the cycle in four stages that must be fulfilled in order for learning to take place.

Concrete Experience—actually doing the activity

Reflective Observation—reflecting on performance in the activity, considering successes and failures.

Abstract Conceptualization—apply theory to the experience of doing the activity

Planning Active Experimentation—consider theory and reflection to guide planning for

subsequent experiences 

There are a few arguments against Kolb and he theory however and not all writers agree with Kolb's theory.

Rogers, for example points out that "learning includes goals, purposes, intentions, choice and decision-making, and it is not at all clear where these elements fit into the learning cycle." (Rogers, 1996, p. 108)

I however believe this to be an emotional / mental issue though, with an individuals state of mind, so cannot see why it could plausibly decredit Kolb.

In my view the general principles behind, for example Kolbs ‘Learning cycle’ and Deweys ideas ‘reflective thought and experience’ are to take note of your surrounds, learn from the experiences you witness and use them refectivly to better your performance during your next “Concrete Experience”.

Learning a framework enables me to understand how to work more efficiently. The general principles will enable me to better myself through conforming to a successful and rational system.

In my profession and area of work reflective practice is very important and I have noticed that it is defiantly the core of progressing in the creative industry’s in the case of me, from operating equipment, editing to creating ideas and websites all the way to formulating a company, refection is a way of solving problems and a key principle of learning and progressing in my industry. When it comes to being creative say in editing, which I do lots of I have found that reflective thought and experience is key. The more editing I do and mistakes I make there further I push my self to rectify these mistakes and through experience and planning I over come them.

Dewey theory rang a bell with me, his idea that interaction with the arts led to a unique and valuable experience (Dewey 1934), he felt that if people had full experience and therefore full engagement with there lives they would be better able to be part of society, full engage with democracy and spend more time solving worldly problems. I believe I may have noticed myself in his theory to a point. I believe by participating and learning through experience over time, I learnt more about my area of work, what it entails, its powers, its down falls and where I want to take my self, and gave me clearer goals and meaning. In consequence this may be allowing me to become a more active member of society and through peaceofthepye.com attempt to contribute to the world by platforms of sharing, discussing and harnessing collective intelligence to the better society and solve worldly problems. On the other had I can criticize this theory with something I have noticed that it doesn’t take in to account are external pressures, environment that can all effect your learning experience and there for could effect your focus and outlook to the world, clouding the feeling of being part of society.

I noticed that by gaining basic experience and knowledge from an area as in ‘Dewey ideas on ‘reflective thought and experience’ I believed to be interested in along side working in a business Production environment I felt as time came on it gave me direction in where I wanted to go and allows me to progress while at work. When It comes to using equipment, the better the previous knowledge I have, the easier I can get on with the task at hand which links in with how much valuable experience I have previously had.

I have noticed that Kolb’s ‘learning cycle’ is very useful in my profession because I’m still learning constantly and believe that the cycle outlines the best ways in which I already learning on the job while as it allows me to reflect, learning from the past then plan and try out what I have learnt from refection, which completes the cycle.