Theories and Models of Reflection

 Theories and Models of Reflection

The idea behind reflection theory is that our understanding reflects the 'real world.' There are various interpretations of reflection theory. John Locke developed empiricist reflection theory, which asserted that we have knowledge of the world because our ideas resemble (or reflect) the objects that give rise to them

The Kolb learning cycle and the Honey and Mumford model are two models of reflective practice. David Kolb created the Kolb learning model in 1984. Kolb's experiential learning theory and Kolb's learning styles inventory were promoted in the model. Based on a four-stage learning cycle, there are four distinct learning styles. The Kolb model is based on four stage cycles: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation, and learning styles are classified as diverging, assimilating, converging, or accommodating. This is very beneficial for people who are trying out things in their life. This is because most of the time a person will go over those 4 stages multiple times in their life meaning that they are learning from their experience.

On the other hand the Honey and Mumford model considers having experience and activists in the first stage. It uses style 2 to review the experience and reflectors in stage 2. In the third stage, a conclusion is reached based on the experience, and the theoretical style is used. The fourth stage is planning the next step, with a pragmatist style. The biggest advantage of Honey and Mumford model is that it is very easy for people to understand themselves and find out which learning style is best for them. 

There are four main principles of reflective practices that I can use in my day-to-day work of learning and improving myself. In my practice, I will apply John's principles of reflective practices. Commitment, challenge and support, caring, and the construction of personal knowledge in practice are all examples of this. You must be committed in order to give yourself time and energy to something you believe in, or to make a promise or a firm decision to do something. When you break it down and apply John's principles, this can really help you make the best decisions in your life. 

I found it hard to understand some of the things which explained about the theories. However it was detailed and i was able to gain some knowledge about the theories talked about above. The pictures also helped in understanding the theories better. What could have been better is also to add the pros and cons of each theory  as well as making sure it is put into real life scenarios so that when its being read the person can understand which theory suits them better.