Teaching Critical Reflection :: Education Educational Essays

dogma Critical ReflectionThe ability to reflect slenderly on wholenesss go, integrate knowledge gained from experience with knowledge possessed, and take exploit on insights is considered by round adult educators to be a distinguishing trace of the adult learner (Brookfield 1998 Ecclest genius 1996 Mezirow 1991). Critical reflection is the wait on by which adults direct the assumptions governing their actions, locate the historical and cultural origins of the assumptions, question the meaning of the assumptions, and mature alternative ways of acting (Cranton 1996). Brookfield (1995) adds that part of the critical thoughtful suffice is to challenge the prevailing affable, political, cultural, or professional ways of acting. Through the sue of critical reflection, adults come to interpret and create in the buff knowledge and actions from their run-of-the-mine and sometimes extraordinary experiences. Critical reflection blends accomplishment through experience with theo retical and technical learning to form new knowledge constructions and new behaviors or insights. Learning by critical reflection creates new understandings by making conscious the social, political, professional, economic, and ethical assumptions constraining or supporting ones action in a specific context (Ecclestone 1996 macintosh 1998). Critical reflections appeal as an adult learning strategy lies in the claim of intellectual growth and improvement in ones ability to see the need for and effect personalised and system change. Reflection can be a learning quill for directing and informing practice, choosing among alternatives in a practice setting, or transforming and reconstructing the social environment (Williamson 1997). Can critical reflection be taught in a classroom? Does the new knowledge created foster change? This Myths and Realities investigates the extent to which critical reflection can be taught to adult learners. How Do Adults Learn to Be Critically Reflective?W ithout agreement on what reflective practice is, it is ambitious to decide on teaching&8209learning strategies. Reflective practice may be a developmental learning process (Williamson 1997), may wee different levels of attainment (Wellington 1996), and may be affected by a learners cognitive ability (James and Clarke 1994), willingness to engage in the process (Bright 1996 Haddock 1997), and orientation to change (Wellington 1996). However, there does seem to be some agreement that critical reflection consists of a process that can be taught to adults. Brookfield (1988) identified four processes central to learning how to be critically reflective assumption analysis, contextual awareness, imaginative speculation, and reflective skepticism. Assumption analysis describes the body process adults engage in to bring to awareness beliefs, values, cultural practices, and social structures regulating behavior and to assess their impact on daily activities.