Skip to main content

The Principle of Reflection

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The Teaching of Design and Innovation

Part of the book series: Contemporary Issues in Technology Education ((CITE))

  • 418 Accesses

Abstract

There is wide agreement in the literature that “reflection” is a critical component of turning experience into learning. Reflection lies at the heart of experience-based learning, and in the absence of reflection, experiences remain experiences, and the full potential for learning will not come to fruition. This chapter is developed from the seminal studies of Kolb and Schön grounded in antecedent work of Dewey, Lewin and Piaget. Despite consensus regarding its importance, there is little practical guidance for teachers and students on how to carry out the process of reflection. To address this situation, two strategies are proposed. First, the chapter provides a novel pedagogical suggestion on embedding the habit of reflection-in-action in teaching practice through regular use of agile development methodologies. Second, a checklist and questionnaire are developed to provide a structured mechanism to assist both the teacher and student to engage in reflection while learning the art of design and innovation. The instrument was developed from engagement with the psychology literature and the action research literature.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Abrahamsson, P., Salo, O., Ronkainen, J., & Warsta, J. (2002). Agile software development methods: Review and analysis. Aailable on-line through https://www.vtt.fi/inf/pdf/publications/2002/P478.pdf. Accessed October 2019. Espoo, Finland: VTT publication 478.

  • agilemanifesto. (2001). Manifesto for Agile Software Development. Available on line through http://agilemanifesto.org/. Accessed July 2019.

  • Avison, D. E., Lau, F., Myers, M. D., & Nielsen, P. A. (1999). Action research. Communications of the ACM, 42(1), 94–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baskerville, R., & Myers, M. D. (2004). Special issue on action research in information systems: Making IS research relevant to practice—Foreword. MIS Quarterly, 28(3), 329–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boud, D., Keogh, R., & Walker, D. (Eds.). (1985). Introduction: What is reflection in learning. London: RoutledgeFalmer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Braa, K., & Vidgen, R. (2000). Research: From observation to intervention. In K. Braa, C. Sørensen, & B. Dahlbom (Eds.), Chapter 12. Planet internet. Studentlitteratur, Lund, Sweden. Previously published as: Braa & Vidgen, (1999) Interpretation, intervention, and reduction in the organizational laboratory: A framework for in-context information system research. Accounting, Management and Information Technologies, (9): 25–47. Elsevier Science Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brook, C., Pedler, M., & Burgoyne, J. (2012). Some debates and challenges in the literature on action learning: The state of the art since. Revans Human Resource Development International, 15(3), 269–282. https://doi.org/10.1080/13678868.13672012.13687926.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cervone, H. F. (2011). Understanding agile project management methods using Scrum. OCLC Systems & Services: International Digital Library Perspectives, 27(1), 18–22. https://doi.org/10.1108/10650751111106528.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coghlan, D., & Brannick, T. (2005). Doing action research in your own organization (2nd ed.). London: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coghlan, D., & Brannick, T. (2014). Doing action research in your own organization (4th ed.). London: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Conboy, K. (2009). Agility from first principles: Reconstructing the concept of agility in information systems development. [Ph.D. thesis]. Information Systems Research, 20(3), 329–354.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, R. G. (2016). Agile–Stage-Gate Hybrids. Research-Technology Management, 59(1), 21–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costello, G. J., Conboy, K., & Donnellan, B. (2015). Reflections on “reflection:” In action research. Paper presented at the Uncertainty is a Great Opportunity.15th European Academy of Management Conference (EURAM) 17–20 June 2015,Warsaw.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cunliffe, A. L. (2002). Reflexive dialogical practice in management learning. Management Learning, 33(1), 35–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davison, R. M., Martinsons, M. G., & Kock, N. (2004). Principles of canonical action research. Information Systems Journal, 14(1), 43–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dick, B. (2019a). Questions for critical reflection. Available at http://www.aral.com.au/. Accessed December 2019.

  • Dick, B. (2019b). You want to do an action research thesis? You want to do an action research thesis? Available at http://www.aral.com.au/. Accessed December 2019.

  • Elveton, R. O. (1970). Introduction. In R. O. Elveton (Ed.), The phenomenology of Husserl: Selected critical readings/edited, translated, and with an intro. by R. O. Elveton. Chicago: Quadrangle Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grossmann, R. (2005). Phenomenology. In T. Honderich (Ed.), The Oxford companion to philosophy (2nd ed., pp. 695–697). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Inwood, M. J. (2005). Husserl, Edmund. In T. Honderich (Ed.), The Oxford companion to philosophy (2nd ed., pp. 408–410). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelliher, F. (2014). Just do it: Action learning as a catalyst for reflective practice on an MBA programme. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 141, 1275–1280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.05.220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knights, S. (Ed.). (1985). Reflection and learning: The importance of a listener. London: RoutledgeFalmer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning : Experience as the source of learning and development. London Prentice-Hall: Englewood Cliffs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolb, D. A., & Fry, R. E. (1975). Toward an applied theory of experiential learning. In C. Cooper (Ed.), Theories of group processes. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lauer, Q. (1965). Phenomenology : Its genesis and prospect. New York: Harper & Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lau, F. (1997). A review of the use of action research in information systems studies. In A. Lee, J. Liebenau & J. DeGross (Eds.), Information Systems and Qualitative Research (pp. 31–68). London: Chapman & Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mårtensson, P., & Lee, A. S. (2004). Dialogical Action Research at Omega Corporation. MIS Quarterly, 28(3), 507–536.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marquardt, M. J. (2004). Optimising the power of action learning. Palo Alto, CA: Davis-Black.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGill, I., & Brockbank, A. (2004). The action learning handbook: Powerful techniques for education, professional development and training. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moran, D. (2000). Introduction to phenomenology. London/New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • ODE. (2006). Reflection. In Oxford Dictionary of English (2nd ed., Revised). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearson, M., & Smith, D. (Eds.). (1985). Debriefing in experience-based learning. London: RoutledgeFalmer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pedler, M., & Abbott, C. (2013). Facilitating action learning: A practitioner’s guide. Maidenhead, UK: McGraw-Hill Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reason, P., & Bradbury, H. (2001). Introduction: Inquiry and participation in search of a world worthy of human aspiration. In P. Reason & H. Bradbury (Eds.), Handbook of action research: Participative inquiry and practice. London: Thousand Oaks.

    Google Scholar 

  • Revans, R. W. (2011). ABC of action learning. Farnham, UK: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schön, D. A. (1990). Educating the reflective practitioner: Toward a new design for teaching and learning in the professions. San Francisco: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scrum. (2019). Scrum alliance: Transforming the world of work. Available on-line through https://www.scrumalliance.org/. Accessed October 2019.

  • Sommer, A. F., Hedegaard, C., Dukovska-Popovska, I., & Steger-Jensen, K. (2015). Improved product development performance through agile/stage-gate hybrids: The next-generation stage-gate process? Research-Technology Management, 58(1), 34–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Susman, G. I., & Evered, R. D. (1978). An assessment of the scientific merits of action research. Administrative Science Quarterly, 23(4), 582–603.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker, D. (Ed.). (1985). Writing and reflection. London: RoutledgeFalmer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weinstein, K. (1999). Action learning: A practical guide. Aldershot, Hampshire, UK: Gower.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Costello, G.J. (2020). The Principle of Reflection. In: The Teaching of Design and Innovation. Contemporary Issues in Technology Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41380-4_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41380-4_5

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-41379-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-41380-4

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics