The importance of reflection in relation to professional development.

[Moore1]

I am currently studying my CACHE level 3 diploma for the early years workforce and as part of my final unit, I must join in on an online forum to discuss the importance of reflection in relation to professional development. I am also required to undertake my own research and use the forum to share theoretical perpectives on reflection.

Reflective practice is where an individual is always re-thinking and going over their actions in order to improve practice.  It is a vital part of one's professional development in any field.  There are several theorist's each with their own thoughts on reflective practice.

Kolb's Learning Cycle consists of four stages:
Concrete experience - The indivdual has a primary experience that allows for observation.  They will then have a new experience that will create an opportunity to learn.
Reflective Observation - The individual is able to reflect on the experience, the idea is that the individual is able to find the meaning behind the experience.
Abstract Conceptualisation - The individual can now create their own theories that are able to explain the experience and create concepts that they can follow in the future.
Active Experimentation - The individual is able to apply what they learned the in the experience to a new situation and test concepts to improve understanding and competence.

Gibbs' Learning Cycle consists of six stages and is similar to Kolb's:
Description - In order to identify what happened, the individual will describe the experience.
Feelings - The individual will then evaluate how they felt during the experience in order to understand what emotions they experienced and how they impacted the individual.
Evaluation - The individual will then assess what was good or bad about the experience and if anything could have been done differently.
Analysis - The experience is analysed for any patterns and underlying causes.
Conclusion - A conclusion is reached about the experience.  The individual will decide what to do with the learning in the future.
Action Plan - The final stage is where the individual will decide what actions to take in the future, based on what they have learned.

I personally feel that being able to reflect on one's experiences is a key part of being an early years educator.  Without the ability to reflect, we would not be able to draw positives and negatives from the experience, what worked and what didn't work, and most importantly we would not be able to make adjustments and improvements.  Not every child learns in the same way, what works for one, may not work for the other.  Without reflection it would be impossible to adjust an activity for a group of children who have different learning styles so that they can all reach the same learning outcome.

If anyone has any other thoughts or good theories on reflection, please post them here, it would really assist me in my learning.

[Jules]

Hello Moore1 and welcome! 

I thought I'd join you up with another discussion that's going on with a couple of other people who are studying their CACHE level 3 diploma and are focusing on reflective practice. You can find and join in with that discussion here: https://eyfs.info/forums/topic/54591-kolbs-and-gibbs-reflective-practices/#comment-477020

And I've just found another discussion about it here: https://eyfs.info/forums/topic/54636-reflective-practice/#comment-476859

We had an event about reflective practice a while back about reflecting on CPD in the early years: https://tapestry.info/tec/reflecting-on-cpd-in-the-early-years.html

We also have this article about a particular reflective approach used by a student studying a Masters in Early Years Education: https://eyfs.info/articles.html/general/the-inspiring-pedagogy-and-practice-of-ignorance-reflections-on-the-use-of-a-particular-scrapbook-approach-in-the-early-years-nursery-to-facilitate-curiosity-and-engagement-r318/

And we have a series of articles by Dr Jen Colwell about reflective practice - the first examining what we mean by 'reflective practice', the second looking at research methods, and the third focusing on the process of reflective practice:

https://eyfs.info/articles.html/teaching-and-learning/reflective-practice-what-is-reflection-why-should-it-inform-our-practice-and-what-does-it-involve-r256/

https://eyfs.info/articles.html/teaching-and-learning/reflective-practice-research-methods-r263/

https://eyfs.info/articles.html/teaching-and-learning/the-process-of-reflective-practice-r262/

 

I hope you find these links useful 😊

 

 

 

[Chodma]

Hello,

I would like to join this conversation outlining my research on 'Theoretical Perspectives on Reflection and how they emphasise the importance of reflection in relation to professional development'. In addition to the theories that Moore1,  has posted, I have mentioned another theory: Donald Schön’s Reflective Practitioner Model in my post below. 

I am in the process of completing the assignments in the last unit of my CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator) and I have been asked to share my research on the above topic in an online forum with my peers. I believe this would be an ideal platform to do this and appreciate your feedback and comments on this. Thank you in advance.

Theoretical Perspectives on Reflection in Professional Development

Reflection is a critical component of professional development, particularly in the early years sector. Theoretical perspectives on reflection provide frameworks for understanding how reflective practice can enhance learning and lead to continuous improvement. Following theories emphasize the importance of reflection in professional development. 

Donald Schön’s Reflective Practitioner Model:

Donald Schön’s theory of the reflective practitioner is foundational in understanding reflective practice. Schön (1983) identified two key types of reflection: reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action. Reflection-in-action occurs during the practice itself, as practitioners think critically and adapt their strategies while they are engaging with their work. Reflection-on-action happens after the practice, as practitioners evaluate their actions and decisions retrospectively.

Schön's concept highlights the significance of adaptability and responsiveness in the context of professional development. This entails early childhood educators being able to modify their methods of instruction and child care in the moment in response to the demands and reactions of the children. Conversely, reflection-on-action enables a more in-depth examination, enabling practitioners to extract lessons from their past experiences and incorporate them into their future work. As practitioners continuously hone their techniques and skills, this cycle of reflection promotes continual professional development.

Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory:

David Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory (1984) also highlights the significance of reflection in professional development. Kolb’s model involves a four-stage learning cycle: Concrete Experience, Reflective Observation, Abstract Conceptualization, and Active Experimentation. According to this theory, learning is a cyclical process that begins with a direct experience, followed by reflection on that experience. This reflection leads to the formation of abstract concepts, which are then tested through active experimentation in future situations.

Kolb's concept emphasises how introspective observation is essential to turning events into worthwhile educational opportunities. Reflective observation is a useful tool for early childhood educators to pinpoint what went well and what needs improvement in a given scenario. New methods are then developed based on this contemplation and tested in real-world scenarios. This cycle of reflection leads to professional development that is useful and successful by improving comprehension and encouraging the application of information in practical settings.

Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle:

Graham Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle (1988) offers a more structured approach to reflection. Gibbs’ model consists of six stages: Description, Feelings, Evaluation, Analysis, Conclusion, and Action Plan. This model guides practitioners through a comprehensive process of reflection, starting from describing the experience and the emotions involved, evaluating the positive and negative aspects, analyzing what contributed to the outcomes, drawing conclusions, and finally, developing an action plan for future improvement.

Gibbs' technique is especially helpful for practitioners in professional development who like a methodical approach to reflection. It promotes methodical experience analysis, making sure that all factors—including emotional reactions, which are sometimes disregarded in more basic reflection models—are taken into account. The action plan stage is critical because it establishes a clear connection between professional development and reflection, enabling practitioners to make targeted adjustments and put improved practices into practice.

Together, these theoretical stances highlight the fact that reflection is a deliberate, disciplined process that aims to advance one's professional development rather than merely being a means of looking back on past events. Early childhood educators can modify their approaches, critically assess their behaviours, and continuously improve their work with the use of reflection. Reflective techniques help practitioners stay up to date with industry best practices, expand their knowledge of child development, and adapt to a variety of demands.

A culture of lifelong learning is also fostered via reflective practice, and this is crucial in the ever-evolving profession of early childhood education. Since reflection is incorporated into professional development, learning is constant and responsive to real-world problems, which makes it an essential tool for improving children's educational outcomes as well as personal development.

References - 

https://libguides.cam.ac.uk/reflectivepracticetoolkit/models

https://workplacehero.co.uk/blog/the-schön-reflection-model

 

 

Edited August 23 by Chodma