Reflective writing

The accounts are starting to come in and it is such a privilege to be able to witness this. I always get a thrill out of reading the accounts and seeing how people take on board what has been learned in Weeks 1 and 2 of the course and maybe even before.

I think what I haven't quite sorted out in my own head, is the relationship between experience, reflective writing and reflective learning. When we read the two accounts is the second account more reflective because the person can now reflect on their learning more effectively, or is it because the person knows more about how to write reflectively, or is it because there is a time lapse between the first and second account and therefore the person has learned from experience? Or is it all three? And more?

I think the time lapse is important for developing reflective writing and the reflective process. The need to revisit reflective writing and accounts has already been discussed on the course and the evidence to support this is already being seen in the accounts that are being written this week. But how long should the time lapse be and how much relevant experience is needed in the intervening time to make a difference to a subsequent account or learning?

I can't help thinking that there's a lot more to supporting students in their development as reflective learners than helping them to write more reflectively.


Source of image: http://www.alaska-in-pictures.com/data/media/22/mt-rainier-sunset-reflections_8723.jpg