Complete thesis - Murdoch University

students are seen to be able to articulate the problem scope (Newell and Simon, 1972), usecritical-thinking skills to evaluate information (Chrispeels and Martin, 1998), use metacognitiveskills to reflect on their own problem-finding as well as solving process (Barrows andMyers, 1993) and transfer skills from the classroom to real-world situations (Woods, 1996a).3.5.4 Experiential learning as reflectiveCowan (1998) notes that there is as yet no authoritative educational explanation of teachingand learning which is centred on reflection. However, there are models of learning that describereflection as part of the process (eg Kolb (1984); Schön (1995)). Consistent with theconstructivist, cognitive and social psychology perspectives of learning, Kolb’s work presentslearning as a process in which knowledge is created by the learner through some transformationof experience. Schön refers to reflection-in-action as the responses that skillful practitionersbring to their practice. This reflection consists of strategies of action, understandingof phenomena, ways of framing the situations encountered in day-to-day experience, and maytake the form of problem solving, theory building, or re-appreciation of the situation (Schön,1985).Central to the idea of reflection is the identification of discrepancies between beliefs andactions. Interest in the reflective practice dates back to Dewey (1938), and his work withexperiential learning theories. He concluded that the experience the individual lives throughcan be described as a dynamic continuum – and that each experience influences the quality offuture experiences. Schön reformulated Dewey’s inquiry process to one of ‘design’. The resultsof such inquiry processes are knowledge that is generated in and for particular situations ofaction or practice:We should think about practice as a setting not only for the application of knowledgebut for its generation. We should ask not only how practitioners can betterapply the results of academic research, but what kinds of knowing are alreadyembedded in competent practice(Schön, 1995, p 29)but it may be put in a form that allows it to be generalised. He argues that the problemand the strategies of action can be framed in such a way that both can be carried overto new situations perceived as being similar to the first. Wisdom can therefore be learntby reflection on dilemmas that are encountered in practice and that by using reflection-onactionpractitioners can continue to develop their practice. This reflective transfer enables166