What is the Schön Model of Reflection?

Reflection is an essential part of learning and professional practice, especially in fields like health and social care. Donald Schön, an American philosopher and educator, greatly contributed to our understanding of reflection in professional practice. His model emphasises learning from experience, an essential aspect for professionals who face complex situations.

Who Was Donald Schön?

Donald A. Schön was a notable figure in the development of theories around reflective practice. He was born in 1930 and his works influenced education, management, and professional practice fields. He is perhaps best remembered for his books, “The Reflective Practitioner” (1983) and “Educating the Reflective Practitioner” (1987). In these books, he discusses how professionals deal with problems that can’t be solved with technical knowledge alone. Schön argues that reflection is necessary to handle unique and complex situations effectively.

What Is Reflection?

Before diving into Schön’s model, it’s important to understand the concept of reflection. Self-reflection is the process where individuals think about their experiences, thoughts, feelings, and actions. This reflective process helps people learn from their experiences, gaining insights for future practice.

In professional contexts, reflection is a way to scrutinise practices, question routines, and develop new strategies for tackling challenges.

Schön’s Model of Reflection: An Overview

Donald Schön’s model of reflection consists of two key concepts:

• Reflection-in-action
• Reflection-on-action

These elements encourage professionals to think essentially about their actions and decisions during and after an event.

Reflection-in-Action

Reflection-in-action occurs during an activity. Here, professionals reflect as the situation unfolds. This immediate reflection helps adjust decisions on the spot. It requires a high level of self-awareness and is essential in dynamic or uncertain environments.

Characteristics of Reflection-in-Action

• Spontaneous Thought: The professional thinks and acts concurrently.
• Critical Evaluation: Evaluating the action while engaged in it.
• Immediate Adjustments: Being able to change course as necessary.
• Requires Awareness: Awareness of one’s actions and their impacts is essential.

Reflection-on-Action

In contrast, reflection-on-action takes place after the event. This reflection involves reviewing the actions and outcomes once the situation has concluded. Professionals consider what happened, why it occurred, and how it can be done differently in the future.

Characteristics of Reflection-on-Action

• Retrospective Analysis: Looking back to understand the outcomes of actions.
• Learning from Experience: Obtaining insights for future improvements.
• Conceptual Thinking: Thinking analytically about what happened.
• Time: Takes place away from the immediate pressure of action.

Why Is Schön’s Model Important?

Encourages Continuous Learning

Schön’s model supports the idea of professionals as lifelong learners. By consistently reflecting on practice, health and social care professionals can continue learning from their experiences. This ongoing learning process allows them to adapt to new challenges and improve their practice continuously.

Enhances Critical Thinking Skills

Reflection requires deep, essential thinking. By questioning their actions and decisions, professionals improve their ability to analyse situations essentially. Critical thinking is essential in health and social care where decisions significantly impact people’s lives.

Improves Self-awareness

Reflection improves self-awareness by helping professionals understand their strengths, weaknesses, and biases. Recognising these aspects can lead to personal and professional growth.

Facilitates Professional Development

Through reflection, individuals can identify areas where they need further development. They might discover gaps in their knowledge or skills and seek further training or education to fill these gaps.

Applying Schön’s Model to Health and Social Care

In the health and social care sectors, professionals often face unpredictable and complex situations. Schön’s model provides a structured way to manage these complexities through reflection.

Practical Example: Reflection-in-Action

Imagine a nurse in a hospital’s emergency department. An elderly patient arrives with symptoms that do not clearly indicate one specific condition. The nurse must act swiftly:

• Observation: The nurse observes the patient’s symptoms.
• Evaluation: The nurse mentally evaluates the possible causes.
• Modification: Adjusts the care plan as new information arises.

In this scenario, the nurse is actively engaged in reflection-in-action. They make quick decisions based on their knowledge and adjust their actions accordingly.

Practical Example: Reflection-on-Action

Consider the same nurse after their shift. They reflect on the interaction with the elderly patient:

• Analysis: The nurse analyses the situation to understand what they did well and what could have been done better.
• Learning: Realises that consulting a colleague could have provided additional insights.
• Future Application: Plans to involve colleagues more in similar future scenarios.

Here, the nurse engages in reflection-on-action, learning from the experience to improve future practice.

How to Implement Schön’s Model in Practice

Develop Self-awareness

Start by becoming more aware of your thoughts, actions, and feelings during practice. This awareness is essential for both reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action.

Keep a Reflective Journal

Writing can be a powerful tool for reflection. Keeping a journal allows you to document experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Reviewing these entries can provide valuable insights.

Ask Reflective Questions

Use questions to guide your reflective practice:

• What went well, and why?
• What did not go as planned, and what are the reasons?
• How can I improve or handle similar situations better in the future?

Seek Feedback

Speaking with colleagues and mentors about your experiences can provide different perspectives. Feedback helps you see things you might have missed.

Engage in Reflective Discussions

Participate in group discussions to gain insights from others. Group reflection sessions or case studies can be particularly useful in health and social care settings.

Challenges of Schön’s Model

While Schön’s model offers a valuable framework for reflection, it also presents some challenges:

Time Constraints

Professionals often work under tight time pressures which can make it difficult to find time for reflection, especially for reflection-on-action.

Emotional Discomfort

Reflective practice may bring up uncomfortable feelings or highlight mistakes, which can be challenging for some individuals to face.

Complexity of Reflection-in-Action

Balancing the immediacy of decision-making while reflecting in action requires skill and practice.

Final Thoughts

Donald Schön’s model of reflection offers a framework for professionals to continuously learn and improve their practice. By incorporating both reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action, professionals in health and social care can tackle complex situations more effectively. This reflective practice helps in developing essential thinking, self-awareness, and professional skills necessary for providing high-quality care. Despite its challenges, Schön’s model remains a powerful tool for personal and professional development. To fully benefit from this approach, professionals must commit to making reflection a regular part of their practice.