"Without reflection, progress is uninformed, and change in practice is haphazard." (p. 96, Professional Development in Learning-Centered Schools)

If a learner of any age is to truly construct new knowledge, reflection must play a key role. Today's learners are bombarded with information, opportunities for new experiences, and demands to acquire new skills. In order to sort it all out, make sense of it and plan appropriate next steps, we must take valuable time to reflect. Reflecting is more than spending a few minutes pondering a problem or situation. Reflecting is a specialized way of thinking through a wide variety of variables in any given circumstance and viewing situations from several different perspectives. It leaves room for thinking and revising thoughts - trying out a line of thinking and then examining it with a critical eye. Reflection is not necessarily linear, but it leads somewhere--it is not random thought.

The norm of busy schedules and long "to-do lists" tends to leave us little time for reflection, but professional developers recognize its importance and not only provide time for reflection but also support learners in establishing a climate and expectation for reflective practice. This project suggests that prompts for reflection be planned and provided at all face-to-face sessions and integrated into online activities as well.

Reflection can take the form of a solitary and silent few minutes considering and writing a brief response to a prompt such as:

• What kind of learner am I?
• What are my hopes for technology in improving my classroom environment?
• How does the learning experience I just had compare to those I provide for my students?
• What is my primary goal in attending this workshop? If I achieve this goal, how will my students be impacted?
• What are the burning questions/issues I have with regard to constructivism?

Sometimes, reflecting over a longer period of time (on the drive to and from school, as I prepare the evening meal, during conversations with colleagues, etc.) is even more beneficial. Joellen Killion, National Staff Development Council, states, "When a learner is required to apply language to an idea, the idea takes shape and form." Consider using journaling techniques and responses to prompts such as:

Another important aspect of reflection is discussing some of one's thinking with trusted colleagues--reflective dialogue. This requires a climate in which one is free to take risks in expressing ideas and one in which all participants value diversity of thought and can learn from each other. "Reflection is about treating successful and unsuccessful events as learning opportunities." (Giselle O. Martin-Kniep in Capturing the Wisdom of Practice) Create opportunities for colleagues to share their reflections and dialogue about what they are seeing, thinking and learning.

Resources: Capturing the Wisdom of Practice, by Giselle Martin-Kniep, ASCD, 1999
"Journaling", "Journal of Staff Development," Summer 1999
Role of Reflection in the Renewal of Teaching, By Norma Henderson http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/projects/tlr/reflect.html