A Guide to Schön’s Reflective Model

In our daily lives, we often reflect on situations, thinking about how and why things happened, and whether we handled them well. This same process applies to academic writing, where you formalise these reflections to demonstrate learning. Reflective writing is about thinking deeply and exploring your knowledge to learn more, gaining clarity and understanding of what you’re learning, and reflecting on your reactions to new experiences, events, opinions, thoughts, or feelings. It is an opportunity to gain self-knowledge and improve your writing skills. Reflective writing is not just describing something, solving a simple problem, sharing information, facts, or arguments, summarizing, or making a pending decision or judgment. It is, in fact, more than that. It is something we all do, even outside ‌academics. Schön’s Reflective Model is a crucial pillar of the whole process of academic reflective writing. Let us tell you more about it.

What is Schön’s Reflective Model?

Schön’s reflective model was introduced by Donald Schön in 1991 to provide a foundation for reflection. The model distinguishes between reflecting during an event and after the event. Using this model helps practitioners improve their work quality by considering their actions during an event and contemplating actions that could have been taken to handle the situation more effectively. Unlike other reflection models, Schön’s model is not multi-stage or circular; it involves reflection both during and after an event. Let us tell you how.

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Stages of Schön’s Reflection Model

Now, you might be wondering how to apply Schön’s reflective model. It can be applied by following the three steps:

Stage I – Knowledge in Action

First things first.

For example, you are a nurse. You begin by thinking about knowledge in action, where you can consider actions implemented in day-to-day operations beforehand. In this section, you will highlight what you already know and why that information is important. Some questions that can help you in answering this section of the reflection are:

• What do you already know about the situation?

In this section, you will highlight the knowledge and skills you already have and believe will help you deal with the situation more efficiently. You begin with what.

• How is that information helpful?

Here, you will emphasise why you believe that the information you have will help you handle the situation in a certain manner, after what, you come to how.

Stage II – Reflection in Action

The second stage involves reflection in action. Going with the nursing example, here the staff reflect on actions that can be undertaken to deal with the situation. This includes reflecting during the doing stage, where nurses consider their practice while the incident is occurring. Some assisting questions for this stage are:

• What is happening?

In this, you will highlight what is currently occurring while you are in the situation and taking actions.

• What are you feeling?

Here, you will describe the feelings you were experiencing at the time of the incident you are reflecting upon.

• What other factors are involved?

You will highlight the involvement of other factors, such as people or situations, that contributed to the occurrence of the event.

Stage III – Reflection on Action

The last stage of Schön’s reflective model is “reflection on action,” where practitioners provide complete details on the event after it has happened. Questions that can help you in answering this section are listed below:

• What happened?

Once the situation has occurred, summarise the whole incident and explain the context of the situation to the readers.

• Why did it happen?

Highlight the reasons you believe contributed to the occurrence of the event.

• How can we deal with this situation in the future?

Describe the actions you will take to ensure that you handle similar situations more efficiently in the future.

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What is the Use of ‌Schön’s Reflective Model?

Numerous and multi-disciplinary!

Benefits of Using Schön’s Reflective Model in Your Career

The Schön Reflection Model benefits mid-career professionals by enhancing self-awareness. Reflecting on past experiences helps individuals understand their strengths, weaknesses, values, and goals, leading to informed career decisions. It encourages ongoing development by identifying patterns and improving strategies, making professionals more valuable. Also, the model helps uncover new insights and innovative solutions, breaking free from routine.

Dealing with Stagnation at Work Using Schön’s Reflective Model

Feeling stuck in a job can be frustrating, but the Schön Reflection Model offers a solution for finding growth and advancement. By adding reflection into your daily routine, you can gain insights into your current situation, evaluate strengths and weaknesses, and identify areas for improvement. Reflecting on past challenges and responses helps you understand decision-making patterns and make informed future choices.

Developing New Skills Using Schön’s Reflective Model

Developing new skills is crucial for professional growth. The Schön Reflection Model helps enhance learning through reflective practices. By engaging with past experiences and examining their reasons and motivations, professionals can gain insights for skill development.

Real-Time Uses of Schön’s Reflective Model

• Problem-Solving
• Leadership Development
• Transition in Career
• Conflict Resolution
• Personality Growth

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How Can You Implement Schön’s Reflective Model in Your Day-to-Day Life?

Ready to implement the Schön Reflection Model in your daily professional life? Here are some tips to help you get started:

• Create a dedicated reflection time

Set aside a specific time each day or week for reflection through journaling, meditation, or quiet walks. Make it a regular practice.

• Ask reflective questions

Engage in deeper thinking by asking questions like, “What did I learn?” Or, “How did my actions align with my values?”

• Seek feedback and get involved

Engage in open conversations with colleagues, mentors, or friends to gain different perspectives and valuable insights.

• Set goals for improvement and find gaps

Identify areas for growth through reflection and set clear, actionable goals to stay focused and motivated.

• Practice self-compassion

Approach reflection with kindness, understanding that it’s about growth and learning. Mistakes are part of the process. So, do not be hard on yourself.

Final Thoughts

Now, you know that, whenever you are doing reflection writing, you are not just summing things up. You are going a step beyond, doing a post-mortem of why, how, what, when, etc. Academically, Schön’s reflective model is very important. Your reflective essays need to reflect analytical and reflective skills. The first essay you will write will not be perfect. But how will you know which essay has substance in it? That is why most of the students, whenever dealing with something as important and difficult (for some at least, especially the students who are new to it), take the help of mentors. By analysing the work of an expert and comparing it with what you had in mind, you can actually fill in the gaps. And, to fill the gaps in their studies, thousands of students have placed their faith in Go Assignment Help’s experts. You should check ‌out their workouts and see how they can help you on your journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the reflection model of Schön?

A: Schön’s model is not multi-stage or circular; it involves reflection both during and after an event.

Q: Can Schön’s reflection model be used in fields other than nursing?

A: It is valuable across a wide range of professional disciplines, including education, business, engineering, and social work, where practitioners can use the model to reflect on their actions during and after events to improve their problem-solving and decision-making skills.

Q: Why is Schön’s reflective model important as a teacher?

A: Schön’s reflective practice model is an effective tool for enhancing teaching practice and professional learning. By reflecting in action and on action, you can learn from your experiences and grow as a teacher and learner.