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Sunday 11 March 2012

Module 1 Reflective Writing

Reflective writing is used at university to add a personal voice to learning. It can also bring together learning form all aspects of one's life. The difference with reflection for professional practice is that you are thinking about yourself in a professional role (paid or unpaid) in ways that can lead to 1. different ways to tackle problems or find solutions and 2. observing your own role and the events and incidents that happen that can inform you about what you do.

There are some goo university sites that mention reflection BUT do keep in mind that you are not just 'in a placement' but in the workplace as a person doing the job. It might seem like a subtle difference for emerging rather that establishing professionals, but the difference can be crucial to your development as a professional.

You have both public and private places to reflect in - it is important that you are the person who can decide what is confidential and what is for public/BAPP network consumption about your work. I have discussed this issue with both Ahmet and Pauline - there is no right answer but your own. This module is about deciding how to address both your public and private professional selves and then sharing what is appropriate with others on the course and beyond. Private extracts that are submitted with your work are confidential, but there are many ways to talk about issues publicly. For example, I though of the film director Martin Scorsese - I hope Pauline appreciates his public http://www.myspace.com/martinscorsese where he says that he does not have an email and does not go on online and in an interview http://www.timeout.com/film/features/show-feature/9640/Martin_Scorsese_talks-Shutter_Island-.html

These are extras - remember you have the Reader Part 2 as your guide... 





http://awertzberger.com/type2/images/WritingVisual.pdf  this is very long so you may only want to scan some of this - might be useful to Module 3 so will put up on separate blog.

2 comments:

  1. Hi Pauline, Thank you for the advice and links. These will be a valueable tool.

    I have also found value in some of the ideas of Dewey, especially his term "one of the defining characteristics of professional practice is the capacity to reflect on action so as to engage in a process of continuous learning".

    Through personal experiences I also believe that practitioners who self assess, evaluate and reflect on their own work are more likely to make progress and to achieve.

    I suppose the key is in finding a positive outcome to any negatives? Do you agree?

    Gemma

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  2. Gemma, yes, I went to a conference yesterday that was about using creativity in creative or cultural businesses, and one chap form Kings University pointed out that taking risks and learning from mistakes was a part of what we all did to succeed and grow. He was talking about the 'games' industry. Dewey is classic, valuing our own experience as opposed to always thinking that others have more knowledge or more valid viewpoints. Negatives are not always fun - but we all make mistakes - and forgiving ourselves or learning to allow these as a part of a process is actually liberating.

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