Reflection: a powerful learning tool

A workshop by Tony Saddington

Adult learners enter an educational experience with a vast range of work and life experience. How can we best tap into this experience and so increase the learning potential? Educators and trainers know that learning is also enhanced when learners are able to make connections between the content being presented and their own experiences (both past and present). The term given in most learning theories to this process is “reflection”.

This workshop is built around a set of structured exercises which illustrate a variety of methods of reflection that can be used in the classroom, workplace, and our own lives. Participants will have the opportunity to explore and test out a range of reflective techniques.

Participants will explore the power of reflection to transform experience into learning and to develop a range of models and techniques that they can use for the process of reflection. The basic value of the workshop is to expose participants to a variety of methods (including reflective journals) which enable learners to make sense of and learn from their own experiences whether these have been derived from life, work or classroom experiences.

The workshop will be run experientially and includes group sessions and short theory sessions. Active participation is encouraged.

Who should attend:
Educators and trainers who wish to explore the concept of “reflection” and the many ways in which they can design programmes to include this important aspect of learning in their designs.

Time needed for workshop:
One full day (or equivalent number of sessions)