Sink or swim

Feel pretty shattered today. Been trying to fit all the knowledge that I have gained this past few weeks into my existing knowledge and make sense of it……….hey, wait a minute I think this is that concept of knowledge business. Using my own mental processes to compare past and present experiences and see where they fit! Make some meaning out of them and then try and represent that meaning in a written format……maybe that is it! If anyone reads this and thinks so, please, please let me know. It is hard and I am tired with reflecting so another day may answer some of these questions.

I think with students I would use their own experiences, model a typical reflection they would have to do, and do the sessions over 2 weeks. Looking at an intial account, reflective model and then give them a task to do……..based on their work……..that’s it for now.

 Bernie

Negotiating stormy waters

Hi Jenny

Your blog is fab and I am enjoying reading it – when I get chance! Still cannot remember my password to post a comment so maybe I will get chance to do another one (maybe).

It’s quite strange really as when Jenny and I started to work on the table I thought hey, this lady is really keen and as I am ‘driven’ to get the most out of the course that was ‘ace’ I needed some motivation.  When we did the table I noticed Jenny had shortened it to 3 columns and I did make a comment asking if she had merely forgot the last one. However, I looked closer and thought well, Jenny seems ‘right on top’ of this reflection and she is obviously working at a deeper level, so she has probably summarised everything and the colours are fab. In anycase, Jenny Moon will be reading it and we have spent ages already so, time and tide………..let the comments flow….and I deleted my brief comment.

Maybe that is a reflection of my own insecurity and that often I do tend to sit in the background and accept the consensus of opinion – never thought of that before really. One thing that is really bothering me though is getting a handle on this conception of knowledge business and, applying it to my own reflection. The person who wishes to research with me next year seems to think my project is just the business in this area, yet, I can’t see that ……..it seems too deep, too wordy for my liking.

Will spend tomorrow searching for some understanding. I always tell my students that when doing their dissertation they are Master and Commander of their ship, they need to specific north, due north, south, due south………I too feel ‘Master’ in this project, but it’s very scary and the waters are indeed stormy……. bon voyage Bernie

The learning process

Well, had an unusual meeting today with a ‘big dude’ who reiterated the need to write reflectively and talked about some fancy names (same dude marking my work). Gosh, glad I am on this course as otherwise I would not have understood where they were coming from. Before I thought I could write reasonable reflectively but now I know it is no where near good enough for what a have to write in the next few weeks………..feeling pretty scared I must admit!

I this stage I am feeling confused……consciously incompetent! I am not sure which way to go or how to? This course is very challenging and is certainly enabling me to think more reflectively, but there is so much information and I am finding it difficult to balance this with other demands. Maybe I am thinking too deeply as the pressure is on to perform. Maybe that pressure is internalised in my drive to achieve and get the most out of this course. I wonder?

Emotion has certainly played a huge part in my reflections this past week and retail therapy helped but felt guilty at not ‘plodding’ on with the task in hand. Made an early start today as I have to help my husband build a concrete base for a shed today. Not looking forward to that but with luck my son and daughter in law will come along and assist and I will be resigned to tea duties. Feeling somewhat overwhelmed at the moment but cannot let those feelings linger for too long or I will end up procrastinating for ages, instead of doing.

It’s that awareness thing again

Well, for some reason unknown to even myself this week I decided to read the discussion paper by Jenny instead of teh book – why? Well, I am a bit of a butterfly when if comes to reading and I always do a quick skim for ‘buzz’ words. My word of the last 12 months is metacognition and metacognitive awareness and hey presto, saw it right away in this article so…….onwards and upwards. Did it rise to the challenge?

 Discussing critical thinking Meyers & Barnett p1 state How can they (students) develop something if they do not know what it is? Precisely, and further more, how can I (as a tutor) develop resources to scaffold learning if I too am unsure what critical thinking is or how best to explain this?

If critical thinking involves making a judgement how do I monitor this?

Lots of theory lurking around here and the need to provide a framework to understand how students perceive knowledge – but would this not differ? The need for the learner to become more autonomous and more in charge of her own knowledge (p11)  is interesting, but to what degree is that measurable or achievable with some students. Perhaps the key word is  ’more’ a bit like ‘poor’ or ‘adequate’.

‘The critical thinker will be able to take a ctitical stance towards her actual process of citial thinking (metacognition). I had not thought of this as deeply and wonder about its application in terms of my students. This paper indeed makes me question the ‘way in which we think’ and acknowledges that it is a difficult area that must be developed…………a vital point to support views in my research project.. Questions, questions, questions….

Would like to chat further but……..my daughter wishes to put things on 10p listing day for ebay so time to move on.

written representation

Hi Jenny

At last I have managed to add the correct link and thanks for reading the mish mash of ideas. Well, I did not really express myself very well in that posting – too much on my mind. I think that emotion is going to play such a huge part in my writing Jenny. My mum has been very ill some 5 years now and really we are ‘at the end of the line’, she has a huge acceptance about life and, is ready to get some peace but as with all things she seems destined to continue in such pain. It is just so hard just watching the embers die away – knowing all you can do is try and make someone comfortable – phew tough call this last few years, and even tougher this last 6 months (she can neither walk or eat well now). As you can prob tell I have been with mum since 8am and have just come home to try and get a perspective back. My daughter has come back from holiday and instead of me working or studying as usual we are going to go out for a coffee and a browse round the shops – it helps. I have such a tight deadline for finishing my dissertation and end up reading in the middle of the night – mainly as a distraction and my husband has given up with me. Ah well, in a strange way it takes my mind of things I cannot change but I really wonder if I will ever manage to do it on time. God knows what my reflection will turn out like!

Never mind, onwards and after some retail therapy and a chat with daughter I will be ok again (until tomorrow at 8am that is).

Back to the words, what I said in my head and meant to express was that although I do actively promote the reflection I often feel bound by the way in which the tutors have told students to write. Also my dyslexic students themselves get very entrenched in the subject matter as opposed to the reflection and there is often a crossing of boundaries as we try and unpick what it is they have to do- maybe that comes with the territory. I hope I have expressed myself better there Jenny. So glad you are actively participating in this course as otherwise it would not be of as much value. I find the interactions are what makes you think and reflect more than you may have already done. I will get a look at your blog over the next day or so. Just taking a few deep breaths and having a delightful luxury peach yogurt – very nice indeed.

Cheers

Bernie

Role of reflection in promoting learning

I had always thought of reflection largely in relation to breaking the process down for students so that they can understand how to write more reflectively and pass their assignment. Not being a subject tutor, my role is not to actively promote this activity or assess its value. Professionally, I have to establish clear boundaries and not ’venture’ into subject areas (the unknown) or it is deemed I am interfering and may confuse the student or, influence their writing (a very, very hot potato). So, this begs the question, how far does my knowledge, experience and influences impact upon the way in which I explain the process of reflection to my students?

In my situation I find that gender is not a significant factor as neither sex seems able to easily reflect. However, choice of course/occupation is a factor. Nurses, teachers and social workers are constantly asked to apply knowledge to practice and to consider the implications, to reflect. My media, nutition and sports students are not asked/required to do this in a written format (to my knowledge) irrespective of gender. I would assume personally however, that woman are more easily able to reflect, if they are secure/confident enough to do so.

Emotion is linked with learning and not just on a superficial basis (are you ready and in the mood to learn, is it a good or bad day?). My students are often unsettled, not secure, their knowledge base is fragile and interwoven with often bad educational experiences. Power is a huge issue to consider, both male and female students perceive me as the ‘one who will sort it’, their security blanket and when I am not available they become emotional, cannot cope, their fragility is apparent. My own learning journey is actually just beginning, by putting myself in my student’s shoes and looking afresh at the value of reflection, how I see others, how I am perceived, how my behaviour affects judgements, how prior knowledge and experience shapes what i do professionally.

Insomnia means I have time to read some stuff

Well, seems I have managed to locate the blog successfully but…the words have all mangled up as I copied my writing into word first mmmm see how it works next time. I have put a mind map together of my thoughts on activity 1 but will wait a while and assimilate the mish mash of ideas (expecially as they were thrown together in the middle of the night – how I hate nights like that). Off to get some food in and more decorating…

Bernie 

Every day a new learning experience

Thursday 31^st May 2007

 

Creating a home page and checking out the materials. I have to start my own reflection so have been logging points on my project which I hope will help.

 

Saturday 2^nd June 2007 9am

 

Taking a good look at the course and started my reflection journal. Set up a blog – took an hour but feel pretty ‘chuffed’ about that as this will be useful to log my reflection. Good to read other home pages and see what everyone else it up to. Even better to see we are all as tight for time as each other!

 

Sunday 3^rd June 2007 7.30 am

Lost the blog which I created, gutted I need a teacher to guide me through this process. Wasted 45 mins trying to access/find my blog without success and cannot afford to spend anymore time on this. Such a shame but as always there are priorities in our tight schedules and although I would love to find out more about blogging it will have to wait until another day. Have so much studying and work to do (along with extension, family and sick mum to care for) that I am getting up really early most mornings to put in a few hours before starting the rest of my day. This is so, so tiring especially trying to ‘kick start’ my brain at 6am. Seems like I am climbing Mount Everest and stuck in the snow! So many models of reflection to choose from, so little time……….

Making links in cognitive structure so vital for dys students and so difficult….

 How do I introduce reflection to students?Generally applying this to practice as dealing with social work and nursing students. Usually look at the placement and the incident they are going to write about following criteria from the department. What difficulties do I have? No prior knowledge of the area they are working in can be difficult as often my dyslexic students are struggling to express what they wish to say. To also reflect on a process that has taken so long to write down is an additional task leading to overloading.  What difficulties to my students have?The concept of reflection – often seen as insurmountable. The context, where does this fit into my study, what is it’s value. How do I reflect? It is hard enough just describing what I want to say never mind trying to analyse it!  Do I use a model of reflection? Usually student or departmental states – often Gibbs or Johns. How do I feel about this? At first they seemed totally divorced from the task the student had to do, but now I try and link this with practice and immediately get a student to mind map or use a linear approach to get the whole picture before dealing with the parts.  Do I feel vaguely dissatisfied with the outcomes of all this reflecting – is this really helping learners to learn? Initially I had doubts as I was not actively reflecting, however now I find that as I am more enthusiastic about the value, then my students feel it is of value/use. Unless links are made with practice however, then the context will not be relevant and thus harder to do…Never really thought about learning different things from different representations and changing it to fit the form of representation mmmm Helps if we do this – go back over it in the form of secondary reflection as we learn more from this than initially. 

7^th June 2007

 

For what purposes are you using reflective learning?

 To enhance my own practiceTo put myself in my learners shoesTo learn more about the topicTo develop myself personally 8^th june What a challenging start to this course. I am finding it far more in depth than anticipated but that is exactly what I wanted. I feared that doing this alone I would not take myself out of that comfort zone and stand back and question. Not take the time necessary to really look at the theories and resources and apply them to my learning situation. I think I would have become distracted and focused more on my students not myself. So, this is indeed of value if somewhat tiring.

What a challenge

Got a huge migraine, the hall needs decorating, the house is a total mess and work is so stressful. On top of this I have to start a course on reflection……and I am in the last 2 mohtns of my MA course…….HELP! I cannot think straight and have decided to try and set up this blog cos I need to compile an on-line journal as I work the next 5 weeks. So, here goes…….fingers crossed