Introduction
Donald A. Schön’s Education of the Reflective Practitioner (1991), remains a seminal text of learning, professional development, and reflective practice. This book addresses the important consideration of the need for educators and practitioners to think reflectively in order to enhance skill and understanding in complex and dynamic environments. In this review, the book in question is discussed in terms of its key themes and insights through examination of the ways in which Schön’s ideas have informed contemporary educational practice as well as reflective practice discourse.
Reflective practice is the act of people critically reflecting on what they have experienced to increase their own understanding and effectiveness in that role. In traditional educational approaches, according to Schön, practitioners are not often well prepared for real world situations due to their unpredictability. He instead suggests a model of education that would encourage reflection in action and on action such that practitioners can learn from their experiences and respond to new challenges. In this review, we will discuss foundational ideas of Schön’s work, evaluate its contribution to educational theory, and discuss its application to today’s practice.
Reflective Practice is needed
This is at the fore of Schön’s argument, a belief that professionals must be equipped to work in complex, unpredictable environments. Traditional educational systems usually used to teach technical skills and knowledge without considering reflection. Schön recognizes the missing piece of the educational system: competent practitioners, but not necessarily reflective. In a world that is changing so quickly, he says, the one thing that is important enough to uphold is the ability to reflect on those experiences because you need to learn and grow and that can’t happen without that.
Schön outlines two primary modes of reflection: reflection on (the) action, and reflection in (the) action. The reflection in action is in real time, as the practitioners need to respond and adapt strategies in real time based on immediate challenges. Such reflection involves spontaneous problem solving and creative thinking, so that the professionals are able to adapt their actions to that unrolling situation. However, reflection on action involves subsequent reflection after the occurrence of past experience. Retrospective reflection can help people understand what they did and why they did it, what they achieved and the value of what they did, thus making it clear to themselves what their practice was about.
Schön lays the groundwork for a new approach to professional education by highlight the need of these reflective processes. According to him, educators need to create environments that foster reflection of practitioners in developing skills needed for problem solution and decision making.
Key Concepts and Themes
The idea of the ‘reflective practitioner’ is one of the most distinguishing themes in ‘Educating the Reflective Practitioner’. This term is defined by Schön as a person who is actively thinking reflectively about her experiences in the practice to shape and improve her practice. According to him, reflective practitioners are more capable of dealing with the complexities that their work presents because they can analyze those actions and learn from that outcome. The idea has resonated with educators and other professionals across a wide range of disciplines, and that process of reflection is clearly and importantly fundamental to ongoing development.
An additional instance of an important Schöns is the “knowledge in action” framework. First he stresses the fact that practitioners know, and often tacit knowledge that is hard to express. Experienced people know this, it is essential for good decision making. Schön argues that such forms of knowledge are often missed by traditional educational methods concerned only with explicit theories and concepts. Those involved in educational settings can do so if they come to recognize and value knowledge-in-action.
Schön also points out the need to develop a nurturing learning environment that is learner centred and yet permits the learning to occur through experimentation and risk taking. According to him, educators first need to make settings where practitioners are safe to reflect about their experiences without being judged. This committed atmosphere encourages individuals to discover their thoughts and emotions in a means that helps shape deeper learning and development.
Impact on Educational practices
“Educating the Reflective Practitioner” has contributed greatly to the way many professional development sessions operate throughout many careers, since its publication. Schön’s prescriptions for reflection continue to stimulate teachers to reconsider the ways in which they teach and learn. Nowadays, reflective practice is become a core part in many programs curricula which encourage students to take self-assessment and critical analysis of experience.
For example, teachers have turned to reflective teaching practice in the area of teacher education, based on Schön’s ideas. It is encouraged for the future educators to think of the ways they teach, the kinds of interactions they have with the students, the students’ achievements and outcomes. The reflective process not only makes them more pedagogically skilled, but also makes them better understand how student learning is affected. The purpose of teacher education programs is to cultivate reflective practitioners of educators that are reflective, responsive to students’ needs and changeable to changing conditions of educational contexts.
Further, Schön’s works have far larger implications than just the case of Education. Reflective practice has been incorporated by the professions such as nursing, social work and business management in the pursuit to develop a professional. Practitioners are encouraged in these fields to engage in reflection to enhance their clinical judgment, interpersonal skills and decision making processes. Organizations integrate reflective practice in professional training in order to develop more competent and adaptable professionals.
Critiques and Limitations
“Despite its important contributions ‘Educating the Reflective Practitioner’ has been critiqued.” Some scholars have pointed out that Schön’s focus on individual reflection may blindside the systemic factors of which practice is a part. Not all consideration is necessarily negative, they claim, but if it is to be useful, it must also be grounded in familiarity with the society, politics, and organization in which practitioners work. Such perspective offers the call for a broader perspective on professional development by taking account of both personal and systematic factors.
Furthermore, Schön’s ideas are susceptible to being applied practically. Reflection is a well-accepted concept, but the process itself can be difficult, and difficult to implement consistently. However, the timetable of educators and practitioners to reflect on their work may be too busy. In addition, generating culture of reflection within organizations becomes challenging, especially in the real world, where there is a need for creating supportive environment.
Relevance to Modern Practice
Schön’s ideas about reflective practice are perfectly relevant as we navigate through the complexities of the 21st century. In the fast paced world of technology, society and the workplace, professionals have to make that adaptability and learning from experiences. At this point in time, the ability to think reflectively is … crucial.
Increasingly, modern educational institutions and organizations are realizing that reflective practitioners are important to cultivate. It has been a wealth of notes for curricula about innovative teaching methods, such as experiential learning, mentorship programs, and collaborative inquiry, to support reflection. Also, technology developments offer new ways of reflection; digital portfolios and online platforms allow for self-assessment and peer knowledge.
But the needs of the world that surround us now, and those to come, as it relates to things like climate change or social justice, demand professionals that can critically and reflectively think about what they do. In proposing the reflective practitioner as an agent of change, Schön’s thinking resonates with this context where people are challenged to work through complex issues in order to help create a positive outcome in society.
Conclusion
“Educating the Reflective Practitioner” (1991) has been a central document to thinking about education and professional development since it was published. Schön has done much to stress the importance of reflection in practice, and to give to educators and practitioner’s insight into how to journey through the complex domains in practice. His theories on knowledge in action, knowledge for action and the reflective practice are still influencing the way we conduct educational practices and professional development in many fields.
The book has been attacked for its distortion of the practice of right – But that is only part of its relevance to modern practice. With the world constantly changing, Schön’s ideas provide a guiding backbone to thinking through the environment as a professional, as we grapple with figuring out what world is next in an ever emerging landscape. Readers who aim to shore up their practice should read “Educating the Reflective Practitioner,” a must read that imparts timeless wisdom for making sense of the intricacies of professional life.
