Reflective Learning

"Reflective learning is an ongoing process in which participants in a situation - staff members implementing a project, for instance - take time to examine their experiences, to reflect on those experiences, to think how things might be different, to think through these possibilities and to try out what seems to be the best option. But this is not the end: Trying that option becomes another experience in itself - to study, reflect upon, etc. Reflective learning is also the main principle behind Participatory Action Research (PAR).

Participants start by identifying their own experience.

They reflect on that experience (What? Why? When? Where? How?).

They think about how they could change the experience for the better.

They respond to this reflection by making changes.

With changes in place, participants re-examine the experience, reflecting again, changing, experiencing, reflecting, changing...

This process is often described as a reflective (or experiential) learning cycle, because it should be an ongoing process - not something that is done once, then left!

Experience >>...
Reflect >>...
Possibilities >>...
Respond >>...
Experience >>...
Reflect >>...
Possibilities >>...
Respond >>...
And so on...

...There is no one way of developing reflective learning skills; learning by inquiry is an ongoing process."