...What is reflective thinking? The description of reflective thinking: Critical thinking and reflective thinking are often used synonymously. Critical thinking is used to describe: "... the use of those cognitive skills or strategies that increase the probability of a desirable outcome...thinking that is purposeful, reasoned and goal directed - the kind of thinking involved in solving problems, formulating inferences, calculating likelihoods, and making decisions when the thinker is using skills that are thoughtful and effective for the particular context and type of thinking task. Critical thinking is sometimes called directed thinking because it focuses on a desired outcome." Halpern (1996). Reflective thinking, on the other hand, is a part of the critical thinking process referring specifically to the processes of analyzing and making judgments about what has happened. Dewey (1933) suggests that reflective thinking is an active, persistent, and careful consideration of a belief or supposed form of knowledge, of the grounds that support that knowledge, and the further conclusions to which that knowledge leads. Learners are aware of and control their learning by actively participating in reflective thinking – assessing what they know, what they need to know, and how they bridge that gap – during learning situations. In summary, critical thinking involves a wide range of thinking skills leading toward desirable outcomes and reflective thinking focuses on the process...
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...Reflective Thinking Essay Number 1 Abraham Lincoln the sixteenth President of the United States once said "It often requires more courage to dare to do right than to fear to do wrong." This quote often inspires me to try and do what is right. And as a leader doing what’s right is one my top priorities. I believe this all stems from the way I was raised. My mother and father have both been contributor to who I am. They brought me up to be respectful of other, to look a situations from another point of view and no matter how far you fall you can always overcome the odds by not giving up. When I think of a leader my last Commander comes to mind. When a situation happened he would give a back brief on the events that had taken place. Then, if we had made a mistake it was identified so we could correct it the next time with a statement like “This is what we did wrong”, but he would always end on a positive note like “Now this is what we did right”. My leadership style is similar. I have had supervisors that were present just for the pay check and then those that would encouraged and inspire me. A few of my Airman have told me directly that I am the best supervisor that they have had. One of my Staff Sergeant had said “You’re the first supervisor in my eleven years to give me a real feedback, treat me like a person and not just a number, listen to me, ask what I think and encourage me to do my best.” His wife is in my squadron also and has often told me that she is extremely...
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...Reflective Thinking Essay I’m the type of leader that leads by example. I would not expect my subordinates to do something that I would not or have not done myself. I would expect my airmen to try to follow in my footsteps, those are my standards. If they go above and beyond that, my job will be easy. The leadership style I use is Management by Exception-Passive. However, I wouldn’t say I would wait for something to go wrong before taking action. You have to see the signs that something might go wrong and fix it right there before they get in trouble. I believe that the more communication you have with your subordinates, the less likely they are to stray away. I’m the type of NCO that will take a back seat sometimes and just observe. As I said before, I’m the type of person that leads by example. I will not bark out orders and delegate everything. Instead I will work with you to get the job done. I like to see people take initiative. I shouldn’t have to tell someone to take out the trash if the trash bin is over flown, for example. My strengths are my work ethic, maturity level and my ability to solve problems. I’m the type of person that doesn’t mind staying after work hours to finish a job. I’ve always been mature for my age, now I have the age to go along with it. It’s just my demeanor, I don’t play around. Finding solutions to problems is one of my stronger points. It’s something that I enjoy and it’s a good tool to have. My essence is not an open...
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...Reflective thinking, in distinction from other operations to which we apply the name of thought, involves (1) a state of doubt, hesitation, perplexity, mental difficulty, in which thinking originates, and (2) an act of searching, hunting, inquiring to find material that will resolve the doubt, settle and dispose of the perplexity’. (Dewey, 1933 p.12) Part 1: With this in mind, consider critically and analytically the purpose and value of reflection and reflective practice, supporting your discussion with relevant reading. Chloe Carter-Miles 6th November 2012 Contents Main Body of Text Page 3 References Page 11 Bibliography Page 13 Appendices Page 16 List of Appendices Appendix 1 Kolb’s Cycle of Experiential Learning Appendix 2 Gibbs Model of Reflection (1988) Appendix 3 Moon’s Model of Reflection Appendix 4 Blooms Taxonomy; original and revised This essay will explore the purpose and value of reflective practice as a trainee teacher, and how it supports learning. Dewey (1916) defines education as ‘It is that reconstruction or reorganization of experience which adds to the meaning of experience, and which increases ability to direct the course of subsequent experience.’ The pertinent word to note in this quote is ‘experience’. Since Dewey highlighted the importance of reflective practice in the early part of the 20th Century, many other academics and practitioners have explored and written about it. Many different reflective models have been published...
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...RFLECTIVE THINKING ESSAY #3 Before coming to NCOA I felt that I was a good NCO and an awesome leader, but after last week’s interpersonal section, I found out that I have a few areas to improve upon. My first issue is that I have always saw the art of counseling to be a form of punishment or even sometimes a tool to strike fear in my subordinates. Oh but was I wrong. I have learned that counseling is not just for reprimanding, but it is a tool used to empower the airman and NCO’s that work for me in order to develop their abilities to achieve individual and unit goals. I have also learned that there are two different types of counseling, personal situation counseling and performance/professional counseling. I see now that I do conduct mostly personal situation counseling because my counseling session are usually in reaction to a situation that has occurred. This is definitely a behavior that I plan on changing when I get back to my home station. I truly feel that due to my caring and friendly attitude towards my subordinates, I have opened the eyes of some of the sterner and straight to the point NCO’s in this course have a new outlook on dealing with their own subordinates. Some of the NCO’s do not feel that they could “hang out” with their subordinates off duty while maintaining the professionalism need to complete the mission on duty. Since I view my airmen and NCO’s as family with a hierarchy, I don’t have any issues with having them over my house. I also feel...
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...Critically discuss the importance of reflection in the practice of management Student ID:20583416 Course: The reflective manager (MD4046) Lecturer: Dr. Elias Hadjielias Fall 2012 Assignment no. 1 Table of Contents Introduction Page 1.1 General Introduction to Reflection 3 1.2 Objectives and Purpose of the essay 3 Main Body 1.3-1.6 Review of Literature 3-4 1.7 Personal opinion of the writer 4 1.8 A practical example of Reflection in a certain case 4 1.9 Recommendations from the writer 5 Conclusion 2.0 Summary pg.3 5 2.1 References ...
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...non-conducive organizational conditions. Monitoring and Evaluation for Personal Learning Bruce Britton By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest. (Confucius) Introduction Capacity development practitioners collaborate in efforts to improve the capabilities of complex human systems that operate and connect at different levels. First and foremost, capacity development is a process based on the assumption that better understanding and knowledge will bring about change. Also, the planning for capacity development interventions typically rely on variations of the Logical Framework Approach (LFA), which encourage careful thinking about expected outcomes and impacts. By its very nature LFA assumes that intended results of an initiative can be established in advance because the path that a capacity development process will take can be adequately assured, which requires a reasonably stable operating environment. The reality is usually very different. Self-Reflection 265 Reflecting the perspective of other chapters in this volume, capacity development processes often evolve in ways we cannot anticipate. Their paths are rarely predictable and sometimes seem to defy the logic that was used to plan them. Consequently, by...
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...The most significant thing I learned last week was that I need to be more prepare for my briefings. I thought I could go in front of the class and just wing it without any practice or a dry run. I was mistaken; I made it through the topic of CMSAF James Cody’s view on the Enlisted Performance Report but I struggled. I had to back track and try to hit points that I had missed. During the briefing is when my déjà vu moment was. It reminded me of my senior year when I would give briefings in my speech class and I would normally just go out there and wing it. I learned that if you want to be a good speaker that you have to rehearse these things. If not I will go out there and get lost in my speech and lose track out where I am due to nerves. The briefings have been the most frustrating for me not because I am scared to talk in front of the class it was because I was unprepared. I have learned that if you want to be a good leader/speaker that you have to be prepared for any situation that is thrown your way. Whether it has to deal with a troop being late for work, a troop with personal problems, or just being able to communicate with your troops. You need to be prepared for the situations mentally and physically to be a good leader. That is what I learned in class last week and I hope to improve myself to become a good speaker and...
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...Your Leadership Manifesto 1. I believe my subordinates would describe me as easy going. One of my subordinates described me as a pacifist, filling more of a peacekeeping role in the work center yet still demanding. They see me as highly approachable and always available, ready to teach or provide guidance when asked. I think they also see me as very detail oriented because I’m so picky about the way they do things. 2. My supervisor would describe me as an effective follower with some room for improvement. He sees me as very eager to please and as someone who never wants to disappoint. I think he would say that I need to take ownership of leadership’s decisions in order to do a better job at promoting them. He would also like me to be more open with my suggestions and opinions and not afraid to object if necessary. He would also like me to seek feedback more often and be more accepting of change. 3. Reflecting on my time at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, I feel that I have used more of a Management by Exception-Active leadership style. There are so many processes and programs that are broken in the work center that I have not taken the time to properly motivate and train the Airman unless they specifically ask for help. I demand excellence, and the Airmen are more intimidated into compliance than motivated to excel. As it turns out, this leadership style, while effective in getting things moving in the right direction, has not produced the results I would...
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...Reflective Essay One While I don’t often inquire about their feedback, I believe that my subordinates would view me as someone who is easily approachable and willing to offer time to listen to any issues or concerns they may have, and be capable to help them arrive at solutions. They would see me as that supervisor who would never ask them to take on any task that I wasn’t willing to do myself, and in turn, I would hope to earn their respect, trust and motivation to get the job done. My goal is for my subordinates to view me as that NCO that treats them like people, rather than talk to them in that condescending way that most of us remember coming up through the ranks. Finally, they would view me as the NCO that rarely fails to recognize their achievements and successes. My supervisor’s opinion of my followership would vary. While I have the enthusiasm, ability and commitment to learn from those above me, I don’t always display the confidence and self-reliance necessary in making critical decisions. I’m often asked by my supervisor, “How would you handle this if I weren’t here?” or “What would you do if you were running this shop?” My supervisor would tell me I need to step up, make important decisions to include unpopular ones, then be ready to accept the responsibility for any blow-back as a result. I don’t think I’m able to put my finger on any one specific type of leadership style that I employ. I think that different circumstances call for different leadership...
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...CO 210 Group Assignment CH 10: Dewey’s Reflective Thinking Sequence Decision-Making Steps 1. Felt Difficulty—initial orientation to the topic (generate relevant evidence) a. Status Quo: concisely describe the current situation—facts, stated opinions, etc., reflecting the significant differing points of view. “Every day, almost 3,900 adolescents under 18 years of age try their first cigarette. More than 950 of them will become daily smokers.” (Reference: dosomething.org) b. Desired Condition/s: Side #1: reduce/suppress the percentage of underage smokers Side #2: minimize the presence of 2nd hand smoke Side #3: minimize the pollution of cigarettes c. Barrier/s: Side #1: media and other influences presenting cigarette smoking as cool Side #2: ignorance (lack of knowledge) and protests by cigarette smokers Side #3: ignorance, laziness, and poor enforcement of the law/regulation 2. Problem outcome definitions (to be discovered/defined in completing the following steps) a. Identity of the problem outcome(s), the existing and/or expected harm(s) – harmful effects. Be specific and concise. (1) Is: Cigarette smoking is harmful to the environment, as well as the body, especially a body still in development (2) Is not: Cigarette smoking affects your personal image. (3) Distinctive: Majority of the time cigarette smoking is unknowingly influenced rather than intentionally influenced or forced. b....
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...Reflective thinking is a NOT a school subject, as critical thinking is in the UK. Reflective thinking is an emphasis on teaching to think as opposed to learning lexical knowledge. Reflective thinking is not about logic, especially not about formal logic. But it is a very useful and enlightening study. It is meant to be a multidisciplinary or complex subject, and a course in multidisciplinary studies, a theory as well as practice related to cognition, computing and language. The difficulty in writing about reflective thinking or thinking at all lies in the speed of thinking and the tendency of thoughts to flow, hence blocking the effort for self-inspection, or introspection with any tangible result to record the process apart from saying or writing a part of the ongoing stream of consciousness. (After these introductory lines some lectures on the subject broken down into a number of subpages are to follow soon.) One possible solution to observing and grasping ideas in their transient status may be to set up a theory of thinking in terms of data and operations on those data. Everybody understands a computer model and how a PC works, so a useful metafor or a different paradigm could be a description of cognitive operations - regardless of their physical realization in the brain, which is another approach to the problem. But since I am not interested in devising new medication or drugs for manipulating the processes in the brain, or to alter consciousness, I do not find neurocognitive...
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...Essays are an essential element of learning, particularly at an undergraduate level. With a well-written essay comes the power to change minds, to influence thinking and create new perspectives. When evaluating the claims presented by a source in an academic essay, a critical and reflective thinker does not simply accept arguments as ‘fact’. Nor do they create arguments based on innuendo and bias. This essay will contend that for students at university level to be taken seriously they must use critical and reflective thinking to write an effective academic essay. The following points will be addressed; what constitutes a credible essay, what is critical thinking and reflective practice, what is the importance of these skills in developing arguments, the benefits of thinking critically and reflectively, the use of critical reflective thinking in evaluating sources and the importance of recognizing those sources correctly for the work to be considered credible. So what constitutes a credible essay? The purpose of the essay is to forward knowledge, to tackle an already existing argument and build on it using sound evidence and research. “Essays are a document of your learning; they show proof of your understanding of the topic and your ability to communicate that understanding convincingly” (Germov 2011, 2). An essay must put forth an argument then break it down to prove or disprove the thesis. The statement needs to be dissected and the main points need to be analysed. What...
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...Using relevant SSK19 readings, in particular the four dimensions of reflective practice presented in Pavlovich (2007, 283), discuss the fundamental role that critical thinking plays in evaluating arguments at university. Most of us would believe that we make good decisions; but most of us find it uncommon practise to use the tool of critical thinking to enhance our thinking process which enables us to make better decisions. This essay with provide examples of critical thinking when evaluating arguments by using the different dimensional levels of reflective processes. Critical thinking in evaluating arguments is stated as an essential skill for student at university level, but can only be used to its best when it grouped with the tool of reflection. Most do believe, reflection and critical thinking go hand in hand as a process, just like a personal experience cannot be truly acknowledged within if you don’t ask the question, analyse, understand or action. The fundamental role that critical thinking plays in university arguments is that it allows the student to analyse, evaluate and draw conclusion by using their own mind and not be persuaded by other external or biased opinions. Pavlovich’s reading “The development of reflective practise through student journals” (Pavlovich 2007) refers to the four dimensional levels that she believes is the summary of reflective practise. The four dimensions of reflective method are, describing the experience, analysis of the experience,...
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...outlined in Pavlovich (2007), discuss the importance of critical thinking in the learning process - specifically in evaluating arguments. In your answer draw on a range of relevant SSK19 unit texts. Using relevant SSK19 readings, in particular the four dimensions of reflective practice presented in Pavlovich (2007, 283), discuss the fundamental role that critical thinking plays in evaluating arguments at university. Each of us make thousands of decisions in a lifetime and would like to believe that the decisions we make are ample however, only a few of us practice the tool of critical thinking in order to improve our thinking process and make well reasoned decisions. As a university student, thinking critically is an essential tool as without it you are only looking at the surface. In this essay we will explore the critical thinking process using the different dimensional levels of the reflective processes when evaluating arguments. Critical thinking and reflection methodologies are considered by many to be used interchangeably and being able to understand and possess these skills are essential for students engaged in evaluating arguments at university. Embracing such skills facilitates a student to formulate the right questions, assess the possible answers, scrutinize the credibility of information and sources, and make solid judgments based on the evidence provided. Critical thinking plays a fundamental role in evaluating arguments as it allows students...
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