Page 3 - A Guide to Reflective Practice

Reflective Learning Journal
NOTE: This document is designed to be maintained electronically. However, hard copies can be made by adjusting the format to provide sufficient space and copies of for journal entries.
What is a Reflective Learning Journal?
“A reflective journal is a personal record of student’s learning experiences. It is a space where a learner
can record and reflect upon their observations and responses to situations, which can then be used to
explore and analyse ways of thinking. Journals, although written, can also contain images, drawings
and other types of reference materials.
Reflective journals are used to explore situations from a personal perspective, but within the context of learning from students’ own experiences. They are used to reflect on, in and for action. Common questions arising from 'reflection' are:
§ What happened? (Reflecting on actions)
§ Why did it happen? (Reflecting in actions)
§ What can be learnt from this for future actions? (Reflecting for actions)”
(www.wikieducator.org Accessed November 2015)
Instructions
This process is used to assist with embedding your experiences and using these as a learning tool to determine how you will proceed with similar situations and life experiences. The ability to critically reflect upon your experiences is a powerful skill, which is used in many contexts; for example:
§ Strategic planning,
§ Goal setting or Career planning, § Challenging or difficult situations,
§ Self-development or Self- awareness,
§ Etc.
A successful practice of reflective learning is in the frequency of application and the ability to critically analyse, without allowing the experience or reflection outcomes to manifest as guilt or blame.
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