Task 2c - Reflective Theory

Reflective practice is something which I have never analysed before. Although it may be something I have used it has never been something I have ever thought about. I believe reflection to be important as it gives you the opportunity to look at your experiences in more than one way and therefore question previous assumptions. Being able to look back on something and analyse it gives you the chance to see it in a new light and through somebody else’s eyes. Kolb’s learning cycle is a good way of understanding how different people approach different situation in order to make sense of them. Kolb stated that people learn in one of the following ways:

• Doing something
• Reflective observation
• Abstract Conceptualism
• Active Experimentation

The Abstract Conceptualism is one that I am familiar with, I often have to think something through before doing it in order for it to piece together in my mind. Active Experimentation is something I find more difficult, not knowing what I am aiming for or the expected outcome before I start just doesn’t seem to make sense to me. I know that things aren’t always what they seem and experimentation is a vital part of life but I like there to be a right and wrong answer to everything. This is something I want to develop over the duration of this course. I need to not be scared of finding out that what I thought to be true may only be a product of the culture I have been bought up in.
Dewey’s views on learning are linked to this in that he talks of continually reconstructing your experience and reorganising it so you’re able to better understand its importance. Once you have had time to sit back and reflect on what’s happened you may find that your initial gut feeling was way of the mark. Impulse reactions are not something we can control but they are something we can reflect upon and therefore learn from. This could be a very powerful attribute to have in Professional Networking
As a performer I find Moons research on how to articulate tacit knowledge to be fascinating. I often find it hard to put together the words to describe what I’m thinking and in a professional situation this can be extremely detrimental. People aren’t able to read minds and if you can’t narrate what you are thinking it is almost impossible for others to understand. For example; nobody would want a director who cant project the image in their mind out into words for others to act out. It is essential to be able to articulate your thoughts, again this is something I wish to develop further throughout my career.
Writing a critical reflection would be described by Schon as a ‘reflection-on-action’ process, it is something you have to do after an experience not during it. Whilst writing my journals I have reflected on events gone by where my ‘reflection-in-action’ - what I did at the time - may not have worked out so well. Having the ability to both think on your feet and later reflect on what has happened is vital to growing as an academic and as a person. If you don’t learn from your mistakes and those of others you will continue to make them. I shall use many of these theories on my journey of professional networking and I shall continue to post bloggs to update you on my development!