What is Self-Reflection & Why Does it Matter? | PATHS H5P

Summary

This lesson emphasizes the importance of self-reflection in the learning process, outlining its definition, process, and benefits. It highlights how reflection can lead to transformative insights, better decision-making, and avoidance of stereotypes. The 'What? So What? Now What?' framework is introduced as a method to guide reflection, encouraging students to analyze experiences, understand their significance, and determine subsequent actions. The lesson also suggests practical tips for fostering reflection skills, such as setting aside time for contemplation and maintaining a reflection journal, ultimately positioning self-reflection as a critical tool for academic and professional growth.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Self-reflection is defined as a method of introspection within a learning context to gain insights and apply them to future experiences.
• 🌟 It is crucial for academic success as it aids in making important changes and decisions about one's learning process.
• 🔧 Without self-reflection, one might reinforce stereotypes and offer simplistic solutions to complex problems.
• 📚 Reflection skills can be developed through practice and feedback, often prompted by instructors in an educational setting.
• 🗣️ The 'What? So What? Now What?' framework is suggested for engaging in the reflective process effectively.
• 🤔 The 'What' step involves defining the experience and being specific about one's actions and experiences.
• 💡 The 'So What' step is about understanding the significance of the experience and identifying important connections.
• 🛠️ The 'Now What' step focuses on deriving insights and planning changes or next steps based on those insights.
• ⏰ It's advised to set aside time to thoughtfully consider each reflection question and let the mind wander over the experience.
• 📝 Instructors may ask for written reflections on real-world examples to enhance self-awareness and critical thinking skills.
• 📔 Keeping a reflection journal can be a helpful tool for noting experiences, applying the 'What, So What, Now What' framework, and tracking personal growth.

Q & A

What is self-reflection?

Self-reflection is a process of examining oneself within a learning context to gain transformative insights to apply to future experiences.

Why is self-reflection important for learning and academic success?

Self-reflection is crucial as it helps in making important changes and decisions, avoiding being stuck in ineffective routines, and preventing reinforcement of stereotypes or offering simplistic solutions to complex problems.

How can one develop self-reflection skills?

One can develop self-reflection skills through practice and feedback, often prompted by instructors in a classroom setting or after personal experiences such as presentations or assignments.

What is the 'What? So What? Now What?' framework for self-reflection?

The 'What? So What? Now What?' framework is a method to guide the reflective process by defining the experience, understanding its significance, and determining the insights and next steps based on those insights.

Why is it important to focus on the 'So What?' and 'Now What?' parts of the framework?

The 'So What?' and 'Now What?' parts of the framework are important because they help in practicing reflection skills and gaining valuable insights that can lead to actionable changes and improvements.

What tips are suggested for engaging in self-reflection?

Tips for self-reflection include setting aside time to think about the reflection questions, allowing the mind to wander, listing questions or thoughts, and considering the reflection in a comfortable environment.

How can self-reflection be practiced in a classroom setting?

In a classroom, self-reflection can be practiced by reflecting on course content, activities, or personal learning processes, and by responding to prompts from instructors, such as after a presentation or assignment.

What other skills can self-reflection help develop?

Self-reflection can help develop self-awareness, the ability to make connections between course content and real-world experiences, analysis, communication, and critical thinking skills.

How might an instructor prompt self-reflection in a real-world context?

An instructor might prompt self-reflection by asking students to consider a real-world example from multiple perspectives and provide a written reflection, or by encouraging them to think about their own assumptions and beliefs.

What is the significance of keeping a reflection journal?

A reflection journal allows one to note important experiences, document insights, and apply the 'What? So What? Now What?' framework to new content and milestones, aiding in continuous learning and self-improvement.

Outlines

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🤔 Self-Reflection: A Key to Learning and Success

This paragraph introduces self-reflection as an essential tool for learning and academic success. It emphasizes the importance of examining one's learning context to gain transformative insights and make necessary changes. The paragraph explains that without self-reflection, individuals might reinforce stereotypes and offer simplistic solutions to complex problems. It also suggests that reflection skills can be developed through practice and feedback. The 'What? So What? Now What?' framework is introduced as a method to engage in self-reflection, encouraging individuals to define experiences, consider their significance, and determine next steps based on insights gained. The paragraph concludes by highlighting the value of self-reflection in developing skills like self-awareness, analysis, communication, and critical thinking.

Keywords

💡Self-reflection

Self-reflection is the act of thinking deeply about one's own experiences, thoughts, and feelings. It is a process that allows individuals to examine their behaviors and attitudes within a learning context to gain insights that can be applied to future experiences. In the video, self-reflection is presented as a powerful tool for students to improve their learning and academic success by making important changes and decisions based on their experiences. For instance, the script mentions that without self-reflection, one might miss opportunities to improve and could reinforce stereotypes or offer simplistic solutions to complex problems.

💡Transformative insights

Transformative insights refer to profound understanding or realizations that lead to significant changes in one's perspective or behavior. In the context of the video, these insights are gained through the process of self-reflection, which enables students to apply new understandings to their learning and personal development. The script emphasizes that self-reflection helps in making important changes and decisions, suggesting that transformative insights are a key outcome of this process.

💡Learning context

A learning context is the environment or situation in which learning takes place. It can include formal educational settings like classrooms, as well as informal settings such as personal experiences or online courses. The video script discusses self-reflection within a learning context, suggesting that it is a valuable practice for students to engage in as they navigate through their educational journey, whether in a classroom or through other learning experiences.

💡Routine

A routine refers to a sequence of actions regularly followed. In the video, the term is used to describe a habitual pattern of study, learning, or work that may not be effective. The script warns that without reflecting on one's routine, students might find themselves stuck in ineffective practices, highlighting the importance of self-reflection in breaking away from unproductive routines.

💡Stereotypes

Stereotypes are widely held but oversimplified images or ideas about particular types of people or things. The video script mentions that without reflection, experience alone might cause individuals to reinforce stereotypes. This implies that self-reflection is crucial for challenging and changing preconceived notions and biases that can limit one's understanding of the world.

💡Feedback

Feedback is the process of providing comments or evaluations about someone's performance or work. In the video, feedback is mentioned as a means to develop reflection skills and self-reflection. Instructors may provide feedback to students to help them reflect on course content, activities, or their own learning process, which can lead to self-improvement and growth.

💡Reflective process

A reflective process is a methodical approach to thinking about one's experiences, actions, and their implications. The video introduces a 'What? So What? Now What?' framework as a way to guide this process. This framework helps individuals to define their experiences, understand their significance, and determine the insights and actions that should follow. The script emphasizes the importance of engaging in this process to practice reflection skills and gain valuable insights.

💡Self-awareness

Self-awareness is the capacity for introspection and the ability to recognize one's own emotions, motivations, and influences on behavior. The video script highlights that self-reflection can help develop self-awareness, which is crucial for personal growth and understanding how one's assumptions and beliefs shape their perspective on the world. This awareness can lead to more informed decision-making and behavior change.

💡Real-world example

A real-world example refers to a situation or scenario that occurs outside of a controlled or artificial setting, such as a classroom. The video suggests that instructors may ask students to reflect on real-world examples to connect course content with practical experiences. This approach helps students to apply theoretical knowledge to actual situations, enhancing their understanding and ability to analyze complex problems.

💡Reflection journal

A reflection journal is a personal record where individuals write down their thoughts, feelings, and insights about their experiences. The video script encourages students to keep a reflection journal as a tool for self-reflection, noting important experiences and applying the 'What? So What? Now What?' framework to new content and milestones. This practice is presented as a way to consistently develop reflection skills and track personal growth over time.

Highlights

Self-reflection is defined and its importance in learning and academic success is emphasized.

Self-reflection allows for transformative insights to be applied to future experiences.

The necessity of self-reflection to avoid reinforcing stereotypes and making simplistic decisions is discussed.

Reflection skills can be developed through practice and feedback.

Instructors may prompt self-reflection on course content, activities, or personal learning processes.

Self-reflection can be practiced after significant events like presentations or assignments.

The 'What? So What? Now What?' framework is introduced for the reflective process.

The significance of experiences is explored in the 'So What?' step of the framework.

Insights and next steps based on reflection are outlined in the 'Now What?' step.

The importance of focusing on the 'So What?' and 'Now What?' steps for deeper reflection is highlighted.

Setting aside time to reflect on each question is suggested for effective self-reflection.

Allowing the mind to wander and listing thoughts can aid in the reflection process.

The suggestion to reflect in a favorite spot or outdoors for a more conducive environment is given.

Self-reflection is positioned as a skill to be continuously practiced and developed.

Instructors may use real-world examples and written reflections to enhance self-reflection.

Reflective exercises can develop self-awareness and critical thinking skills.

The challenge of thinking through multiple perspectives is discussed as part of self-reflection.

The role of assumptions and beliefs in self-reflection and personal examination is explored.

Short surveys and written responses can facilitate self-reflection on learning and course progress.

Maintaining a reflection journal is recommended for noting experiences and applying the 'What? So What? Now What?' framework.

Self-reflection is emphasized as a powerful tool for skill development and professional growth.

Transcripts

By the end of this lesson, you will  be able to define self-reflection,  

describe the process of self-reflection,  recognize the benefits of self-reflection to  

one’s learning and academic success,  and engage in self-reflection.

Self-reflection is a powerful tool and an important part of learning. 

As a student, self-reflection is a way of examining  yourself within a learning context,  

to gain transformative insights  to apply to future experiences.   

Self-reflection helps us make  important changes and decisions.

Without reflecting on how we study, learn,  or work, we miss these opportunities and  

may find ourselves stuck in a routine  that may not be working effectively.

More importantly, without reflection,

experience alone might cause us to reinforce stereotypes,

offer simplistic solutions to complex problems  and generalize inaccurately based on limited data.

We can develop reflection skills  and self-reflection through practice and feedback.

In a classroom setting, your instructor may ask  you to reflect on course content, an activity

or experience, or on your own learning process.

After a presentation or interview,  or  after an assignment is submitted,  

you can also practice self-reflection to help

you gain important insights about yourself  

and make important changes  based on your experience.  

One way to go through a reflective process is to  follow a “What? So What? Now What?”  framework.

You can first start by defining the  experience or activity or situation.

Think about your own actions and experience,  and be specific. Then you can ask yourself:

What was the significance of  this experience, for example,  

to you personally, to the course material?

What connections are important?  This is the “so what” piece.   

 And finally, what are the important insights?

And what changes or next steps will you make

based on these insights?

This is the “now what” part. 

By going through this framework and asking  yourself these three questions you can

engage in a process of ongoing reflection.

 It’s important to note that you might find  yourself initially more focused on answering the  

“what” than the “so what” or the  “now what” steps of this framework.

Naturally, this question might be a little  easier and quicker to tackle, but it’s  

in the latter two steps where we really  

begin to practice our reflection skills  and gain valuable insights, we can use.

It’s important we give ourselves time here.

One tip is to set aside a  few minutes to just think about  

each of these reflection questions before answering.

Let your mind wonder about the experience you’re reflecting on 

and what you’ve learned or been hoping to learn.

List any questions or thoughts that may pop up.

You can even sketch out your  thoughts and doodle as you think.

Feel free to spend time outdoors or be in  your favourite spot at home as you reflect. 

Remember, you can develop reflection skills and  self-reflection through practice and feedback,  

so keep going!

In class, your instructor may  ask you to reflect on a real-world example,  

consider the experience from multiple  perspectives and provide a written reflection.  

They may ask you to think about  your own assumptions and beliefs.  

This reflective exercise can help  you develop many other skills too,  

including self-awareness, making connections  between course content and the real world, analysis

communication, and critical thinking, but it  also offers an opportunity to examine yourself. 

Was it challenging to think  through multiple perspectives? Why

And what do your assumptions or beliefs  say about you?

Your instructor may also ask you questions

that will help you think about your own learning and how you are doing in the course,  

through short surveys and other written responses,

but you can also practice self-reflection by  

keeping a reflection journal to note important  experiences and go through our “what,  

so what, now what” framework as you learn  new content and achieve milestones.

So, self-reflection is a powerful tool. It gives  us the opportunity to think about our skills and  

motivations and make important changes based  on these insights. To excel as learners and  

professionals, self-reflection is a skill we  need to always be practicing and developing.