The ambivalence of reflection - rereading Schon

Abstract

PeterErlandson peter.erlandson@hb.seThere are two sides to the concept of ambivalence. One concerns contradictory attitudes, expressions or feelings that are simultaneously directed toward an object, person or action, the other concerns undecidability and a fluctuation of meaning between a thing and its opposite. Both of them concern an aspect of uncertainty. In this article we argue that reflection and reflection projects are caught up within ambiguity between two discourses on human thinking and action: one which conceives humans as rational intellectual beings who elaborate practical actions by following certain procedures and one where human practice is changeable, complex and follows its own logic (or rather un-logic). These discourses have different genealogies and social agendas. However, they also meet, not only in different reflection projects in education but also in classical reflection texts. The example we are going to use to illustrate this is Schön's The reflective practitioner. We claim that the discursive struggle over reflection makes the theoretical basis for the reflection projects confusing and even fragile, as well as potentially dynamic, creative and productive.

(Re)writing CPD: creative analytical practices and the ‘continuing professional development’ of teachers

“…We suggested earlier that Richardson's combining of the 'creative' and 'analytical' resonated with the contradiction identified in Schön's depiction of the experienced practitioner in practice settings (Erlandson & Beach, 2008). The marginalization of intuitive or aesthetic modes of knowing is attributed to Schön's (1983, p. 104) portrayal of practitioners simultaneously engage in 'reflection-in-action' and 'reflection-on-action'.…”

“…Although Richardson's definition of the 'analytical' derives from a critical theoretical tradition hostile to Cartesian epistemological assumptions, this apparent tension echoes the ambivalence in Schön. Erlandson and Beach (2008) present this ambivalence in Schön as historically-specific and describe how it has contributed to a neoliberal denigration of aesthetic modes of knowing. In our view, it has assisted in the reification of a hylomorphic conception of CPD that objectifies practitioners (the underlying assumption of much contemporary CPD provision being that practitioners can be molded to fit a prescribed form).…”

“…Richardson's separation of the analytical and creative in reflective writing has pedagogic value. It draws attention to the divergent epistemologies that can inform reflective practice and resonates with the contradiction identified by Erlandson and Beach (2008) in Schön's conceptualization of reflective practice. Bleakley (2000) argued that the range of modes of reflectivity made available within reflective practice should be expanded, and we believe that Richardson's writing offers a valuable pedagogic resource to tutors who are sympathetic to this objective.…”

Transforming practice: reflections on the use of art to develop professional knowledge and reflective practice

“…In my experience, I see practitioners making intuitive sense of reflective practice, without deeply examining the literature for definitions or dwelling too long on the concept before either rejecting it or internalizing their own definition. The process of disentangling terms related and interrelated to reflective practice in the literature (Erlandson & Beach, 2008;Epstein, 1999;Epstein, Siegel, & Silberman, 2008;Kinsella, 2007Kinsella, , 2009Reid, 2009), requires active, committed and iterative effort and is a process in itself. However, that process was a necessary foundation from which to build my reflective practice.…”

A Human Capital Approach to Career Advising

“…Beginning with the seminal writings of Donald Schon (1987Schon ( , 1992, educators have come to understand the role of reflection as an essential process in both the preparation for and the practice of all professions (see also Erlandson & Beach, 2008). While classroom instructors will undoubtedly introduce students to the necessity of reflection, advisors can reinforce these lessons when encouraging students to accumulate documentation of their own development through a functional resume, curriculum vita, or a literal portfolio (Chalfen, 2004;Franzinger, 2003;Ireland, 2002).…”