Reflective writing

Summary

Reflective writing is a key component of university courses, focusing on analyzing experiences or learning rather than just describing them. It encourages deeper thinking about past events and their significance, helping students apply insights to future situations. Gibbs' Reflective Cycle offers a structured approach, guiding students through six steps: description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, and action plan. The purpose of reflective writing is to learn from past experiences and use those lessons to shape future actions, enhancing both academic and personal growth.

Takeaways

• 😀 Reflective writing is commonly required in university courses and goes beyond just diary entries or emails.
• 😀 The purpose of reflective writing is to analyze past experiences, why they unfolded as they did, and how they can inform future actions.
• 😀 Reflective writing helps in applying what has been learned to future situations, shaping how you approach similar experiences.
• 😀 University tasks may require you to reflect on past experiences or on your learning of specific ideas and concepts.
• 😀 Many students make the mistake of focusing too much on description and not enough on analysis in reflective writing.
• 😀 Reflection should involve asking 'why' and 'how' questions, not just describing events or explaining ideas.
• 😀 Gibbs' Reflective Cycle provides a useful model for structuring reflective writing, with six steps: description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, and action plan.
• 😀 The cycle encourages deeper analysis and helps avoid surface-level description.
• 😀 When reflecting on learning, Gibbs' Reflective Cycle can focus more on learning processes, as indicated by the blue section in the video.
• 😀 Successful reflective writing at university involves balancing description with substantial analysis and application to future experiences.
• 😀 The ultimate goal of reflective writing is to extract insights from the past and use them to improve future decisions and actions.

Q & A

What is reflective writing, and how is it different from general writing?

Reflective writing involves thinking critically about personal experiences, analyzing them, and learning from them. Unlike general writing, which may simply describe events or ideas, reflective writing emphasizes reflection on what happened, why it happened, and how it can be applied in the future.

How has reflective writing become increasingly common in university courses?

Reflective writing is now more commonly used in university courses as it encourages students to engage critically with their experiences and learning, helping them to develop a deeper understanding of the material and how it can be applied in real-world situations.

What is a common mistake students make when doing reflective writing?

A common mistake students make is spending too much time describing what happened or explaining theories, without analyzing the significance of the event or idea and how it can be applied in the future.

What is the key purpose of reflective writing in academic contexts?

The key purpose of reflective writing in academic contexts is to help students think critically about their experiences or learning, analyze the lessons they’ve learned, and apply those insights to future situations.

What does Gibbs' Reflective Cycle consist of?

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle consists of six steps: description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, and an action plan. This model helps students move beyond simple descriptions and encourages more analytical thinking.

How does Gibbs' Reflective Cycle help with reflective writing?

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle helps students by providing a structured approach to reflection, guiding them from a simple description of an experience to deeper analysis and conclusions that can influence future actions.

What might reflective writing look like when reflecting on learning rather than experience?

When reflecting on learning, Gibbs' Reflective Cycle might focus more on analyzing the specific ideas and concepts from the course, rather than personal experiences. This reflection would be framed around the concepts learned and their potential applications.

What is the difference between reflecting on an experience and reflecting on learning?

Reflecting on an experience involves considering personal events or situations, whereas reflecting on learning involves analyzing the ideas and concepts gained from academic study, exploring how they contribute to personal development or future practice.

What should reflective writing tasks include, and what should be emphasized?

Reflective writing tasks should include a balance of description and analysis. However, the emphasis should be placed on analysis, evaluation, and applying the insights gained to future experiences, rather than merely describing events.

How can reflective writing shape future experiences?

Reflective writing helps individuals apply the insights gained from past experiences or learning to guide future actions, making it a tool for continuous improvement and personal development.