explain Reflective Teaching Cycle (Gibbs, 1988)
The Reflective Teaching Cycle, developed by Graham Gibbs in 1988, is a framework designed to guide educators through a process of critical self-reflection and improvement. The cycle consists of six stages, each aimed at exploring and enhancing teaching practices.
1. Description: The first stage involves describing the teaching experience or event in detail. This may include noting the context, goals, and any specific interactions or challenges encountered during the teaching session.
2. Feelings: In this stage, teachers are encouraged to examine their emotional responses and reactions to the teaching experience. They explore their own feelings and thoughts to understand how these may have influenced their teaching approaches or decisions.
3. Evaluation: The third stage involves a critical evaluation of the teaching experience. Here, educators analyze what worked well and what could be improved. They consider aspects such as student engagement, clarity of instruction, and the effectiveness of teaching strategies.
4. Analysis: In this stage, teachers delve deeper into the evaluation and identify the underlying factors or reasons for the observed successes or challenges. They reflect on the impact of their teaching choices and decisions and consider alternative approaches that could have been used.
5. Conclusion: The fifth stage involves drawing conclusions from the analysis and evaluation. Teachers make meaning from the experience and identify key insights or lessons learned.
6. Action Plan: The final stage is the action plan, where teachers outline specific steps and strategies to improve their teaching practice based on the reflections and conclusions from the previous stages. These actions can include changes to instructional techniques, adjustments to classroom management, or seeking professional development opportunities.
The Reflective Teaching Cycle is cyclical in nature, meaning that each teaching experience can be followed by another round of reflection and improvement. By engaging in this continuous process of reflection, educators can enhance their teaching practices and continuously strive for improvement.
The Reflective Teaching Cycle, developed by Graham Gibbs in 1988, is a model that helps teachers reflect on their teaching practice in order to enhance their professional development. It provides a structured framework for teachers to systematically analyze their experiences, identify areas for improvement, and develop strategies for change. The Reflective Teaching Cycle consists of six main stages:
1. Description: In this stage, teachers describe the teaching event or experience they want to reflect upon. This could be a specific lesson, a group discussion, or a classroom activity. The purpose is to provide a clear and objective account of what happened during the teaching session.
2. Feelings: Teachers then explore their own feelings and emotions associated with the teaching experience. They reflect on any positive or negative emotions they experienced, including their own reactions or feelings about student engagement, their own performance, or any challenges they faced.
3. Evaluation: In this stage, teachers make a critical analysis of the teaching event. They examine what went well, what did not go as planned, and why. This involves identifying strengths and weaknesses, assessing the effectiveness of teaching strategies, and considering whether the learning objectives were achieved.
4. Analysis: Teachers take a deeper dive into the teaching event by analyzing the factors that contributed to its success or challenges. They consider the students' prior knowledge, their own teaching methods, the classroom environment, and any external factors that may have influenced the outcomes. This stage encourages teachers to consider different perspectives and understand the underlying reasons for both positive and negative aspects of the teaching.
5. Conclusion: Based on the previous stages of reflection, teachers draw conclusions and make connections between their analysis and the overall teaching practice. They consider what they have learned from the experience and how it can be applied to future teaching situations. This stage allows for the identification of specific areas for improvement and the development of action plans or strategies.
6. Action plan: In the final stage, teachers create an action plan to implement changes and improvements based on their reflections. They set clear goals, define specific actions to be taken, and establish a timeline for implementing these changes. This stage emphasizes the practical application of reflective insights and encourages teachers to actively strive for growth and development in their teaching practice.
By following this Reflective Teaching Cycle, educators can continuously improve their teaching methods, enhance student learning outcomes, and engage in lifelong professional development.