Reflective Practice for Teaching in Lifelong Learning

Book excerpt: Reflective practice is an important skill for students learning to teach in the lifelong learning sector. This book makes the case for reflective practice in post-compulsory teaching and shows how it can be used to support teachers in coping with the complexities and contingencies of practice. The book introduces a basic model of reflective practice and then explores several further models relevant to teaching in the lifelong learning sector, offering guidance on the application of each model in practice. Collaborative approaches to reflective practice are also discussed, and the place of reflective practice in teachers continuing professional development is carefully examined. Other key features of the book include: Clear links with the professional standards for teachers in the lifelong learning sector Discussion of the challenges and issues when engaging in reflection on practice Coverage of action research, often considered an extension of reflective practice Illustrations drawn from the authors’ extensive experience in teaching and enabling learning Reflective Practice for Teaching in Lifelong Learning has been written to address the needs of student teachers across a whole range of lifelong learning courses.