# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Academic Skills and Reflective Practice Year 1 Log Template

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Referencing is an important part of academic writing. It tells your readers what sources you've used and how to find them.

Harvard is the most common referencing style used in UK universities. In Harvard style, the author and year are cited in-text, and full details of the source are given in a reference list.

In-text citation

Referencing is an essential academic skill (Pears and Shields, 2019).

Reference list entry

Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2019) Cite them right: The essential referencing guide. 11th edn. London: MacMillan.

To automatically generate accurate Harvard references, you can use Scribbr's free reference generator:
Harvard Reference Generator
NoteSome universities publish their own guidelines for Harvard referencing - always check if there are specific rules you're expected to follow. This quick guide presents the most common rules.

Harvard in-text citation

A Harvard in-text citation appears in brackets beside any quotation or paraphrase of a source. It gives the last name of the author(s) and the year of publication, as well as a page number or range locating the passage referenced, if applicable:

The novel begins with the grim image of the train passengers' faces, which are described as 'pale yellow, the colour of the fog' (Dostoyevsky, 2004, p. 5).

Note that 'p.' is used for a single page, 'pp.' for multiple pages (e.g. 'pp. 1-5').

An in-text citation usually appears immediately after the quotation or paraphrase in question. It may also appear at the end of the relevant sentence, as long as it's clear what it refers to.

When your sentence already mentions the name of the author, it should not be repeated in the citation:

Woolf introduces the essay's topic as 'women and fiction' (2000, p. 5), going on to discuss the various connotations of the phrase.

Sources with multiple authors

When you cite a source with up to three authors, cite all authors' names. For four or more authors, list only the first name, followed by ' et al. ':

Number of authors

In-text citation example

1 author

(Davis, 2019)

2 authors

(Davis and Barrett, 2019)

3 authors

(Davis, Barrett and McLachlan, 2019)

4+ authors

(Davis et al., 2019)

Sources with no page numbers

Some sources, such as websites, often don't have page numbers. If the source is a short text, you can simply leave out the page number. With longer sources, you can use an alternate locator such as a subheading or paragraph number if you need to specify where to find the quote:

Multiple citations at the same point

When you need multiple citations to appear at the same point in your text - for example, when you refer to several sources with one phrase - you can present them in the same set of brackets, separated by semicolons. List them in order of publication date:

Several in-depth studies have investigated this phenomenon during the last decade (Singh, 2011; Davidson, 2015; Harding, 2018).

Multiple sources with the same author and date

If you cite multiple sources by the same author which were published in the same year, it's important to distinguish between them in your citations. To do this, insert an 'a' after the year in the first one you reference, a 'b' in the second, and so on:

The results of the first study (Woodhouse, 2018a) were inconclusive, but a follow up study (Woodhouse, 2018b) achieved a clearer outcome.

Creating a Harvard reference list

A bibliography or reference list appears at the end of your text. It lists all your sources in alphabetical order by the author's last name, giving complete information so that the reader can look them up if necessary.

The reference entry starts with the author's last name followed by initial(s). Only the first word of the title is capitalised (as well as any proper nouns).

Harvard reference list example

Sources with multiple authors in the reference list

As with in-text citations, up to three authors should be listed; when there are four or more, list only the first author followed by ' et al. ':

Number of authors

Reference example

1 author

Davis, V. (2019) ...

2 authors

Davis, V. and Barrett, M. (2019) ...

3 authors

Davis, V., Barrett, M. and McLachlan, F. (2019) ...

4+ authors

Davis, V. et al. (2019) ...

Harvard referencing examples

Reference list entries vary according to source type, since different information is relevant for different sources. Formats and examples for the most commonly used source types are given below.

Sometimes you won't have all the information you need for a reference. This section covers what to do when a source lacks a publication date or named author.

No publication date

When a source doesn't have a clear publication date - for example, a constantly updated reference source like Wikipedia or an obscure historical document which can't be accurately dated - you can replace it with the words 'no date':

In-text citation

(Scribbr, no date)

Reference list entry

Scribbr (no date) How to structure a dissertation. Available at: https://www.scribbr.co.uk/category/thesis-dissertation/ (Accessed: 14 February 2020).

Note that when you do this with an online source, you should still include an access date, as in the example.

No author

When a source lacks a clearly identified author, there's often an appropriate corporate source - the organisation responsible for the source - whom you can credit as author instead, as in the Google and Wikipedia examples above.

When that's not the case, you can just replace it with the title of the source in both the in-text citation and the reference list:

In-text citation

('Divest', no date)

Reference list entry

'Divest' (no date) Available at: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/divest (Accessed: 27 January 2020).

Frequently asked questions about Harvard referencing

What's the difference between Harvard and Vancouver referencing styles?

Harvard referencing uses an author-date system. Sources are cited by the author's last name and the publication year in brackets. Each Harvard in-text citation corresponds to an entry in the alphabetised reference list at the end of the paper.

Vancouver referencing uses a numerical system. Sources are cited by a number in parentheses or superscript. Each number corresponds to a full reference at the end of the paper.

Harvard style

Vancouver style

In-text citation

Each referencing style has different rules (Pears and Shields, 2019).

Each referencing style has different rules (1).

Reference list

Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2019). Cite them right: The essential referencing guide. 11th edn. London: MacMillan.

1. Pears R, Shields G. Cite them right: The essential referencing guide. 11th ed. London: MacMillan; 2019.

When do I need to use a Harvard in-text citation?

A Harvard in-text citation should appear in brackets every time you quote, paraphrase, or refer to information from a source.

The citation can appear immediately after the quotation or paraphrase, or at the end of the sentence. If you're quoting, place the citation outside of the quotation marks but before any other punctuation like a comma or full stop.

How do I cite a source with multiple authors in Harvard style?

In Harvard referencing, up to three author names are included in an in-text citation or reference list entry. When there are four or more authors, include only the first, followed by ' et al. '

In-text citation

Reference list

1 author

(Smith, 2014)

Smith, T. (2014) ...

2 authors

(Smith and Jones, 2014)

Smith, T. and Jones, F. (2014) ...

3 authors

(Smith, Jones and Davies, 2014)

Smith, T., Jones, F. and Davies, S. (2014) ...

4+ authors

(Smith et al., 2014)

Smith, T. et al. (2014) ...

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the 'Cite this Scribbr article' button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, September 15). A Quick Guide to Harvard Referencing | Citation Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 13 November 2023, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/referencing/harvard-style/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Quick Guide to Harvard Referencing | Citation Examples

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Referencing is an important part of academic writing. It tells your readers what sources you've used and how to find them. Harvard is the most common

# data[].attributes.headline
Zoom course by TONY ATTWOOD AND SUE LARKEY Key people in the field of Autism

# data[].attributes.subject
Zoom course by TONY ATTWOOD AND SUE LARKEY Key people in the field of Autism

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"Thank you for making your online course so available, enjoyable and full of practicalities based on your experience and research. I completed the 5 modules 'back to back'. In other words, I was 'mesmerized'.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tony Attwood Free Webinar - Sue Larkey E-Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"Thank you for making your online course so available, enjoyable and full of practicalities based on your experience and research. I completed the 5 modules 'back to back'. In other words, I was 'mesmerized'.

# data[].attributes.body
'Six thinking hats'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal Act

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As a teacher, tutor, or anyone else working with children in an educational context, you'll probably have learned a thing or two about behaviour management. And you may well have learned it the hard way.

Kids aren't always going to be behaving in the way that you want them to behave. Misbehaviour - defined loosely as not following classroom rules - is something that is inevitable in children, just as it would be in the rest of us if we were still sat in the classroom. Undesirable behaviour is, in a way, contingent upon the nature of the rules in place - and is not some sort of fixed, universal category.

The spectrum of behaviour in the classroom is something that you will, as a teacher, understand with time. Yet, something hugely beneficial to your understanding of classroom behaviour is a knowledge of the literature, as such, on the subject.

There are heaps of it: studies on behaviour problems and behaviour change, reflections on the motivators behind good behaviour, and theories on what it is that makes people behave in the way that they do.

It's this last one that we are going to look at here: the behaviour management theories that educators, psychologists, and pedagogists have developed to understand what it is that motivates behaviour - and how we can best negotiate that.

What is Behavioural Management?

Behaviour management is not just about discipline; it's not just about punishment of disruptive or unwanted behaviour and reward of positive behaviour. Sure, these are some of the techniques that are used in the final instance - however, there is much more to it than merely punishing those who misbehave.

Rather, behavioural management is about the strategies and methods in which teachers can ensure that children make the most out of their schooling. It is about enabling all children - not just the 'well-behaved' ones - to strive for and obtain their own version of success.

So, it is not about giving a child a sticker or a stamp as a consequence of good behaviour - nor a detention for bad behaviour. Rather, it is about understanding what makes kids tick and driving that towards achievement.

As with any other subject in the history of psychology, education, or social science, not everyone agrees about what this actually means. And so, we see a massive proliferation of different theories, ideas, and interventions into what actually constitutes the behaviour at which we are looking.

It's these ideas that we are going to be looking at here - from some of the biggest names in education and pedagogy.

Find out more in our introduction to behaviour management.

Why Should You Learn about Behaviour Management Theory?

But firstly, let's consider why you, as an educator, might want to pay attention to these academic ideas.

Throughout the history of academic social science, theory - in all subjects, not just in behaviour management - has been continually elaborated, continually superseded, and continually re-elaborated again.

This fact might be a bit off-putting for readers coming in from the outside: academia can often feel like a long, eternal conversation with itself about itself.

However, it is worth the effort to pursue it. Theories of learning, theories of personality, and the cognitive theories that underpin these ideas, are both super interesting and directly relevant and insightful for the work that you will be doing in the classroom.

Find out more about why behaviour management is important.

How Does the Theory Affect Teaching Practice?

To demonstrate the use of classroom management theory for teachers and tutors, we can give a simple example.

Some bad teachers - particularly those who have not been through adequate training - might see a classroom of children whom they haven't quite clicked are people in the formative stages of life. Maybe they see bad behaviour but don't necessarily link that up to the motivations, desires, and responses of the children themselves.

Behaviour management theory has informed the best practices that guide teaching in classrooms across the world. And it has changed the way children are treated in classrooms - from things that should be quiet and may be caned, to a community of people who have their own wills, desires, and concerns.

This simple change in the way that children are understood is the reason for the value of theory - and delving into yourself can lead you as an educator into even greater understandings of the kids you are working for.

Some of the Major Behaviour Management Theories - and Their Theorists

Whilst this list is far from exhaustive, here are some of the most significant theories of behaviour management that you should know - alongside the thinkers whose names are most closely associated to them.

Let's take a look.

B.F. Skinner and Operant Conditioning

B.F. Skinner is one of the biggest names in the history of behaviour management theory - at least in the twentieth century. His big idea was what is known as operant conditioning - and it came as the development of and response to the more radical theory known as classical conditioning.

In the latter theory, a neutral stimulus in the environment comes to provoke a conditioned response. In the classic example of Pavlov's dog, a bell rings each time a dog is given food - and so the dog begins to salivate each time the bell rings, regardless of whether the food comes.

There is, however, no real behaviour here - as this is an automatic response.

Positive Reinforcement

Skinner's idea was based, rather than on this very biological theory, upon the idea of Edward Thorndike, known as the law of effect. This stated that when a behaviour is followed by a pleasant consequence, that consequence is likely to be repeated; when it is followed by something unpleasant, it probably isn't.

This led to Skinner's most famous contributions to behaviour management: positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is the reward: you do your homework, so you get a fiver. Simple. Negative reinforcement, meanwhile, is the removal of a punishment: you do your homework so that you don't have to pay your teacher a fiver.

The importance of this idea was that punishment was not something recommended by Skinner. Rather, behaviour was managed through the management of the environment, to which children's behaviours were the consequences.

William Glasser and Choice Theory

The ideas of William Glasser may well be equally influential. But where Skinner came out of a tradition of behaviourist natural science, Glasser was a psychiatrist - and it was his theories of psychology that he applied to the classroom context.

His choice theory is a fascinating intervention into the field because it proposes that all behaviour is the result of choice. Sure, you can tell a child to do something, but all you are doing is passing information. Whether they do as you tell them is entirely their choice.

Whilst the choice is theirs, people are motivated by five basic needs: fun, freedom, power, survival, and love and belonging. Classroom activities should satisfy these needs: teachers should convince that children that these activities are worth their while - whilst developing the feeling of belonging in the classroom.

However, the children can't be made to do anything; the young person has to reach that decision of their own free will.

Alfie Kohn and Student Directed Learning Theory

Alfie Kohn has courted controversy for his ideas on behaviour management. However, his critiques of ideas such as Skinner's positive and negative reinforcement have been hugely important interventions into the debate.

Kohn's ideas are student-directed - as in, the students' ideas and contributions drive the programme of study. For Kohn, learning is more about making meaning than it is about receiving information - and it should be driven by curiosity and cooperation rather than a distant and standardised curriculum.

Extrinsic motivation - those motivators which come externally, like positive reinforcement - is too common in the classroom, Kohn suggests. Kids learn to want the reinforcement itself, not the behaviour to which it should be associated.

Intrinsic motivation - the motivators within the learning itself - are much more important. Cultivated correctly, punishments aren't necessary.

Albert Bandura and Social Learning Theory

Albert Bandura 's work in a sense returns us to the beginning, bringing in elements of all three theorists.

His theory - known as social learning theory - posits that people acquire behaviour through observation and imitation, through a cognitive process that is necessarily based in a social context.

He returns to Skinner's operant conditioning, suggesting that reinforcement can happen vicariously, through the rewarding or punishment of an observed other. Thus, if your mate is getting rewarded for something, you mate see that this is a good behaviour to follow.

Check out some behaviour management strategies whilst you are here!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Behaviour Management Theories You Need to Know | Superprof

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As a teacher, tutor, or anyone else working with children in an educational context, you'll probably have learned a thing or two about behaviour management. And you may well have learned it the hard way. Kids aren't always going to be behaving in the way that you want them to behave.

# data[].attributes.headline
observation template for work based practice

# data[].attributes.subject
observation template for work based practice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Reflective practice
'It is not sufficient simply to have an experience in order to learn. Without reflecting upon this experience it may quickly be forgotten, or its learning potential lost. It is from the feelings and thoughts emerging from this reflection that generalisations or concepts can be generated. And it is generalisations that allow new situations to be tackled effectively.'
(Gibbs 1988)
Reflection deepens learning. The act of reflecting is one which causes us to make sense of what we've learned, why we learned it, and how that learning took place. Reflection also allows us to widen learning by linking theory and practice. It is also useful in success and failure, prompting us to provide evidence of our perceived achievements and also allowing us to provide insights into our failures and how this situation may be avoided for future practice.
'it is increasingly recognised that reflection is an important transferable skill, and is much valued by all around us, in employment, as well as in life in general. The ability to reflect is one of the most advanced manifestations of owning - and being in control of - a human brain. Have you reflected today? Almost certainly 'yes!'. But have you evidenced your reflection today? Almost certainly 'sorry, too busy at the moment'. And the danger remains that even the best of reflection is volatile - it evaporates away unless we stop in our tracks to make one or other kind of crystallisation of it - some evidence.'
(Race 2002)

Take a few minutes to consider the benefits of reflective practice and also the barriers that can prevent us from doing this.

Reflection is increasingly required in education and employment. More specifically, evidence of reflection is required, for students with regard to assessments in the form of professional development portfolios where reflection is supported by learning logs, records of achievements and personal development plans. This has also become a requirement or expectation of employment. Teaching staff are also required (or encouraged) to build up records of their reflection on their developing work associated with teaching, learning and assessment, so that they develop their practices in a more efficient and focused way than if they simply left reflection to chance;

The encouragement of the ability to reflect in action (while doing something) and on action (after you have done it) is an important feature of professional practice education. Its encouragement is seen as a particularly important aspect of the role of the practice educator. Arguably constructive and effective, reflective practice needs another person as mentor or professional supervisor, who can ask appropriate questions to ensure that the students does not immersed in their own self justification or self pity. Reflection involves a dialogue between students and their peers, students and teachers and students and work placement tutors, all of whom can provide useful feedback necessary for reflection. To begin to reflect on their learning students need to be encouraged to make sense of new knowledge in relation to their existing understanding. The learning cycle developed by Kolb (1984) is a useful and simple tool for illustrating to students the connection between reflection and improved learning:

In summary, we can view reflection as having four main purposes (figure 1)

Figure 1: The purpose of reflection

Reflection helps learners to:

understand what they already know (individual)

identify what they need to know in order to advance understanding of the subject (contextual)

make sense of new information and feedback in the context of their own experience (relational)

guide choices for further learning (developmental)

Individuals often reflect on what they have done, but these are private and personal thoughts used to shape ideas. The main difference between this and formalised 'reflective practice' as a tool for supporting learning is that the student produces evidence of their reflection. This can be demonstrated in the form of a learning log, diary, personal development portfolio, critical incident journal or perhaps a video diary. Individuals engaged in this structured, evidence-based activity may be described as 'reflective practitioners'.

The learning cycle can be used to explain the incremental nature of the learning process. In professional and vocational education reflection can be used as a way of helping students to take responsibility for their own learning and to identify ways in which they can advance their practice and professional conduct. Academic programmes also emphasise autonomous learning and encourage students to develop a sense of ownership over work by reflection and planning. In both spheres use is made of learning journals and reflective logs to support learning and skill development. These 'products' provide evidence of thinking, and therefore validate reflection within the context of formal education. People reflect for different purposes and in different contexts, but the aim is the same: to understand better and make sense of what is felt and experienced. Individuals often reflect on what they have done, but these are private and personal thoughts used to shape ideas. The main difference between this and formalised 'reflective practice' as a tool for supporting learning is that the student produces evidence of their reflection. This can be demonstrated in the form of a learning log, diary, personal development portfolio, critical incident journal or perhaps a video diary. Individuals engaged in this structured, evidence-based activity may be described as 'reflective practitioners'.

Focuses on the practitioner and their practice

Allows us to use, value and learn from experience

Allows us to be empowered to act based on this knowledge

Knowledge generated is often context specific and provides valuable insight into local problems

Does not separate theory from practice, instead adds to the theoretical base

Can take different forms, some more 'soft' and subjective, others more critical

It does involve the practitioner developing themselves in a systematic way

Reflective practice should be informed by practitioner led research and does involve respecting and working with evidence.

Create personal records

Monitor professional practice education and progress

Self reflect

Self-evaluate

Plan personal objectives

Encourage the student to take an active part in his or her own learning.

Encourage the student to reflect on professional practice and experiences

Identify their own learning needs and style and to set personal learning outcomes

Allow the student, clinical tutor and professional education co-ordinator to monitor and evaluate individual learning

Provide evidence that learning has taken place

To promote self awareness as part of personal growth and professional development

Clinical events and reflective reports
Reflection on practice plays a major role in expanding our knowledge base and bringing together theory and practice. It is a tool for learning that has to be practiced: not everybody is naturally good at reflection. But it relies heavily on self-awareness, honesty and openness. The following guidelines have been written to support developing a reflective log.
Guidelines for recording clinical incidents

Accounts should be written as though writing a diary entry or describing the incident to a friend. The event needs to be written as soon as possible and also theanonymity preserved of all those concerned in the event.

Description of the event should include the following:

Detailed description of what happened, including when and where

Why the event is of importance to you

What you were thinking at the time i.e. during and after

What were your concerns at the time

Action / interventions taken by others

Examples of effective/ineffective communication

Was intervention by another member of staff necessary? If so why?

Was the event a positive experience for you / patient?

How did you feel during and after the event?

What have you learned from the event?

How might your future clinical practice be influenced by the event?

Examples of clinical events may include:

Events that led you to understanding a particular procedure/equipment/communication

Events that led you to try and find out about a particular procedure/equipment/communication

Events that impressed you because you felt that they were examples of good clinical practice

Events that you felt were not good clinical practice

When events did not go according to plan and how the problems were resolved

Actions taken by practitioners that made a significant difference to patient care / management

Actions / events that were particularly demanding

According to Boud, Keogh and Walker (1985):

'Reflection is an important human activity in which people recapture their experience, think about it, mull it over and evaluate it. It is this working with experience that is important in learning'
To be a successful reflective practitioner, reflection must be accompanied by action. Boud, D, Keogh, R, Walker D, 1985, Turning Experience into Learning. Kogan Page.London Gibbs, G. Rust, C. Jenkins, A. Jaques, D. 1994, Developing Students' Transferable Skills. Oxford Centre for Staff Development. Kolb, D. 1984, Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development, Prentice Hall, New Jersey
Race, P (2002) Evidencing reflection: putting the 'w' into reflection (ESCALATE Learning Exchange) http://www.escalate.ac.uk/exchange/Reflection

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What is Smyth's model of reflection?

Reflection is intellectually unsettling but that's a good thing.

John Smyth says that if teachers are going to uncover the forces that inhibit and constrain them, they need to engage in four forms of action with respect to teaching.

These "forms" are characterised by four sequential stages and are linked to a series of questions:

(a) describing (What do I do?),

(b) informing (What does this mean?),

(c) confronting (How did I come to be like this?), and

(d) reconstructing (How might I do things differently?)

We can look at this as an activity and cue process as follows:

Describe

What did I do?

The purpose of this question is to describe action without judgements.

Inform (Analysis)

What does this mean?

The purpose of this question is to inform yourself about the theories that influence your actions, and includes a search for patterns of principles underpinning practice.

Confront (Self awareness)

How did I come to be like this?

The purpose of this question is to confront the key assumptions underlying practice, and includes an examination of the broad historical, social and cultural context

Reconstruct (Evaluation and Synthesis)

What do my practices say about my assumptions, values and beliefs?

The purpose of this question is to reconstruct or modify practice, and includes consideration of alternative views and generation of goals for future action

Where did these ideas come from?

What social practices are expressed in these ideas?

What is it that causes me to maintain my theories?

What views of power do they embody?

Whose interests seem to be served by my practices?

What is it that acts to constrain my views of what is possible in my practice?

Smyth (1993) reminds us that

1. Reflection should not to be restricted to examining only technical skills; it should equally be concerned with the ethical, social, and political context within which teaching occurs;

2. Reflection should not be restricted to teachers reflecting individually upon their teaching' there needs to be a collective and collaborative dimension to it as well;

3. Reflection is a process that is centrally concerned with challenging the dominant myths, assumptions and hidden message systems, implicit in the way teaching and education are currently organised;

4. Reflection is also fundamentally about creating improvements in educational practice, and the social relationships that underlie those practices;

5. Reflection is founded on the belief that knowledge about teaching is in a tentative and incomplete state, and as such, is continually being modified as a consequence of practice;

6. Reflection occurs best when it begins with the experiences of practitioners as they are assisted in the process of describing, informing, confronting and re-constructing their theories

For me, Smyth's second point is probably the most important because self-reflection isn't something done individually and by yourself. Reflection has to be a team exercise and done as a school community. As Smyth says,

Rather than empowering teachers, what individual reflective processes actually do is to send teachers on guilt trips in the vain search for the alchemists' equivalent of the philosopher's stone.

Reference:

Smyth J (1989): Developing and sustaining critical reflection in teacher education. Journal of Teacher Education 40(2) 2-9

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What is Smyth's model of reflection? Reflection is intellectually unsettling but that's a good thing. John Smyth says that if teachers are going to uncover the forces that inhibit and constrain them, they need to engage in four forms of action with respect to teaching. These "forms" are characterised by four sequential stages and are...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"There is no happiness if the things we believe in are different than the things we do."
Albert Camus

What is a reflective practice?

In a nutshell, a reflective practice is a self-study in which we consider alternatives to our actions, with an awareness of our own biases about teaching, about ourselves, and about our students. Barriers to reflection may include fear of judgement, fear of criticism, being closed to feedback, defensiveness, personal biases, & professional arrogance.

Many faculty members already think about their teaching and talk to colleagues about it. You might think or tell someone that, "My lecture went well" or "My students didn't seem to understand" or "My students were so distracted today." Without spending time spent focusing on what has happened, we may tend to jump to conclusions. 'It's not me, it's them." We may also only notice reactions of the louder students. Reflective teaching therefore implies a more systematic process of collecting, recording, and analyzing our thoughts and observations, as well as those of our students, and then going on to making changes.

A reflective practice is at the heart of professional development. If we want to get better at our teaching practice then we need a framework to guide us. Through such a structure, if a lesson went well we can describe it and take the time to think deeply about why it was successful. If the students didn't understand a point we introduced we need to spend some time and think about what we did and why it was unclear.

Models of Reflection

There are many different models of reflection as a quick search online will prove. Using models, or at least being aware of their similarities and differences, can help you to deconstruct experiences, ensure you are accessing the deeper level reflective questions and issues, and ultimately provide a way to structure your learning from situations.

Boud's Triangular Representation

Many models are cyclical in nature, representing the idea that reflection leads to learning, but this learning is never completed or able to be transferred without reflecting on it further in different contexts. The most simple model could be seen to be Boud's triangular representation, Figure 2.

Figure 2 Boud's triangular representation

This model, although capturing the essentials (that experience and reflection lead to learning), has limitations. It doesn't guide us as to what reflection might consist of, or how the learning might translate back into experience. Aligning key reflective questions to this model, see Figure 3, may help.

Figure 3 What does reflection consist of?

Gibb's Reflective Cycle

Alternatively, other theorists have broken down the cycle into further stages, an example of which is Gibb's reflective cycle, see Figure 4.

Figure 4 Gibb's reflective cycle (Adapted from Dye, 2011)

Gibb's model acknowledges that your personal feelings influence the situation and how you have begun to reflect on it. It builds on Boud's model by breaking down reflection into evaluation of the events and analysis and there is a clear link between the learning that has happened from the experience and future practice.

However, despite the further break down, it can be argued that this model could still result in fairly superficial reflection as it doesn't refer to critical thinking / analysis or reflection. It doesn't take into consideration assumptions that you may hold about the experience, the need to look objectively at different perspectives, and there doesn't seem to be an explicit suggestion that the learning will result in a change of assumptions, perspectives or practice. You could legitimately respond to the question 'What would you do next time?' by answering that you would do the same, but does that constitute deep level reflection?

Atkins and Murphy Model

Atkins and Murphy (1993) address many of these criticisms with their own cyclical model, see Figure 5.

Figure 5 Atkins and Murphy Model

Murphy and Atkins' model can be seen to explicitly support the kind of deeper level reflection that was discussed earlier in this course. This is not to say that the other models aren't useful, far from it, but that it is important to remain alert to the potential to provide superficial responses as the critical, questioning and challenging elements of critical reflection are not as explicit.

Source: Learning to teaching: Becoming a reflective practitioner. The Open University. Retrieved from: http://www.open.edu/openlearn/education/learning-teach-becoming-reflective-practitioner/content-section-0?active-tab=content-tab

Experiential Learning and Reflective Teaching
Kolb: Four Stages of Experiential Learning
"Experiential learning theory defines learning as the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience. Knowledge results from the combination of grasping and transforming experience." (Kolb, 1984)

Kolb's experiential learning theory is represented as a four stage cyclical process of learning. These stages are: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization and active experimentation (Kolb, Boyatzis & Mainemelis, 1999; McLeod, 2010).

Concrete Experience: This is the first step of the experiential learning process. Concrete Experience sees the learner involved in a new experience or situation. This also includes a reinterpretation of an existing experience.

Reflective Observation: The second step of Kolb's theory, reflective observation, involves systematic reflection on the new experience. This is an analytical step in which the learner consciously thinks about what they have just experienced. A particularly important aspect of this step is the realization of inconsistencies between experience and understanding.

Abstract Conceptualization: The learner delves deeper into their thinking about the subject. In this step, the learner constructs a new idea, or modifies an existing concept to explain their observations.

Active Experimentation: The final step of the process involves using these new theories to solve problems and make decisions. By applying their newly-conceived understanding of the world around them, they are demonstrating their newfound knowledge. The process enters a new cycle when the learner uses this experimentation to create a new Concrete Experience.

In essence, effective experiential learning occurs when:

1. The learner has a concrete experience

2. The learner reflects upon their new experience

3. The learner analyzes their reflections and observations and creates their own conclusions

4. The learner uses these conclusions to test future situations

After the fourth step, the process repeats itself on new experiences. For effective experiential learning to take place, the whole cycle must be completed, in the order described. (McLeod, 2010)
The Process of Reflective Teaching
Reflective teaching is a form of self-assessment (Brookfield, 1995; Gore & Zeichner, 1991; Kuit et al., 2001). It is a method of improving teaching skills by means of metacognitive awareness. Through reflection and making conscious efforts to evaluate one's current abilities, continuous improvements can be made in honing one's teaching abilities.

There are many reflective teaching strategies with parallels to Kolb's Four Stages of Experiential Learning Theory. Many of them can be conceptually split into four sections similar to Kolb's four stages of Concrete Experience, Reflective Observation, Abstract Conceptualization and Active Experimentation.

For example, common strategies of reflective teaching include:

Keeping a teaching journal

Peer Observation

Recording lessons

Student feedback

Source: Sirutis, A. & Massi, M. (2014). Experiential Learning & Reflective Teaching. McMaster Engineering Faculty Development Academy. Retrieved from: https://www.eng.mcmaster.ca/resources/faculty-development-academy#Resources

You may begin a process of reflection in response to a particular problem that has arisen in one of your classes, or simply as a way of finding out more about your teaching. You may decide to look at a feature of your teaching - for example how you deal with incidents of incivility ('bad' student behaviour) or how you can encourage your students to be more engaged in your class.

The first step is to gather information about what happens in the class. Here are a few suggestions:

Teaching journal
This is the easiest way to begin a process of reflection since it is purely personal. After each teaching session you head back to your office and write about what happened. You may describe your own reactions and feelings and those you observed on the part of the students. Posing questions about what you observed can be helpful. Journal writing does require a bit of discipline in taking the time to do it on a regular basis.

Peer observation
Invite a colleague to come into your class to collect information about your lesson. This may involve a simple observation task or merely note taking. A peer observation will ideally relate back to the area you have identified to reflect upon. For example, you might ask your colleague to focus on which students contribute most in the session, what different patterns of interaction occur, or how you deal with errors.

Recording lessons
Video or audio recordings of lessons can provide very useful information for reflection. You may do things in class you are not aware of or there may be things happening in the class that as the teacher you do not normally see. Audio recordings can be useful for considering aspects of teacher talk. Video recordings can be useful in showing aspects of your own behaviour.

Student feedback
You can also ask your students what they think about what goes on in the classroom. Their opinions and perceptions can add a different and valuable perspective. This can be done with simple questionnaires or a muddiest point exercise, for example.

What to do next
Once you have gathered some information about what goes on in your classroom, what do you do?

Think
You may have noticed patterns occurring in your teaching through your observation or you may also have noticed things about your teaching that you were previously unaware of. Your students' feedback may surprise you or confirm what you have already suspected. Ideas for changes to try out may begin to form.

Talk
Just by talking about what you have discovered - to a supportive colleague or even a friend - you may be able to come up with some ideas for how to do things differently.
You can meet to discuss issues of concern with colleagues who also wish to develop their teaching. Discussion can be based around scenarios from your own classes.

Read
You may decide that you need to find out more about a certain area. We have access to many resources through the Centre's library and the university's extensive library.

Reflective teaching is a cyclical process, because once you start to implement changes, then the reflective and evaluative cycle begins again. As a result of your reflection you may decide to do something in a different way, or you may just decide that what you are doing is the best way. Reflective practice is at the heart of our professional development and becoming a better teacher.

*Adapted from: Tice, J. (2004). Reflective teaching: Exploring our own classroom practice. Retrieved from http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/reflective-teaching-exploring-our-own-classroom-practice

Using Reflection to Improve Student Learning

Critical incident analysis (Gibbs' model) - this is what happened, this is how I felt, this is how I evaluate & make sense of the situation, this is what I could have done, this is what I'll do next time

Quick write/One minute paper - assessing prior knowledge, analyzing, what happened last class... next class

Muddiest point - this is what I know so far, this is what is unclear...

Reflective writing - Engaging with the ideas: how does this relate to my own ideas and experience

Another example of a tool for student engagement is the DEAL model developed by Patti Clayton. The assignment is guided by specific prompting questions that encourage students to complete these various tasks in their reflective writing, from the who, what, when and where of an experience (describing learning) to more detailed prompts about what was learned and how (examining and articulating learning).
Deal Model

Describe the experience

Examine the experience in light of specific learning objectives

Articulate the Learning

Describe
List concepts discussed in this workshop
Examine

Prompt #1: What does each of these concepts mean, in your own words?

Prompt #2: Provide an example of each of the concepts as it does or could emerge in your teaching.

Prompt #3: Draw a concept map to represent the relationships between these concepts, with labels, arrows, etc. on the lines connecting the concepts to one another

Prompt #4: What new dimensions/nuances do you now see in any of the concepts? What questions does this lead you to (about any of the concepts)?

Prompt #5: What is the most significant change in your understanding of the concepts?

Articulate Learning

I learned that...

I learned this when...

This learning matters because...

In light of this I will...

Source: Ash & Clayton (2009). DEAL Model for Critical Reflection. Retrieved from: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/51a00182e4b00ebfe3c66f62/t/522645cbe4b05edb50d791a6/1378239947935/DEAL+Model+for+Critical+Reflection.pdf

Resources and References

Atkins, S. and Murphy, K. (1993) 'Reflection: a review of the literature', Journal of Advanced Nursing, vol. 18, pp. 1188-1192.

Bolton, G. (2014). Reflective practice: Writing and professional development (4th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

Boud D, Keogh R & Walker D (1985) Reflection: Turning experience into learning. Kogan Page, London.

Brookfield, S. D. (1995). Becoming a critically reflective teacher. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Chickering, A. W. & Ehrmann, S. (1996). Implementing the seven principles: Technology as a lever. Retrieved from: http://www.tltgroup.org/programs/seven.html

Davis, B. (2009). Tools for teaching (2nd ed., Jossey-Bass higher and adult education series). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Ghaye, T., & Ghaye, T. (2011). Teaching and learning through reflective practice a practical guide for positive action (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.

Gibbs, G. (1988) Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford: Further Education Unit.

Gore, J. M., & Zeichner, K. M. (1991). Action research and reflective teaching in preservice teacher education: A case study from the United States. Teaching and teacher education, 7(2), 119-136.

Kolb, D.A., Boyatzis, R.E., Mainemelis, C. (1999). Experiential Learning Theory: Previous Research and New Directions. Case Western Reserve University

Kolb, D.A. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall

Kuit et al. (2001). Experiences of Reflective Teaching. Active Learning in Higher Education 2(2): 128-142. McLeod, S. A. (2010). Kolb - Learning Styles. Retrieved from: http://www.simplypsychology.org/learning-kolb.html

Moon, J. (1999). Reflection in learning & professional development: Theory & practice. London: Kogan Page.

Moon, J. (2004). A handbook of reflective and experiential learning theory and practice. London: RoutledgeFalmer.

Nilson, L. (2016). Teaching at its best: A research-based resource for college instructors, (4th ed.) San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Palmer, P. (2007). The courage to teach: Exploring the inner landscape of a teacher's life (10th anniversary ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Schon, D. (1995). Knowing-in-Action: The New Scholarship Requires a New Epistemology. Change, 27(6), 26-34.

Schon D (1983). The Reflective Practitioner. Basic Books, London.

Stevens, D., & Cooper, J. (2009). Journal keeping how to use reflective writing for effective learning, teaching, professional insight, and positive change. Sterling, Va.: Stylus Pub.

Taylor, B. (2006). Reflective Practice for Healthcare Professionals. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Tice, J. (2004). Reflective teaching: Exploring our own classroom practice. Retrieved from: http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/reflective-teaching-exploring-our-own-classroom-practice

Zull JE. 2002. The Art of Changing the Brain. Stylus, Sterling, VA.

Online Resource: John Mason's Discipline of Noticing (A practical worksheet incorporating his ideas) https://www.ncetm.org.uk/public/files/6504301/activity+sheet+1.pdf

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"There is no happiness if the things we believe in are different than the things we do." Albert Camus In a nutshell, a reflective practice is a self-study in which we consider alternatives to our actions, with an awareness of our own biases about teaching, about ourselves, and about our students.

# data[].attributes.headline
Reflective Practice for the professional - video and text

# data[].attributes.subject
Reflective Practice for the professional - video and text

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What is the research behind reflective practice?

Educational researchers have long promoted the importance of reflecting on practice to support student learning and staff development.

There are many different models of reflective practice. However, they all share the same basic aim: to get the best results from the learning, for both the teacher and students.
Each model of reflection aims to unpick learning to make links between the 'doing' and the 'thinking'.

Kolb's learning cycle
David Kolb, educational researcher, developed a four-stage reflective model. Kolb's Learning Cycle (1984) highlights reflective practice as a tool to gain conclusions and ideas from an experience. The aim is to take the learning into new experiences, completing the cycle. Kolb's cycle follows four stages.

First, practitioners have a concrete experience. This means experiencing something new for the first time in the classroom. The experience should be an active one, used to test out new ideas and teaching methods.
This is followed by...

Observation of the concrete experience, then reflecting on the experience. Here practitioners should consider the strengths of the experience and areas of development. Practitioners need to form an understanding of what helped students' learning and what hindered it.
This should lead to...

The formation of abstract concepts. The practitioner needs to make sense of what has happened. They should do this through making links between what they have done, what they already know and what they need to learn. The practitioner should draw on ideas from research and textbooks to help support development and understanding. They could also draw on support from other colleagues and their previous knowledge. Practitioners should modify their ideas or devise new approaches, based on what they have learnt from their observations and wider research.
The final stage of this cycle is when...

The practitioner considers how they are going to put what they have learnt into practice. The practitioner's abstract concepts are made concrete as they use these to test ideas in future situations, resulting in new experiences. The ideas from the observations and conceptualisations are made into active experimentation as they are implemented into future teaching. The cycle is then repeated on this new method.

Kolb's model aims to draw on the importance of using both our own everyday experiences and educational research to help us improve. It is not simply enough for you to reflect. This reflection must drive a change which is rooted in educational research.

Gibbs' reflective cycle

The theoretical approach of reflection as a cyclical model was further developed by Gibbs (1998). This model is based on a six-stage approach, leading from a description of the experience through to conclusions and considerations for future events. While most of the core principles are similar to Kolb's, Gibbs' model is broken down further to encourage the teacher to reflect on their own thoughts and feelings.

Gibbs' model is an effective tool to help you reflect after the experience, and is a useful model if you are new to reflection as it is broken down into clearly defined sections.

Description
In this section, the practitioner should clearly outline the experience. This needs to be a factual account of what happened in the classroom. It should not be analytical at this stage.

Feelings
This section encourages the practitioner to explore any thoughts or feelings they had at the time of the event. Here the practitioner should explain feelings and give examples which directly reference the teaching experience. It is important the practitioner is honest with how they feel, even if these feelings might be negative. Only once the feelings have been identified can the practitioner implement strategies to overcome these barriers.

Evaluation
The evaluation section gives the opportunity for the practitioner to discuss what went well and analyse practice. It is also important to consider areas needed for development and things that did not work out as initially planned. This evaluation should consider both the practitioner's learning and the students' learning.

Analysis
This section is where the practitioner makes sense of the experience. They consider what might have helped the learning or hindered it. It is in this stage that the practitioner refers to any relevant literature or research to help make sense of the experience. For example, if you felt the instructions you gave were not clear, you could consult educational research on how to communicate effectively.

Conclusion
At this stage, the practitioner draws all the ideas together. They should now understand what they need to improve on and have some ideas on how to do this based on their wider research.

Action plan
During this final stage, the practitioner sums up all previous elements of this cycle. They create a step-by-step plan for the new learning experience. The practitioner identifies what they will keep, what they will develop and what they will do differently. The action plan might also outline the next steps needed to overcome any barriers, for example enrolling on a course or observing another colleague.

In Gibbs' model the first three sections are concerned with what happened. The final three sections relate to making sense of the experience and how you, as the teacher, can improve on the situation.

'Reflection-in-action' and 'reflection-on-action'

Another approach to reflection is the work by Schön. Schön (1991) distinguishes between reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action.

Reflection-in-action is reflection during the 'doing' stage (that is, reflecting on the incident while it can still benefit the learning). This is carried out during the lesson rather than reflecting on how you would do things differently in the future. This is an extremely efficient method of reflection as it allows you to react and change an event at the time it happens. For example, in the classroom you may be teaching a topic which you can see the students are not understanding. Your reflection-in-action allows you to understand why this has happened and how to respond to overcome this situation.

Reflection-in-action allows you to deal with surprising incidents that may happen in a learning environment. It allows you to be responsible and resourceful, drawing on your own knowledge and allowing you to apply it to new experiences. It also allows for personalised learning as, rather than using preconceived ideas about what you should do in a particular situation, you decide what works best at that time for that unique experience and student.

Reflection-on-action, on the other hand, involves reflecting on how practice can be developed after the lesson has been taught. Schön recognises the importance of reflecting back 'in order to discover how our knowing-in-action may have contributed to an unexpected outcome' (Schön, 1983).

Reflection-on-action means you reflect after the event on how your knowledge of previous teaching may have directed you to the experience you had.

Reflection-on-action should encourage ideas on what you need to change for the future. You carry out reflection-on-action outside the classroom, where you consider the situation again. This requires deeper thought, for example, as to why the students did not understand the topic. It encourages you to consider causes and options, which should be informed by a wider network of understanding from research.

By following any of the above models of reflection, you will have a questioning approach to teaching. You will consider why things are as they are, and how they could be. You will consider the strengths and areas of development in your own practice, questioning why learning experiences might be this way and considering how to develop them. As a result, what you do in the classroom will be carefully planned, informed by research and previous experience, and focused, with logical reasons. All of these models stress the importance of repeating the cycle to make sure knowledge is secure and progression is continued.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Getting started with Reflective Practice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Educational researchers have long promoted the importance of reflecting on practice to support student learning and staff development. There are many different models of reflective practice. However, they all share the same basic aim: to get the best results from the learning, for both the teacher and students.Each model of reflection aims to unpick learning to make links between the 'doing' and the 'thinking'.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The main idea behind both terms is that effective learning occurs through a continuous cycle of experience, reflection, conceptualization, and experimentation.

1. Concrete Experience - the learner encounters a concrete experience. This might be a new experience or situation, or a reinterpretation of existing experience in the light of new concepts.

2. Reflective Observation of the New Experience - the learner reflects on the new experience in the light of their existing knowledge. Of particular importance are any inconsistencies between experience and understanding.

3. Abstract Conceptualization - reflection gives rise to a new idea, or a modification of an existing abstract concept (the person has learned from their experience).

4. Active Experimentation - the newly created or modified concepts give rise to experimentation. The learner applies their idea(s) to the world around them to see what happens.

This continuous learning cycle moves from feeling to watching to thinking to doing, helping learners build skills by reflecting on actions and applying new understanding in future situations. It shapes each learning style.

Kolb (1984) views learning as an integrated process, with each stage mutually supporting and feeding into the next. It is possible to enter the cycle at any stage and follow it through its logical sequence.

However, effective learning only occurs when a learner completes all four stages of the model. No single stage works alone.

The process of going through the cycle results in the formation of increasingly complex and abstract 'mental models' of whatever the learner is learning about.

Kolb's model draws heavily on the progressive educational philosophies of John Dewey and the developmental theories of Jean Piaget.

Both emphasized the pivotal role of active engagement in learning.

The cycle's structure itself comes from Kurt Lewin (1946). His action-research work modelled learning as a feedback loop: concrete experience, then observation and reflection, then the formation and testing of new concepts.

From Kolb's perspective, knowledge emerges through a cyclical interplay between "doing" and "thinking." This is why he frames learning as "the transformation of experience" rather than simply the absorption of facts.

1. Critically, Concrete Experience (CE) anchors learners in hands-on action or tangible participation, setting the stage for deeper reflection.

2. Reflective Observation (RO) then prompts individuals to examine what happened and how it aligns - or conflicts - with their existing understanding of the world.

3. Out of this comparison arises Abstract Conceptualization (AC): a moment of building or refining mental models and theories that help make sense of new experiences.

4. Finally, Active Experimentation (AE) puts these theories to the test in a real or simulated environment, letting learners adapt their concepts and generate fresh questions.

Kolb contends that no single stage of the cycle is sufficient for robust learning on its own.

Effective learners cycle through the stages repeatedly, often starting at different points depending on the task or context.

Think of it as a continuous loop, where "practice" (CE) fuels "insight" (RO and AC), and "insight" continually shapes "further practice" (AE).

This process is flexible rather than linear. Some learners reflect more before they act, while others learn best by jumping in and adjusting along the way.

The key point: all four modes contribute something vital to lasting learning.

Kolb's learning theory (1984) sets out four distinct learning styles, which are based on a four-stage learning cycle (see above).

Kolb explains that different people naturally prefer a certain single different learning style.

Various factors influence a person's preferred style. For example, social environment, educational experiences, or the basic cognitive structure of the individual.

Whatever influences the choice of style, the preference itself comes from two pairs of variables - two separate "choices" every learner makes. Kolb drew these as crossing axes. Each axis has "conflicting" modes at either end.

A typical presentation names the east-west axis the Processing Continuum: how we approach a task. The north-south axis is the Perception Continuum: our emotional response, or how we think and feel about it.

Kolb believed we cannot perform both variables on a single axis at once (e.g., think and feel). Our learning style is a product of these two choices.

In David Kolb's model, the Learning Cycle and Learning Styles are inextricably linked: the cycle is the process, and the styles are a person's preferred parts of it. Four styles emerge: Accommodating, Diverging, Assimilating, and Converging.

It's often easier to see the construction of Kolb's learning styles in terms of a two-by-two matrix. Each learning style represents a combination of two preferred styles.

The matrix also highlights Kolb's terminology for the four learning styles; diverging, assimilating, and converging, accommodating:

Knowing a person's (and your own) learning style enables learning to be orientated according to the preferred method.

Still, everyone draws on every style to some extent. The right emphasis just depends on the situation and the learner's own preference.

In David Kolb's model, a learning style is a person's natural preference for how they enter and navigate the learning cycle. Kolb names four: Accommodating (Feel & Do), Diverging (Feel & Watch), Assimilating (Think & Watch), and Converging (Think & Do).

Here are brief descriptions of the four Kolb learning styles:

Diverging (feeling and watching - CE/RO)

These people are able to look at things from different perspectives. They are sensitive. They prefer to watch rather than do, tending to gather information and use imagination to solve problems.

They view situations from many angles.

Kolb called this style "diverging" because these people perform better in situations that require ideas-generation, for example, brainstorming.

People with a diverging learning style have broad cultural interests and like to gather information.

They are interested in people, tend to be imaginative and emotional, and tend to be strong in the arts.

People with the diverging style prefer to work in groups, to listen with an open mind and to receive personal feedback.

Assimilating (watching and thinking - AC/RO)

The assimilating learning preference involves a concise, logical approach. Ideas matter more than people.

These people require good, clear explanations rather than a practical opportunity. They excel at understanding wide-ranging information and organizing it in a clear, logical format.

People with an assimilating learning style are less focused on people and more interested in ideas and abstract concepts. People with this style are more attracted to logically sound theories than approaches based on practical value.

This learning style is important for effectiveness in information and science careers. In formal learning situations, people with this style prefer readings, lectures, exploring analytical models, and having time to think things through.

Converging (doing and thinking - AC/AE)

People with a converging learning style can solve problems and will use their learning to find solutions to practical issues.

They prefer technical tasks, and are less concerned with people and interpersonal aspects.

People with a converging learning style are best at finding practical uses for ideas and theories. They can solve problems and make decisions by finding solutions to questions and problems.

People with a converging learning style are more attracted to technical tasks and problems than social or interpersonal issues. A converging learning style enables specialist and technology abilities.

People with a converging style like to experiment with new ideas, to simulate, and to work with practical applications.

Accommodating (doing and feeling - CE/AE)

The Accommodating learning style is "hands-on," and relies on intuition rather than logic. These people use other people's analysis, and prefer to take a practical, experiential approach.

They are attracted to new challenges and experiences, and to carrying out plans.

They commonly act on "gut" instinct rather than logical analysis.

People with an accommodating learning style will tend to rely on others for information than carry out their own analysis. This learning style is prevalent within the general population.

Educational Implications

Both Kolb's (1984) learning stages and the cycle could be used by teachers to critically evaluate the learning provision typically available to students and to develop more appropriate learning opportunities.

Educators should ensure that activities are designed and carried out in ways that offer each learner the chance to engage in the manner that suits them best.

Each learning style aligns with a professional field. Divergers suit the arts and humanities; Assimilators, research and mathematics; Convergers, engineering and technology; and Accommodators, sales, management, and entrepreneurship.

Identifying and Strengthening Lesser Preferred Learning Styles

Also, individuals can be helped to learn more effectively by identifying their lesser preferred learning styles. This rounds out their skills.

For instance, a predominantly hands-on learner might benefit from more reflective exercises or conceptual discussions. Someone who excels at theoretical understanding, in turn, can gain new skills by engaging in practical, experiment-based activities.

Encouraging learners to step outside their comfort zones not only diversifies their skill sets but also fosters greater adaptability.

Designing Activities for the Full Learning Cycle

Ideally, activities and material should draw on abilities from each stage of the experiential learning cycle. They should take students through the whole process in sequence.

For example, instructors can begin with a hands-on experiment (Concrete Experience), give students time for group discussions or reflective journaling (Reflective Observation), provide theoretical models or readings (Abstract Conceptualization), and then encourage practical follow-up tasks or mini-projects (Active Experimentation).

This structured approach helps students see how each step builds on the previous one, making learning more cohesive and meaningful.

Emphasizing Active Practice

Much of Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory rests on the idea that learning occurs through active engagement with an experience.

While the initial concrete experience stage is sometimes interpreted simply as "encountering" or "observing" something new, it can and should be understood as hands-on, practical participation.

That active element - physically trying out a task, engaging in a simulation, or performing an experiment - often provides the most vivid source of feedback and reflection.

Without genuine participation, learners may never form the strong memory traces or deeper insights that spark the next stages of reflection and conceptualization.

Blending Theory with Real-Life Application

For educators, trainers, and students, this underscores the need to blend theoretical teaching with real-life application.

Where possible, encourage learners to "do" the process they're studying: running an actual experiment, role-playing a conversation, or coding a small program. This yields more potent learning than passively reading or listening.

This active practice not only helps learners better retain concepts but also allows them to spot gaps in their understanding, fueling more purposeful reflection.

Navigating the "Doing" vs. "Watching" Tension

Kolb's model highlights that individuals tend to prefer either doing (Active Experimentation) or watching (Reflective Observation). This creates a spectrum along the "processing" dimension.

Conflict can arise when a person who leans toward real-time experimentation works with someone who prefers a watchful, contemplative approach.

This is not a flaw. Far from undermining the model, the tension can be a valuable teaching tool: it encourages collaboration and dialogue between different learning preferences.

For instance, in a group project, an "Accommodator" (actively practicing and diving in) may feel frustrated by a "Diverger" (watching and reflecting). The Diverger just wants more time to weigh options.

The Diverger, in turn, can offer a broader perspective and creative ideas that stop the group rushing into a solution that misses important nuances.

In this way, the diversity of learning preferences can spark deeper, more robust learning - provided that both "doers" and "watchers" are encouraged to appreciate each other's strengths.

Critical Evaluation

Strengths of Kolb's Model

Before the criticisms below, it is worth noting what has kept Kolb's cycle in use for four decades.

Practical framework: The cycle gives a durable structure for designing learning, used in higher education, clinical training, management development, coaching, and outdoor education.

Central place for reflection: Requiring all four stages warns against experience with no reflection, or theory that is never tested in practice.

Developmental use of styles: Used to help learners strengthen their least-used modes, the style framework supports adaptability without needing the discredited "matching" claim to be true.

1. Over-Simplicity and Linearity of the Learning Cycle

Kolb's four-stage experiential learning cycle is criticized for being overly linear and simplistic, failing to reflect the complex, non-sequential way people often learn in real-world settings.

Explanation

Although Kolb's cycle has become a widely recognized framework, critics such as Jarvis (1987) and Bergsteiner et al. (2010) argue that real learning rarely follows a neat, four-step path.

Learners may skip stages, repeat them out of order, or pursue multiple learning processes simultaneously.

For instance, Bergsteiner et al. (2010) point out that Kolb's model uses "points" to represent activities that actually unfold over time, creating inconsistencies in how the stages interrelate.

Meanwhile, John Dewey also remarked that reflection and thinking seldom occur in a fixed sequence; in practice, "a number of processes can occur at once, [and] stages can be jumped."

As a result, rigid adherence to Kolb's steps can oversimplify or misrepresent the dynamic, iterative, and context-dependent nature of learning.

Implications

Because the model implies a tidy progression, teachers and trainers may be misled into designing overly prescriptive lesson plans, assuming learners must go in lockstep from stage to stage.

This can limit instructional creativity and responsiveness to learners' needs.

Moreover, researchers attempting to measure or validate learning outcomes based on a strict four-step process may find inconsistent results or conflate different variables, complicating empirical research.

Ultimately, the risk is that educators overlook more fluid, emergent pathways to knowledge, leaving them unprepared to deal with the spontaneous, recursive ways that real learning often happens.

2. Lack of Social and Cultural Context

Kolb's theory focuses on the individual learner's internal cognitive process at the expense of important social, cultural, and contextual dimensions that shape learning.

Explanation

Critics like Holman et al. (1997), Reynolds (1997), and Vince (1998) note that factors such as power relations, interpersonal interactions, and cultural norms are largely missing from Kolb's model.

Bergsteiner et al. (2010) similarly emphasize that "abstract" and "concrete" experiences are not clearly defined and often depend on the social setting.

For instance, whether an experience is 'active' or 'passive' can vary dramatically when learners engage in group projects, simulations, or culturally mediated practices.

Additionally, Anderson (1988) and Tennant (1997) argue that Western assumptions about self-direction and cognition underlie Kolb's framework, thus limiting its universality in non-Western or collectivist cultures.

In other words, a learner's experience is never purely individual - it is always embedded in broader social contexts that affect how and what is learned.

Implications

By undervaluing contextual and collective factors, educators and trainers risk oversimplifying how group work, social norms, or cultural attitudes can radically reshape the learning process.

In organizational or multicultural settings, ignoring these influences may lead to friction or misunderstanding, as team members' social roles and cultural backgrounds significantly alter how they process and internalize experiences.

Consequently, Kolb's model may lead practitioners to focus too narrowly on "internal reflection", missing the collaborative, political, or cultural factors that can either facilitate or hinder learning in real-world scenarios.

3. The Learning Styles Debate - Validity and Evidence

There is weak empirical support for stable, distinct learning styles, including Kolb's four style categories (Diverging, Assimilating, Converging, Accommodating), and little evidence that matching instruction to these styles actually improves learning outcomes.

Explanation

Kolb's Learning Style Inventory (LSI) was originally developed with a small sample, and subsequent studies have found inconsistent reliability and validity.

Tennant (1997) notes that Kolb's style labels "neatly dovetail" with the theory's four stages but do not necessarily reflect true individual differences.

Aim: Pashler et al. (2008) tested the "meshing hypothesis" - the claim that instruction works best when its mode (visual, verbal, hands-on) matches a learner's diagnosed style.

Method: They reviewed studies that first classified learners by style, then randomly assigned them across two or more teaching methods. The predicted signature was a "crossover": each style group learning best from a different method.

Results: Only a handful of published studies met this design, and the very few that did produced evidence against the meshing hypothesis rather than for it.

Conclusion: Pashler et al. found no adequate evidence for tailoring instruction to a learner's style. The claim is now widely regarded as a "neuromyth" - a persistent belief about learning with no solid scientific backing.

Bergsteiner et al. (2010) further critique the conflation of multiple constructs-such as "level," "process," and "style"- in a single instrument, making it unclear what exactly the LSI measures.

Implications

Educators relying on learning style diagnostics may invest time and resources in tailoring instruction to categories that do not reliably exist, rather than employing varied methods that benefit all learners.

Overemphasis on neat "style" boxes can also mislead students into thinking they learn only in one fixed way, limiting their willingness to develop a broader repertoire of learning approaches.

This cuts to the model's core. If stable, universal styles are conceptually flawed, that undermines confidence in Kolb's model as a whole. It may prompt critics to favour flexible strategies over static labels.

4. Dynamic Nature of Learning and Adaptability

Kolb's original model can appear too static, implying that each person consistently follows a specific style or cycle, whereas in reality learning preferences are fluid and adapt to new tasks or contexts.

Explanation

Early presentations of Kolb's theory often treated learning style as if it were a fixed trait: someone is an "Assimilator" or an "Accommodator" across all situations.

Jarvis (1987) argued there was no mechanism in Kolb's ELT for measuring how well a learner integrates all modes.

However, Kolb & Kolb (2005) later clarified that learning preferences - like Diverging or Converging - are better seen as dynamic states shaped by personal context and experiences.

Bergsteiner et al. (2010) echo this view. They note that "concrete" or "active" activities vary considerably depending on whether the learner is actually doing something or merely reading about it.

As individuals move through different professional roles, educational levels, or cultural environments, their approach to learning can shift rapidly.

Implications

When learners and educators assume styles are static, they may miss moments where a shift in approach could help. For example, moving from hands-on experimentation to reflective observation.

This rigid mindset can stifle innovation and personal growth. Learners may not realize they can, and perhaps should, change how they learn depending on the task.

Recognizing that learning is adaptable encourages more holistic teaching strategies. Students are guided to strengthen less-preferred modes, building a broader skill set for the long term.

5. Alternative Models and Recent Adaptations

Numerous alternative frameworks have emerged that refine or replace Kolb's linear four-stage cycle, aiming to tackle its oversights, such as social context, rapid feedback loops, and evolving learning needs.

Explanation

One well-known alternative is Boyd's OODA loop (Observe-Orient-Decide-Act), first developed for military strategy.

Ryder and Downs (2022) argue that reflective models like Kolb's can be too static and "outdated" in fast-paced, unpredictable environments. Speed matters more than order. The OODA loop instead emphasizes continuous reassessment and re-entry into different stages at varying speeds.

Jarvis's (2004) expanded model proposes multiple potential "routes."

Some routes involve no learning at all, and the physical, cultural, and social environment can fundamentally reshape the experiential process.

Bergsteiner et al. (2010) specifically advocate recasting Kolb's cycle with correct graphic syntax and clearer distinctions between "concrete" and "abstract." They suggest certain kinds of learning might even warrant an entirely separate cycle for passive or observational experiences.

Implications

Adopting or adapting these updated frameworks can help educators and organizations move beyond a "one-size-fits-all" linear model, facilitating a more realistic engagement with how people learn in changing, complex contexts.

A more flexible and context-aware approach can foster resilience and agility-attributes especially valuable in modern workplaces or highly dynamic fields like technology, healthcare, or leadership development.

Ultimately, the existence of robust alternatives challenges practitioners and researchers to refine or update Kolb's theory, ensuring it aligns better with empirical evidence and diverse learning environments.

Contemporary Research

Since 2015, research has moved in two directions.

The first confirms that the matching hypothesis still lacks support, and that belief in learning styles remains stubbornly common among teachers despite the evidence.

Newton and Miah (2017) reviewed the higher-education literature and found learning-styles claims still widespread, the classic "neuromyth" pattern.

It persists because it feels true.

Studies simply do not back it up. The lesson for teaching: let the content drive the method, not the learner's supposed style.

The cycle itself tells a different story.

Educators now use it to structure simulation-based and virtual-reality training in medicine, nursing, and aviation, pairing a realistic concrete experience with a structured debrief.

Work by Schenck and Cruickshank (2015) has also explored updating the model in light of neuroscience.

The pattern is consistent.

The four-stage cycle remains a robust, generative tool for designing learning, even as the style typology built on top of it has been largely discredited.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Kolb's Learning Styles & Experiential Learning Cycle

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Kolb's Learning Styles theory identifies four types of learners: converging, diverging, assimilating, and accommodating. These styles are part of his Experiential Learning Cycle, which involves four stages: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. The cycle emphasizes learning through experience, reflection, conceptualization, and testing new ideas.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Do you want to know what Gibbs reflective cycle is? If yes, then stay connected for a while. Because, in this article, I am going to explain everything you need to know.

There are many people who believe that humans learn the most from their experience. It is undeniably the right thing. However, if we do not reflect on our experience, learning can be tough. If we will not think about how can we perform better, or make things better in future endeavours consciously, we cannot learn from our experience. This is where the Gibbs reflective cycle comes to help.

By using the Gibbs cycle. we can think about the ways to bring improvements. We can assess the actions on past situations and figure out its "goods" and "bads". This is what makes this cycle highly useful. It serves as a great medium to assess what has been done and how it could have been made better. You should know how this reflective cycle works as it will help in making sense of situations at work. So, let's start with a detailed explanation and know what it is actually.

What is Gibbs reflective cycle?

An American psychologist and sociologist Graham Gibbs wrote a book called "Learning by Doing". This was basically a reflective cycle model which came into existence in 1988. It encouraged readers to think about their experiences in a systematic way. Experiences they may have had from a specific activity, situation or event. It presented an idea to structure the reflection on every experience by the use of a circle. Now, this circle steadily grew more and more popular as Gibbs reflective cycle. There are many people across the globe who use this cycle or circle in today's' world.

The reason it has gained so much popularity and withstood the changes of time are the possibilities it provides. There are a lot of reasons why people use Gibbs reflective cycle. By using it you can look at both the positive and negative influences of a particular event. It bends the minds of people to think deeply about something they have lived, seen or experienced. It could be an activity or an event, anyone can easily recall or remember the details. When people think about something in detail it gives good results. Because it makes them aware of their own thoughts and actions. Awareness further helps them in changing or adjusting their behaviour. There are several other reflective cycles. However, Gibbs cycle can teach everyone a lot.

The process is essentially a cycle or loop, containing the following six elements:

Description

Here you will have to provide a factual description of the main incident. This is the stage where your focus should be on the information. No conclusions should be drawn here. In fact, the information which has to be presented to the readers should be highly relevant. The prompt questions you should know are:

What actually happened?

Where did the incident take place?

When did the incident happen?

What were the reasons for it?

Why you (the author) was there?

What were the measures you took as a reaction?

Were there any other people when it happened? If yes, who?

Did any of them give a reaction? How?

What did you do?

How did things changes and what happened at the end?

These questions provide a background to the incident. This is what builds a better understanding of the incident for author and readers as well. Make sure that you don't forget to jot down vital details. Anything important must not be left out. For example, why a certain group was there in the event in question. The key is to keep all information present in the structure which can give a better understanding of an event. If this is the first time you are going to use it and it is being tough to start, you can take help from assignment experts and learn how to use the reflective cycle.

Feelings

Under this head, you will have to think and analyse the emotions felt during an incident. So, the questions which are formed generally involve the readers:

How readers may have felt about the incident?

What did you feel when the incident was yet to happen?

What were you feeling while it was taking place?

Did your reaction change by the end of the incident?

Such questions will definitely help you to answer this section without being a mess.

Many people often face issues when it comes to express their feelings. By using Gibbs reflective cycle you can actually encourage them to do so. This shows that the Gibbs cycle can work well in an individual setting, in a counselling or in coaching as well. The final questions of this cycle help an individual to see an activity or event from others' perspectives.

The thing which you must need to ensure here is to keep that section as crisp as possible. Don't make it too wordy. Also, don't enter into a complete chat or discussion. Doing this, you may end up in distracting your readers and even yourself from the main plot. In case this point is still not clear, visit experts at AllAssignmentHelp.co.uk. With their assistance, you can understand the right way to analyse feelings and emotions.

Evaluation

For evaluating the situation who should consider the following things:

What are the factors which worked well?

Which ones are the positives and negatives of the whole situation?

What were the things that went well and what didn't work out?

While you are evaluating an event or experience, don't be biased. Generally, people limit themselves to good or positive experiences only. However, you should also evaluate the bad or negative experience. This is because the subsequent steps in the cycle will let you learn a lot. When it comes to a writer's hand, this is the perfect portion to add some more elements in theories and check out the references. It becomes an easy task while judging and evaluating the main incident.

Analysis

As per the Gibbs reflective cycle, there should be an analysis of external factors. You will have to think about what is hampering the circumstance. Also, you should have a keen eye on the factors which helped the situation. The analysis of a piece of writing can be improved in multiple ways. It can be done by the knowledge gained from previous experiences. Also, you can give reference to literary articles. Do remember to link the theory and experience.

Conclusion

If you are used to essay writing or if you have gone through Gibbs reflective cycle pdf, you may already about this section. You may already have an idea of how a conclusion is supposed to be. However, in case, you are a beginner try to think what you learnt from the given situation. This is where you need to think about the other possible things you could have done in that situation. Answer to such questions: What are the skills or habits you will need to develop to cope with the situation in a better way? How differently or similarly would you react to the same circumstances in the future? In case of negative results, what would you do? How can you avoid negative outcomes? In case of positive results, how can you make it even better for yourself and the people around you?

Plan of action

This point is all about helping you in understanding how can a topic or situation be handled in order to bring improvement. Try to think a little harder, a little more. Is there any training skill, any skill or any move which can help you in dealing with the situation in a better way? Try and figure out is there any way to handle the situation or issue more effectively. After making a stern action plan you must know that you can take better measures to curb the situation if it occurs again.

Other than this, you must also learn from the possible mistakes you have committed, if any. At this stage only try to work hard and improve the areas which direly need improvisation. This specific tool has been structured as a cycle. If reflects a coaching relationship which is ongoing. The way you use it completely depends on the event (situation) and your relationship with a person who is getting coaching.

How to use Gibbs reflective cycle?

Gibbs Reflective Cycle can be used in a lot of ways. First of all this cycle is highly used in higher studies. When students have to carry out internship assignments it can be a good tool. By using it students can get aware of your own actions. The section which includes the discussion on how you will tackle the same event or situation in a different way can be answered easily. At the time students reach the end of the internship, they know how to behave professionally. Also, they become able to develop themselves to an extent where they can work on internship assignments without any support.

Other than this, individuals can also use Gibbs cycle. A person who is open to changes and willing to change his/her own views or habits can use this cycle. This can prove to be a highly useful tool for such people. There are a lot of coaches who use this cycle to make their students aware of negative or confused behaviour. It always helps in finding new ways to react differently to similar situations. Having a look at Gibbs reflective cycle template can help you in getting a clear picture. You can also go for Gibbs reflective essay examples to see how it works.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Gibbs reflective cycle - Meaning and Stages to make your work easier

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Do you want to know what Gibbs reflective cycle is? If yes, then stay connected for a while. Because, in this article, I am going to explain everything you need to know. There are many people who believe that humans learn the most from their experience. It is undeniably the right thing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
FDELD Generic Reflective practice Module Guide 2020-21 2 2018 19 (2)[53274]

# data[].attributes.wish_content.attachment_props.text
Worrying trends in the UK’s health have emerged in recent years that cannot be overlooked. Our new briefing explores the current picture and sets out priorities for the next government. #GE2019

# data[].attributes.wish_content.attachment_props.original_text
Worrying trends in the UK’s health have emerged in recent years that cannot be overlooked. Our new briefing explores the current picture and sets out priorities for the next government. #GE2019

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.embed_code
Worrying trends in the UK’s health have emerged in recent years that cannot be overlooked. Our new briefing explores the current picture and sets out priorities for the next government. #GE2019
— The Health Foundation (@HealthFdn) November 22, 2019

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props_source.data.text
Worrying trends in the UK’s health have emerged in recent years that cannot be overlooked. Our new briefing explores the current picture and sets out priorities for the next government. #GE2019

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.original_text
Worrying trends in the UK’s health have emerged in recent years that cannot be overlooked. Our new briefing explores the current picture and sets out priorities for the next government. #GE2019

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.text
Worrying trends in the UK’s health have emerged in recent years that cannot be overlooked. Our new briefing explores the current picture and sets out priorities for the next government. #GE2019

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tzjz-l8L1lc

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gbczr0lRf4

# data[].attributes.body
Health and Safety in a 'jiffy'

# data[].attributes.body
Do We Mean What We Say?

# data[].attributes.body
Ability to explain what they mean in a clear, concise way through written and spoken means.  To listen, and relate to other people, and to act upon key information...
THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND A PROBLEM BY BREAKING IT DOWN INTO SMALLER PARTS, AND IDENTIFYING THE KEY ISSUES, IMPLICATIONS AND IDENTIFYING SOLUTIONS.  TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE FROM MANY DIFFERENT AREAS TO SOLVE A TASK...
Having original ideans that can be made into a reality.  Showing a strong personal drive and not wanting to be told to do things...
HANDLING STRESS THAT COMES WITH DEADLINES AND ENSURING THAT THEY MEET THEM...
Being punctual, reliable, organised and methodical, able to plan work to meet deadlines and targets.  Monitoring progress of work to ensure they are on track to meet deadlines....
WORKING WELL WITH OTHER PEOPLE FROM OTHER DESCIPLINES, BACKGROUNDS AND EXPERTISE TO ACCOMPLISH A TASK OR GOAL...
To be enthusaistic about their work, and to identify ways to learnfrom their mistakes ot benefit themselves and others...
THEY ABILITY TO USE DATA AND MATHEMATICS TO SUPPORT EVIDENCE OR DEMONSTRATE A POINT...
Knowing the value of diversity and what it can bring.  Understanding and being considerate of the different needs of different individuals...
TO TAKE ON BOARD THE FEELINGS OF OTHERS AND EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN AN UNEMOTIONAL CLEAR FASHION TO ACHIEVE A WIN-WIN OUTCOME...

# data[].attributes.headline
Employability skills - skills which employers look for which help an individual be able to accomplish a certain job role. Communication and interpersonal skills – •	Establish a relationship between service users, colleagues and other health care professionals by communicating effectively•	Listening to others opinions and ideas•	Can diffuse intense and difficult situations such as conflict•	Can calm and reassure others and make them feel better•	Expresses views on behalf of yourself and others•	Avoids miscommunications and errors especially between different sectors•	Instrumental in information exchange

# data[].attributes.subject
Employability skills - skills which employers look for which help an individual be able to accomplish a certain job role. Communication and interpersonal skills – •	Establish a relationship between service users, colleagues and other health care professionals by communicating effectively•	Listening to others opinions and ideas•	Can diffuse intense and difficult situations such as conflict•	Can calm and reassure others and make them feel better•	Expresses views on behalf of yourself and others•	Avoids miscommunications and errors especially between different sectors•	Instrumental in information exchange

# data[].attributes.body
Communication and interpersonal skills...
Problem solving skills...
Using initiative and being self motivated...
Working under pressure and to deadlines...
Organisation skills...
Team Working...
Ability to learn and adapt...
Numeracy...
Valuing diversity and difference....
Negotiating skills...

# data[].attributes.headline
Lastest update re: Safeguarding in the workplace legislation.

# data[].attributes.subject
Lastest update re: Safeguarding in the workplace legislation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The draft Regulations set out in this consultation relate to the mandatory registration of the domiciliary care sector from 2020 and our intention to open up the register, on a voluntary basis, for care home services for adults and residential family centres from 2020 ahead of their mandatory deadline in 2022. This is a further step in progressing in our commitment to raising the profile of the sector, as it will reinforce to the public that we have a skilled and dedicated workforce. It will also uphold the rights of Welsh citizens to dignified, safe and appropriate care and support that were strengthened with the implementation of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 and the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016.

https://gov.wales/implementation-regulation-and-inspection-social-care-wales-act-2016

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Written Statement: Consultation on workforce elements of phase 2 implementation of the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The draft Regulations set out in this consultation relate to the mandatory registration of the domiciliary care sector from 2020 and our intention to open up the register, on a voluntary basis, for care home services for adults and residential family centres from 2020 ahead of their mandatory deadline in 2022.