Task 2C - Reflective Theory

As Work Based Learning Students within the arts industry we have to constantly reflect on our work and performance. How do we learn to reflect on ourselves? As I progressed through Reader 2 it became clear there are many different ways we can use reflection within our every day practice.
Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory (Kolb, 1984) defines experiential learning as "the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience. Knowledge results from the combination of grasping and transforming experience."

I am going to look at the different reflective theories that both relate to my practice and the ones that don't and try to look into as to why some of them work and others do not.

Donald Schön

Donald Schön (1987) introduced the idea of reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action. As a performer I believe that I already use this theory in one of two ways. Firstly I use reflection-in-action during rehearsals, every day life and work. By adopting the in-action option it has allowed me to become versatile and a more capable performer, in some circumstances I have had to think quickly and change what was I doing. Without using reflection-in-action this may not have worked as well. For example, if I were to go away and think about what my character in a play may do, it may become a forced action as opposed to an instinctual movement or decision that is true to the character. Secondly, the reflection-on-action can be used is useful when you don't have the time to sit and reflect in-action you can do it later on. This is useful within  my practice because as one of my jobs is hosting children's parties (which are all go at all times, 100% enthusiasm and energy) there isn't a spare minute to stop and think - and the children won't wait for you to think about what worked and what didn't. Therefore in circumstances like that, reflection-on-action is more useful.

Kolb

Kolb developed a learning cycle in which different people enter it at different points. It is based on the idea that learning is a constant cycle that never stops - we are always learning and developing. This process is very important within my own reflective practice, it made me realise that we learn from every experience we have. Not only that but we are also influenced from previous experience, we only know something once we have learnt it. This then links to Graham Mcfee's bachelor example in Reader 2. We do not truly know something unless we learn it for ourselves.
'One must understand what is being defined in order that one judge for oneself the accuracy' (McFee, 1992). Kolb's learning cycle is useful within my profession because it allows every individual to see where they enter within the cycle and showing them the next logical step to take. Realising that learning is an ongoing process that never concludes is invaluable in the performing industry because no two jobs will ever be the same and using the learning cycle to collect information and reflect on that experience will only enhance your future practice.  Pedler, Burgoyne and Boydell thought that Kolb’s learning cycle was focused too much towards the perspective of the educator. However I disagree, I think that it is accessible for anyone to use in a wide variety of circumstances and that is why it is so widely used.

I have also found some useful tables to help explain further what each element of Kolb's learning cycle includes. For those who teach, the second one is particularly interesting.

Dewey

Dewey believed in experiences and called it 'reflective thought'. His idea that was to feel the full experience of something we must be completely engaged and conscious. He outlined different types of experience and how valuable they would be  'Some experiences are merely passive affairs, pleasant or painful but not educative. An educative experience, according to Dewey, is an experience in which we make a connection between what we do to things and what happens to them or us in consequence; the value of an experience lies in the perception of relationships or continuities among events'.

Jennifer Moon

I found this theory particularly interesting because I related to it the most. When I looked into this further I recognised elements that were already in my day to day practice. She developed the idea of 5 stages of learning.

Jenny Moon (1999) outlines five stages of learning:

Stage 1: Noticing	The student has to register the topic, event or incident as being interesting or important in some way.
Stage 2: Making sense	The student thinks more about what they have noticed and tries to understand it better.
Stage 3: Making meaning	The student starts to ask questions and to connect ideas together.
Stage 4: Working with meaning	The student makes links with other ideas and events. They would probably refer to literature and other research. At this point, reflection on the learning is likely to be taking place.
Stage 5: Transformative learning	The student has reached the point where they can formulate new ideas of their own. They know what they would do if a similar situation arose in the future.

Moon (1999) said 'Reflection is a form of mental processing - like a form of thinking - that we  may use to fulfil a purpose or to achieve some anticipated outcome .   Alternatively we may simply ‘be reflective’, and then an outcome can be unexpected.'

I really liked the idea that even if we are actively reflecting we may be surprised by the outcome. I feel her theory is centred around the question Why? I ask myself why I like something, why have I made that choice quite a lot within my own practice so I found this theory very interesting in relation to my own reflective journey.

References

http://www.open.ac.uk/blogs/openminded/?p=318

http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/gradschool/training/eresources/teaching/theories/kolb

John Dewey (1859–1952) - Experience and Reflective Thinking, Learning, School and Life, Democracy and Education - Experiences, Philosophy, Society, and Educational - StateUniversity.com http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/1914/Dewey-John-1859-1952.html#ixzz4cXIeKFV7

http://skillsforlearning.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/preview/content/models/06.shtml

'Defining and improving the quality of reflective learning' Jenny Moon, Centre for Excellence in Media Practice, Bournemouth University Document