Page 80 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Training Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 80
f-reflection: conceptual issues
The definition of self-reflection has been developing since about the 17th
century when the first known use of the term self-reflection was document-
ed in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary (n.d.) as a careful thought about
one’s own behaviour and beliefs and as related to self-examination, defined
as a careful reflective examination of one’s own behaviour and beliefs to see
whether they are good or bad (also introspection). This definition can eas-
ily be related to educators and their professional development with regard
to improving competencies for reducing ESL. Educators’ careful thinking
about their teaching and the related beliefs offers an opportunity to recon-
sider and improve their performance as educators. Sellars (2014) also pro-
vides a broad definition that reflection or self-reflection can be defined as
deliberate, purposeful, metacognitive thinking and/or action in which ed-
ucators engage in order to improve their professional practice and to es-
tablish such a practice that would enable all students to be successful. The
Encyclopaedia of Child Behaviour and Development defines self-reflection
as related to self-evaluation and describes self-evaluation as a key regula-
tory process through which an individual compares self-generated or ex-
ternally provided performance information against personal standards or
goals (Cleary, 2011). If such goals are set in order to establish a supportive
environment for all students to succeed, the comparison of one’s own per-
formance should emphasise such actions of the educator that in the future
would establish a more supportive environment for more students. In the
Encyclopedia of Adolescence, self-reflection refers to the capacity to exer-
cise introspection and the willingness to learn more about one’s purpose,
essence and true self (Levesque, 2011). These can also help greatly in learn-
ing about one’s performance, emotions and notions, followed by altering
them so as to improve their own education practice according to the goal
of reducing ESL.
However, the definitions are not straightforward since interpretations
vary by scientific discipline and also by the purpose of using this termi-
nology. The concept of self-reflection regarding its use in education also
has some specifics. The question remains if self-reflection is (or should be)
a systematic or spontaneous process, which characteristics are (should be)
included in this process, and which methods and approaches are (should
be) used.
When self-reflection is used as a method for improving educators’
work performance it can be addressed as one of the three cyclical phases
80
The definition of self-reflection has been developing since about the 17th
century when the first known use of the term self-reflection was document-
ed in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary (n.d.) as a careful thought about
one’s own behaviour and beliefs and as related to self-examination, defined
as a careful reflective examination of one’s own behaviour and beliefs to see
whether they are good or bad (also introspection). This definition can eas-
ily be related to educators and their professional development with regard
to improving competencies for reducing ESL. Educators’ careful thinking
about their teaching and the related beliefs offers an opportunity to recon-
sider and improve their performance as educators. Sellars (2014) also pro-
vides a broad definition that reflection or self-reflection can be defined as
deliberate, purposeful, metacognitive thinking and/or action in which ed-
ucators engage in order to improve their professional practice and to es-
tablish such a practice that would enable all students to be successful. The
Encyclopaedia of Child Behaviour and Development defines self-reflection
as related to self-evaluation and describes self-evaluation as a key regula-
tory process through which an individual compares self-generated or ex-
ternally provided performance information against personal standards or
goals (Cleary, 2011). If such goals are set in order to establish a supportive
environment for all students to succeed, the comparison of one’s own per-
formance should emphasise such actions of the educator that in the future
would establish a more supportive environment for more students. In the
Encyclopedia of Adolescence, self-reflection refers to the capacity to exer-
cise introspection and the willingness to learn more about one’s purpose,
essence and true self (Levesque, 2011). These can also help greatly in learn-
ing about one’s performance, emotions and notions, followed by altering
them so as to improve their own education practice according to the goal
of reducing ESL.
However, the definitions are not straightforward since interpretations
vary by scientific discipline and also by the purpose of using this termi-
nology. The concept of self-reflection regarding its use in education also
has some specifics. The question remains if self-reflection is (or should be)
a systematic or spontaneous process, which characteristics are (should be)
included in this process, and which methods and approaches are (should
be) used.
When self-reflection is used as a method for improving educators’
work performance it can be addressed as one of the three cyclical phases
80
