Critical reflection
Critical reflection is a thoughtful process that involves reviewing and analyzing personal experiences to derive meaning and insights. This practice is integral to formal learning, as it encourages individuals to consider how new information impacts their existing knowledge and beliefs. Beyond the classroom, critical reflection can be applied in various contexts, including professional development and personal growth. By reflecting on both successes and failures, individuals can identify areas for improvement and explore alternative approaches to challenges. Furthermore, it fosters greater self-awareness by prompting individuals to examine their beliefs and behaviors, potentially leading to transformative insights. For instance, someone may reassess longstanding assumptions about a topic or reconsider habitual behaviors that may not serve their best interests. The process generally involves reviewing experiences, analyzing underlying reasons, and determining the implications for future actions. Ultimately, critical reflection can enhance intellectual and emotional growth, making it a valuable tool for lifelong learning.
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Critical reflection
Critical reflection is the process of thinking back on an experience to understand its meaning. It is often part of a learning process, where one reflects back to clarify and understand what has been learned and consider its importance. The process can often lead to some action, such as changing assumptions, seeking additional knowledge, or establishing a new course of action.
Overview
Critical reflection is a key part of the formal learning process. It is important for students to not only learn material but also recognize how it affects what they already know or thought they knew. It also determines what they still need to learn and how they should act as a result of the knowledge gained. However, critical reflection has applications in nearly every aspect of life. A person attempting a task and not achieving immediate success can reflect on what has been tried, determine why it might not have succeeded, and consider what alternatives can be tried instead. The process can also be applied to tasks that are completed successfully to look for options for improvement or even for alternatives to doing the task in the first place.
The critical reflection process is also useful in assessing beliefs and assumptions to determine if they are still valid. For example, suppose a person who never owned cats does not like them because she believes them to be unfriendly and sneaky. She is asked to watch a friend's cats while the friend vacations and finds herself noticing their playful antics and the way they purr while they watch her fill their food bowls. As she reflects on what she has seen, she realizes that her beliefs about cats were inaccurate and need to be adjusted. Critical reflection, whether it is based on academic or everyday learning, is an important part of intellectual and emotional growth.
Another application of critical reflection is self-examination of behavior to determine why one acts in a particular way. For example, a person who always spends too much money shopping after having a fight with a friend might reflect critically on why. In this way, the person might find some past experience, need, or belief that leads to this unhealthy behavior.
Regardless of the subject of the critical review, the process is similar. The first step is a review of the subject. What was learned? What was done? What is believed? What was discovered? What was found to be different from what was expected?
Next comes an analysis of why, especially in the case of actions, beliefs, or discoveries. Why were things done this way? Why was this the belief? Why was the experience different from what was expected? Reflecting on these questions helps to identify mistakes or gaps in knowledge, beliefs, expectations, or behaviors.
Once these have been identified, the person can move to understanding why this knowledge or these actions, beliefs, or discoveries matter. What does this mean for what was previously known, believed, experienced, or done? Does what was learned from the reflection require changes from previous understandings?
The final step is to decide what actions can or should be taken following the reflection. This type of reflection can help develop a deeper understanding of academic material. It can also promote greater self-awareness and self-improvement.
Bibliography
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Kenny, Natasha. "The What? So What? And Now What? Of Critical Reflection." University of Calgary, 30 July 2014, connections.ucalgaryblogs.ca/2014/07/30/the-what-so-what-and-now-what-of-critical-reflection/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2017.
"What Is Critical Reflection?" IGI Global, www.igi-global.com/dictionary/critical-reflection/6220. Accessed 6 Nov. 2017.
"What Is Critical Reflection?" University of Nottingham, www.nottingham.ac.uk/nmp/sonet/rlos/placs/critical‗reflection/intro1.html. Accessed 6 Nov. 2017.