Frameworks and models of reflection

Frameworks and models of reflection

There has been research into how reflection helps learning. Here are two models, Schön (1983) and Gibbs (1988), that you may find useful.

Think about these two models and how you might use them to reflect on your own learning experiences (now and in the future).

Schön

Schön (1983) splits reflection into a three-step or four-step timeframe:

Before: What do you think might happen? How do you prepare for the challenge?

During: What's happening now, as you make rapid decisions? What can you do to make things better?

Just after: What are your insights immediately after, while the feelings are still fresh?

Later: What are your reflections when you have more emotional distance from the event?

Gibbs

Gibbs (1988) sees the reflective experience as a cycle to emphasise that what you learn from one experience should feed into how you approach the next experience:

Description: What happened?

Feelings: What were you thinking and feeling?

Evaluation: What was good and bad about the experience?

Analysis: What sense can you make of the situation?

Conclusion: What else could you have done?

Action plan: If it arose again, what would you do?