Knowledge evolves in light of experience

Reflective practice is central to all professional learning. It is about deliberately engaging with specific moments to cultivate opportunities for development, rather than stumbling upon them. It’s about developing a keen awareness to respond to events that prompt growth, rather than reacting out of habit.

Reflection, however, can get messy if unstructured, and lonely if unguided. Furthermore, it is important to choose an appropriate structure, and find quality non-judgemental mentorship, which is not always straightforward.

Noticing is context- and theory-aware, and scaffolds reflection in a structured, dialogic and non-judgemental manner.

Scaffolding Reflection

Noticing safely and securely…

records your noticings, the moments which startle you out of your current habits and can set off new learning;
guides you through stepped, non-judgemental mentorials to relive, account for, and make informed sense of your noticings;
offers insights into your noticings and mentorials, as well as helping you plan for the future;
provides an audio-visual playground to explore and experiment with new ideas and practices;
connects you with others to share your experiences and practices.

How does it feel?

My students were just about to start working on an arts-based reflection activity. One student approached me and said: "This is not me, I'm not that kind of person."

Can you describe in more detail the student's body language and tone of voice when they approached you? Did they seem hesitant, defensive, or dismissive?

The student appeared slightly embarrassed about his comment, he cowered and spoke quietly.

Can you list as many possible explanations as you can for the student's reluctance to engage in the arts-based reflection activity? Remember, there are no wrong answers at this stage.

The student might have felt unwell. He might have been overloaded with other issues, personal or academic. He might never have experienced the educational value of activities of this type. He might have worried that his output was not going to be as 'creative' as the others'. The episode might have triggered a previous, unpleasant event.

Can you try to remember what others have said or written about students struggling with arts-based reflection activities? It might be helpful to consider relevant theories, books, articles, videos, or even conversations with trusted colleagues. This could provide additional insights into the situation. If you'd like, I can also remind you of some relevant theories or suggest additional resources to explore.

I can think of Dweck's fixed mindsets. The student might feel that he's not an 'artistic' type and this might be a blocker to his learning. Can you provide any other theories?

Considering Csikszentmihalyi's concept of flow and the balance between challenges and skills, it's possible that the student may have felt the arts-based reflection activity presented challenges that exceeded his perceived skills, leading to feelings of anxiety or discomfort.

Practice

Reflect

Investigate

Contact us

We are always looking for new partners and collaborators. If you are interested in using Noticing in your educational context, or if you would like to contribute to our research, please get in touch.

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