Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
7.3 Reflection techniques - Coggle Diagram
7.3 Reflection techniques
Kolb's experiential learning cycle
Concrete
An individual has an experience that is the basis for observation. The new experience creates an opportunity for learning. An individual cannot learn from just reading or observation. The focus of this stage is that the individual takes part in the experience so that they can learn from it
Reflective observation
The individual reflects on the experience from the concrete stage. This means reviewing, reflecting on, what has been done and experience from a personal viewpoint. The change from seeing and doing to reflection can increase the understanding of the experience. An individual is shown how to successfully complete a task and during reflection considers how it could be applied in different situations. This should include any inconsistencies that have occurred between experience and the understanding. The focus of this stage is the review of the experience and the meaning of the experience
Abstract conceptualisation
An individual will create new ideas or change their current abstract ideas based on the reflections from stage 2. In this stage it is possible to identify how previously learned ideas can be applied to their situation. It is also possible that theories will be developed based on previous experiences. Recurring problems, commonality and issues can be identified which can be taken forward to create ideas and theories which can be applied in the future. The focus of this stage is learning from reflections and thinking
Active experimentation
The individual will learn from the practical application of ideas and consider how they are going to put what they have learned into practice, including how the learning can be applied to a different situation. This may include the consideration of any changes that may need to be made when the same experience happens again. This will allow them to develop theories and make decisions to solve the experience in the future. This will enable the individual to improve their reaction to the same or similar experiences in the future which will, in turn, result in new experiences
Gibbs reflective cycle
Description
The situation needs to be described without making any judgements or coming to a conclusion. This stage is just about what happened, conclusions come later in the cycle. The description needs to set the scene and record the key components of the situation but must keep to being descriptive
Feelings
The focus is on the feeling and reactions that occurred during the situation. A description of the reactions and feeling is needed, but as with stage 1 no analysis or conclusion should be made. It can be very difficult to be honest about feeling and reactions, but to enable the process to be productive you need to be honest.
Evaluation
The focus is on evaluating the positive and negative actions and outcomes. The situation and the responses that were made are considered objectively in order to make the first value judgement. The situation should be considered from the perspectives of all the individuals who are involved. By doing this, it can be ascertained if the situation was a positive or negative experience for all or only some of the individuals. The focus should be on the positive and negative even if it was mainly one or the other.
Analysis
The focus is on analysis on the process and outcomes of the situation. This stage attempts to explain why the experience was positive or negative and should form the largest section of the reflection. At this stage ideas from outside the experience could also be considered. Points made in the previous steps should be considered and factors that helped should be identified, for example previous experiences, carrying out research or consulting with others. This is where sense should be made about what happened, using the theory and the wider context to develop understanding
Conclusion
In this stage the actions and outcomes from a situation should be summarised. There are 2 conclusions: a general one, which could be transferable and a specific one, focused on your personal situation. These are now normally merged but it is best practice to consider both. The conclusion should be based on the response to the previous stage and focus on what has been learned.
Action plan
This stage is to formulate an action plan recording future plans and areas for improvement. This is based on the responses to all of the previous stages. The action plan should include anything that needs to be known and done to improve for next time. This stage should be considered as very important because formulating, and following, an action plan can inform professional development and improvement
Boud, Keogh and Walker's model
Experience
To facilitate reflective learning you need to return to the experience and consider what happened. In this stage, you consider the behaviour, ideas and feeling that occurred
Reflective
The negative feeling and behaviours you identified are removed, with the focus being on the positives that occurred. When you have removed the negatives during the reflective process, it is possible to return to the experience and view this in terms of only the positive behaviour, ideas and feeling. By doing this, you can return to the experience and re-evaluate it in a positive way
Outcomes
By carrying out the previous stages, you can gain new perspectives on the experience. These new perspectives will inform changes in your behaviours, being ready to apply these identified changes, and most importantly, being ready and able to commit to the changes that need to be made