Self-reflection

Self-reflection is increasingly regarded as a fundamental aspect of professional practice driven - in part - by Schon’s (1983) widely accepted notion of the reflective practitioner.

The prominence of self-reflection in the practices of higher education teachers has been secured by the inclusion of CPD needs in the UKPSF.

Processes for self-reflection can be formal – for example, peer reviews undertaken as part of a PDR process can aid self reflection, or working in conjunction with a mentor. Alternatively informal approaches can also be very powerful: story-writing, the composition of haikus, drawing of cartoons, or making structures out of lego have all been recognised as effective reflective tools.

The format you adopt for self-reflection will depend on a number of factors; whether or not you have identified an area of practice you wish to explore, your thoughts on working collaboratively with others or the extent to which you are willing suspend structure. Some teachers find it helpful to have a starting point in mind when starting to reflect. Yet others, are happy to capture thoughts through more free thinking approaches.

In this section you will find a number of case-studies where colleagues their experience of self-reflection using a variety of methods and the benefits of developing such approaches.

References:

Schön, D. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner. How professionals think in action, London: Temple Smith.