“We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.” John Dewey
It has always been an important closing activity for my skill-building workshops to have the participants identify their key learning or their key take away.
When an action plan is appropriate, I have the participants identify their key challenges and what they will do to address these challenges, in addition to their significant learning.
If I close with a paired walk-about activity, the participants are asked to pair up and explain how they plan to use what they have learned.
An article by Katrina Schwartz titled: “Don’t Leave Learning Up to Chance: Framing and Reflection” helped me realize that these closing activities are important because they require that the participants to reflect on their learning. And according to Jackie Gerstein, true learning requires reflection.
Gerstein expands on reflection in learning, pointing out that it applies to the process of learning itself.
She explains this reflection process with a wonderful infographic. Gerstein uses some language more appropriate to children. However, I think that this model can be easily adapted for adults:
You can read the article about Gerstein’s approach to framing and reflection at: https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2016/09/14/dont-leave-learning-up-to-chance-framing-and-reflection/
What do you think about this?
May your learning be sweet,
Deborah
