Motivation and Highest level of Reflection

What does it mean to be reflective?
How would one achieve the highest level of reflection?
Self-determination Theory has its promise….

Motivation

It all comes back to our motivation to develop ourselves in this life long learning journey – with self directed learning, a desire to be part of the community, a determination to be our very best both individually and as a group or community member, a search for wisdom, a visionary who would always like to support our family, our society a better place to live.

Motivation would also lead us to reflect on how we could become a better person – more educated, wiser, and more compassionate with others.

Reflective Practice

Reflective practice is a concept used in education studies and pedagogy. It was introduced by Donald Schön in his book The Reflective Practitioner in 1983.

Reflective practice is a continuous process and involves the learner considering critical incidents in his or her life’s experiences. As defined by Schön, reflective practice involves thoughtfully considering one’s own experiences in applying knowledge to practice while being coached by professionals in the discipline. It has been described as an unstructured approach directing understanding and learning, a self regulated process, commonly used in Health and Teaching professions, though applicable to all. (R.Gregory)

In education, it refers to the process of the educator studying his or her own teaching methods and determining what works best for the students. Reflective practice can help an individual to develop personally.

So, would motivation and reflective practice help me in my learning journey? 

Under connectivism, reflective practice could be done in an open, distributed and transparent manner.  

You could share what you have learnt with others.  You could also reflect on your learning through this Web 2.0 mediated learning ecology.

We are opening up our reflection to the outside world.   And our reflection has no limits – it could reach anyone at any time in the world.

Is that what the highest level of reflection could offer? 

Life with learning is a life worthy to live by itself.  With reflection, we could even reach a higher summit…..

How would you like to live the full richness of life? 

Would it be through reflection?  Or something else…..