CRITICAL THINKING AND REFLECTION

Course: Critical Thinking and reflective practices (8611)
Semester: Spring, 2022
Name: Sadiqa Younis

ID: 0000047606
ASSIGNMENT No. 2
Q.1 How will you relate the Gibb’s cycle Blooms taxonomy? How are these same and what are the
differences in them?
Gibbs' Reflective Cycle was developed by Graham Gibbs in 1988 to give structure to learning from
experiences. It offers a framework for examining experiences, and given its cyclic nature lends itself
particularly well to repeated experiences, allowing you to learn and plan from things that either went well or
didn’t go well. It covers 6 stages:
Description of the experience
Feelings and thoughts about the experience
Evaluation of the experience, both good and bad
Analysis to make sense of the situation
Conclusion about what you learned and what you could have done differently
Action plan for how you would deal with similar situations in the future, or general changes you might find
appropriate.
Below is further information on:
The model – each stage is given a fuller description, guiding questions to ask yourself and an example of how
this might look in a reflection
Different depths of reflection – an example of reflecting more briefly using this model
This is just one model of reflection. Test it out and see how it works for you. If you find that only a few of the
questions are helpful for you, focus on those. However, by thinking about each stage you are more likely to
engage critically with your learning experience.
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This model is a good way to work through an experience. This can be either a stand-alone experience or a
situation you go through frequently, for example meetings with a team you have to collaborate with. Gibbs
originally advocated its use in repeated situations, but the stages and principles apply equally well for single
experiences too. If done with a stand-alone experience, the action plan may become more general and look at
how you can apply your conclusions in the future.
For each of the stages of the model a number of helpful questions are outlined below. You don’t have to answer
all of them but they can guide you about what sort of things make sense to include in that stage. You might have
other prompts that work better for you.
Group work assignment
For an assessed written group-work assignment, my group (3 others from my course) and I decided to
divide the different sections between us so that we only had to research one element each. We expected
we could just piece the assignment together in the afternoon the day before the deadline, meaning that we
didn’t have to schedule time to sit and write it together. However, when we sat down it was clear the
sections weren’t written in the same writing style. We therefore had to rewrite most of the assignment to
make it a coherent piece of work. We had given ourselves enough time before the deadline to individually
write our own sections, however we did not plan a great deal of time to rewrite if something were to go
wrong. Therefore, two members of the group had to drop their plans that evening so the assignment would
be finished in time for the deadline.
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Feelings
Here you can explore any feelings or thoughts that you had during the experience and how they may have
impacted the experience.
Helpful questions:
What were you feeling during the situation?
What were you feeling before and after the situation?
What do you think other people were feeling about the situation?
What do you think other people feel about the situation now?
What were you thinking during the situation?
What do you think about the situation now?
Example of 'Feelings'
Before we came together and realised we still had a lot of work to do, I was quite happy and thought we
had been smart when we divided the work between us. When we realised we couldn’t hand in the
assignment like it was, I got quite frustrated. I was certain it was going to work, and therefore I had little
motivation to actually do the rewriting. Given that a couple of people from the group had to cancel their
plans I ended up feeling quite guilty, which actually helped me to work harder in the evening and get the
work done faster. Looking back, I’m feeling satisfied that we decided to put in the work.
Evaluation
Here you have a chance to evaluate what worked and what didn’t work in the situation. Try to be as objective
and honest as possible. To get the most out of your reflection focus on both the positive and the negative aspects
of the situation, even if it was primarily one or the other.
Helpful questions:
What was good and bad about the experience?
What went well?
What didn’t go so well?
What did you and other people contribute to the situation (positively or negatively)?
Example of 'Evaluation'
The things that were good and worked well was the fact that each group member produced good quality
work for the agreed deadline. Moreover, the fact that two people from the group cancelled plans motivated
us to work harder in the evening. That contributed positively to the group’s work ethic. The things that
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clearly didn’t work was that we assumed we wrote in the same way, and therefore the overall time plan of
the group failed.
Analysis
The analysis step is where you have a chance to make sense of what happened. Up until now you have focused
on details around what happened in the situation. Now you have a chance to extract meaning from it. You want
to target the different aspects that went well or poorly and ask yourself why. If you are looking to include
academic literature, this is the natural place to include it.
Helpful questions:
Why did things go well?
Why didn’t it go well?
What sense can I make of the situation?
What knowledge – my own or others (for example academic literature) can help me understand the situation?
Example of 'Analysis'
I think the reason that our initial division of work went well was because each person had a say in what part
of the assignment they wanted to work on, and we divided according to people’s self-identified strengths. I
have experienced working this way before and discovered when I’m working by myself I enjoy working in
areas that match my strengths. It seems natural to me that this is also the case in groups.
I think we thought that this approach would save us time when piecing together the sections in the end, and
therefore we didn’t think it through. In reality, it ended up costing us far more time than expected and we
also had to stress and rush through the rewrite. I think the fact we hadn’t planned how we were writing and
structuring the sections led us to this situation.
I searched through some literature on group work and found two things that help me understand the
situation. Belbin’s (e.g. 2010) team roles suggests that each person has certain strengths and weaknesses
they bring to a group. While we didn’t think about our team members in the same way Belbin does,
effective team work and work delegation seems to come from using people’s different strengths, which we
did.
Another theory that might help explain why we didn’t predict the plan wouldn’t work is ‘Groupthink’ (e.g.
Janis, 1991). Groupthink is where people in a group won’t raise different opinions to a dominant opinion or
decision, because they don’t want to seem like an outsider. I think if we had challenged our assumptions
about our plan - by actually being critical, we would probably have foreseen that it wouldn’t work. Some
characteristics of groupthink that were in our group were: ‘collective rationalisation’ – we kept telling each
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other that it would work; and probably ‘illusion of invulnerability’ – we are all good students, so of course
we couldn’t do anything wrong.
I think being aware of groupthink in the future will be helpful in group work, when trying to make
decisions.
In this section you can make conclusions about what happened. This is where you summarise your learning and
highlight what changes to your actions could improve the outcome in the future. It should be a natural response
to the previous sections.
Helpful questions:
What did I learn from this situation?
How could this have been a more positive situation for everyone involved?
What skills do I need to develop for me to handle a situation like this better?
What else could I have done?
Example of a 'Conclusion'
I learned that when a group wants to divide work, we must plan how we want each section to look and feel
– having done this would likely have made it possible to put the sections together and submit without much
or any rewriting. Moreover, I will continue to have people self-identify their strengths and possibly even
suggest using the ‘Belbin team roles’-framework with longer projects. Lastly, I learned that we sometimes
have to challenge the decisions we seem to agree on in the group to ensure that we are not agreeing just
because of groupthink.
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Action plan
At this step you plan for what you would do differently in a similar or related situation in the future. It can also
be extremely helpful to think about how you will help yourself to act differently – such that you don’t only plan
what you will do differently, but also how you will make sure it happens. Sometimes just the realisation is
enough, but other times reminders might be helpful.
Helpful questions:
If I had to do the same thing again, what would I do differently?
How will I develop the required skills I need?
How can I make sure that I can act differently next time?
Example of 'Action Plan'
When I’m working with a group next time, I will talk to them about what strengths they have. This is easy
to do and remember in a first meeting, and also potentially works as an ice-breaker if we don’t know each
other well. Next, if we decide to divide work, I will insist that we plan out what we expect from it
beforehand. Potentially I would suggest writing the introduction or first section together first, so that we
have a reference for when we are writing our own parts. I’m confident this current experience will be
enough to remind me to suggest this if anyone says we should divide up the work in the future. Lastly, I
will ask if we can challenge our initial decisions so that we are confident we are making informed decisions
to avoid groupthink. If I have any concerns, I will tell the group. I think by remembering I want the best
result possible will make me be able to disagree even when it feels uncomfortable.
Different depths of reflection

Depending on the context you are doing the reflection in, you might want use different levels of details. Here is
the same scenario, which was used in the example above, however it is presented much more briefly.
Short example of Gibbs’ reflective cycle:
Describe:
In a group work assignment, we divided sections according to people’s strengths. When we tried to piece
the assignment together it was written in different styles and therefore we had to spend time rewriting it.
Feelings:
I thought our plan would work and felt good about it. When we had to rewrite it, I felt frustrated.
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Evaluation:
The process of dividing sections went well. However, it didn’t work not having foreseen/planned rewriting
the sections for coherence and writing styles.
Analysis:
Dividing work according to individual strengths is useful. Belbin’s team roles (2010) would suggest
something similar. I have done it before and it seems to work well.
The reason piecing work together didn’t work was we had no plan for what it needed to look like. We were
so focused on finishing quickly that no one would raise a concern. The last part can be explained by
‘groupthink’ (e.g. Jarvis, 1991), where members of a group make a suboptimal decision because
individuals are afraid of challenging the consensus.
Conclusion:
I learned that using people’s strengths is efficient. Moreover, planning how we want the work to look,
before we go off on our own is helpful. Lastly, I will remember the dangers of groupthink, and what the
theory suggests to look out for.
Action plan:
I will use Belbin’s team roles to divide group work in the future. Moreover, I will suggest writing one
section together before we do our own work, so we can mirror that in our own writing. Finally, I will speak
my mind when I have concerns, by remembering it can benefit the outcome.
Q.2 Explain in detail different types of action researches.

Teacher research can be a powerful form of professional development that can change a teacher's practice. But
what is it exactly and what does it involve?
Teacher research is practical, action-based research. It enables educators to follow their interests and their needs
as they investigate what they and their students do. Teachers who practice teacher research find that it expands
and enriches their teaching skills and puts them in collaborative contact with peers that have a like interest in
classroom research. Some researchers call this type of research "action research." By definition (Mills, 2002):
Action research is any systematic inquiry conducted by teacher-researchers, principals, school counselors, or
other stakeholders in the teaching/learning environment to gather information about how their particular schools
operate, how they teach, and how well their students learn. This information is gathered with the goals of
gaining insight, developing reflective practice, effecting positive changes in the school environment (and on
educational practices in general), and improving student outcomes and the lives of those involved.
1. Teacher-researchers simultaneously act as participants and observers as they conduct research in their
own classrooms. With these dual roles, they complete the following tasks:
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2. Develop research questions based on their own curiosity about teaching and learning in their classrooms.
3. Systematically collect data and research various methods of conducting research.
4. Analyze and interpret the data and the research methodology.
5. Write about their own research.
6. Share findings with students, colleagues, and members of the educational community.
7. Discuss with colleagues relationships among practice, theory, and their own research.
8. Examine their underlying assumptions about teaching and learning.
9. Assume responsibility for their own professional growth.
10. Teacher research can change a teacher's practice, but it can also have a profound effect on the
development of priorities for schoolwide planning and assessment efforts as well as contribute to the
profession's body of knowledge about teaching and learning.
11. Teacher-research projects often yield findings and implications that result in:
12. Increased sharing and collaboration across departments, disciplines, and grade levels.
13. Increased dialogue about instructional issues and student learning.
14. Enhanced communication between teachers and students.
15. Improved performance of students.
16. Revision of practice based on new knowledge about teaching and learning.
17. Teacher-designed and teacher-initiated staff development.
18. Development of priorities for schoolwide planning and assessment efforts.
Contributions to the profession's body of knowledge about teaching and learning. For teachers to become
involved in teacher research, they need additional time and resources to conduct, evaluate, and share their
findings in meaningful ways. Fortunately in my school district, Fairfax County Public Schools, we have a
number of resources available for teachers wishing to become involved in teacher research.
The Office of Staff Development and Planning (a division of Instructional Services) supports a network of
teacher-researchers within our school system. The Office provides staff development funds to teams of teacher-
researchers to meet periodically during the school year as they support one another in their research. Each
spring, the Office holds an annual conference where teacher-researchers share their projects with members of
the broad educational community in round table presentations and panel discussions. Workshops are also
available on topics such as grant writing to support research and tips for publishing projects. Marion S.
MacLean and Marian M. Mohr provide actual teacher research project reports by Fairfax County teachers in
their book, Teacher-Researchers at Work.
Q.3 Critically analyze current syllabus of Science being taught at grade four.
List four class criteria that shape the traditional view of a profession: remuneration, social status, autonomous or
authoritative power, and service. Perpetually, a list of characteristics is typical of occupations that have been
traditionally regarded as professions, especially law and medicine. These characteristics include: professional
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autonomy; a clearly defined, highly developed, specialized, and theoretical knowledge base; control of training,
certification, and licensing of new entrants; self-governing and self-policing authority, especially with regard to
professional ethics; and a commitment to public service. The presence of a collegium among the essential
characteristics of a modern profession. Eight characteristics common to most professions are having an esoteric
service; pre service study; registration and regulation by the profession itself; peer appraisal and review;
professional code of conduct; earned status; the ideal of public service and client concern. The fundamental
aspects of a profession as specific body of knowledge, ideal of service, ethical codes, autonomy and distinctive
culture.
The selected seven characteristics of a profession are: essential service to society, motivated by call to serve,
special knowledge and skills, specialized advanced university training, public trust and status, code of ethics
and performance standards, and professional organization.
Professional teachers should develop as lifelong learners, reflective thinkers, and ethical leaders exemplifying
the ideals of literacy, scholarship, and social justice in a diverse and ever-changing world. National Council for
Accreditation of Teacher Education has defined dispositions of a teacher as the values, commitments and
professional ethics that influence behavior towards students, families, colleagues, and communities, and affect
student learning, motivation, and development as well as the educator’s own professional growth.
The dispositions or the characteristics of the educator thus have a direct impact on all with whom he connects.
A number of studies have been done in demarcating the characteristics of an educator. Historically, research
studies have yielded copious lists of attributes and attitudes exhibited by effective teachers. The Purdue studies
for all identified specific characteristics that were associated with effective teachers. These characteristics were
gathered from a variety of perspectives including student opinions, observation and teacher self-reporting.
Didactic and pedagogical skills are not only understood as familiarization with techniques that are then used
mechanically, but also as the acquisition of routines which, without a doubt, every teacher needs in order to
save time and energy for the more significant aspects of his work; at the same time, they refer to a set of
theoretical principles and research data that lead to a variety of techniques and strategies which a teacher
chooses and shapes, depending on the circumstances (for the discussion on teacher skills as an element of
professional competency).
A plethora of related studies shows specific actions by teachers which can be considered factors for their
effectiveness. With regard to the teaching approach, it seems that the more effective teachers: set realistic
objectives, try and give incentives to students for learning, apply various teaching methods, select participative
forms of teaching, test and create didactic material, present information in a clear manner, combine words with
pictures, use various teaching aids, maximize teaching time through systematic measures (e.g. planning,
reduced disturbances in the classroom), assign work that will stir the interests of the students, monitor and
evaluate the progress of students, set evaluation criteria for students and inform the students about them, and
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provide feedback to the students. Another decisive factor in effectiveness is a teacher’s ability to recognize the
diversity of students, to choose the best method possible for each student, and to create incentives for students.
First, to account for sorting of students to schools and teachers, I exploit in observation scores within schools,
across adjacent grades and years. Specifically, I specify models that include school fixed effects and
instructional quality scores averaged to the school-grade-year level. This approach assumes that student and
teacher assignments are random within schools and across grades or years, which I explore in detail below.
Second, to isolate the independent contribution of instructional practices to student achievement, I condition on
a uniquely rich set of teacher characteristics, skills, and practices. I expect that there likely are additional factors
that are difficult to observe and, thus, are excluded from my data. Therefore, to explore the possible degree of
bias in my estimates.
I test the sensitivity of results to models that include different sets of covariates. Further, I interpret findings in
light of limitations associated with this approach. Results point to a positive relationship between ambitious or
inquiry-oriented mathematics instruction and performance on a low-stakes test of students’ math knowledge of
roughly 0.10 standard deviations. I also find suggestive evidence for a negative relationship between
mathematical errors and student achievement, though estimates are sensitive to the specific set of teacher
characteristics included in the model.
I provide main results and threats to internal and external validity. I conclude by discussing the implications of
my findings for ongoing research and policy on teacher and teaching quality. Although improving the quality of
the teacher workforce is seen as an economic imperative, long-standing traditions that reward education and
training or offer financial incentives based on student achievement have been met with limited success. Almost
three decades ago is the “nature of teachers’ work”. They argued that the “imprecise nature of the activity”
makes it difficult to describe why some teachers are good and what other teachers can do to improve. Recent
investigations have sought to test this theory by comparing subjective and objective (i.e., “value-added”)
measures of teacher performance. Principals were able to distinguish between teachers in the tails of the
achievement distribution but not in the middle.
Correlations between principal ratings of teacher effectiveness and value added were weak to moderate: 0.25
and 0.18 in math and reading, respectively (0.32 and 0.29 when adjusted for measurement error). Further, while
subjective ratings were a statistically significantly predictor of future student achievement, they performed
worse than objective measures. Including both in the same regression model, estimates for principal ratings
were 0.08 standard deviations (SD) in math and 0.05 SD in reading; comparatively, estimates for value-added
scores were 0.18 SD in math and 0.10 SD in reading. This evidence led the authors to conclude that “good
teaching is, at least to some extent, observable by those close to the education process even though it may not be
easily captured in those variables commonly available to the econometrician”.
Q.4 Develop your own portfolio reflecting your personal reflection, educational backgrounds,
motivation and key competencies and aims of life.
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As knowledge regarding human development and learning has grown at a rapid pace, the opportunity to shape
more effective educational practices has also increased. Taking advantage of these advances, however, requires
integrating insights across multiple fields—from the biological and neurosciences to psychology, sociology,
developmental and learning sciences—and connecting them to knowledge of successful approaches that is
emerging in education. This article seeks to contribute to this process by drawing out the implications for school
and classroom practices of an emerging consensus about the science of learning and development (SoLD),
outlined in a recent synthesis of the research.
Using these articles as a foundation, we synthesize evidence from the learning sciences and several branches of
educational research about well-vetted strategies that support the kinds of relationships and learning
opportunities needed to promote children’s well-being, healthy development, and transferable learning. In
addition, we review research regarding practices that can help educators respond to individual variability,
address adversity, and support resilience, such that schools can enable all children to learn and to find positive
pathways to adulthood.
This work is situated in a relational developmental systems framework that looks at the “mutually influential
relations between individuals and contexts”. This framework makes it clear how children’s development and
learning are shaped by interactions among the environmental factors, relationships, and learning opportunities
they experience, both in and out of school, along with physical, psychological, cognitive, social, and emotional
processes that influence one another—both biologically and functionally—as they enable or undermine
learning. Although our society and our schools often compartmentalize these developmental processes and treat
them as distinct from one another—and treat the child as distinct from the many contexts she experiences—the
sciences of learning and development demonstate how tightly interrelated they are and how they jointly produce
the outcomes for which educators are responsible.
Key insights from the science of learning and development are that the brain and the development of
intelligences and capacities are malleable, and the “development of the brain is an experience-dependent
process”, which activates neural pathways that permit new kinds of thinking and performance. As a function of
experiences, the brain and human capacities grow over the course of the entire developmental continuum and
across the developmental spectrum (physical, cognitive, affective) in interactive ways. What happens in one
domain influences what happens in others? For example, emotions can trigger or block learning. Emotions and
social contexts shape neural connections which contribute to attention, concentration, and memory, to
knowledge transfer and application. Understanding how developmental processes unfold over time and interact
in different contexts can contribute to more supportive designs for learning environments.
Furthermore, general trends in development are modified by interactions between unique aspects of the child
and his/her family, community, and classroom contexts. As a result, children have individual needs and
trajectories that require differentiated instruction and supports to enable optimal growth in competence,
confidence, and motivation.
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A central implication for educators is that this integrated and dynamic developmental system is optimally
supported when all aspects of the educational environment support all of the dimensions of children’s
development. This calls for a deeply integrated approach to practice that supports the whole child in schools and
classrooms that function coherently and consistently to build strong relationships and learning communities;
support social, emotional, and cognitive development; and provide a system of supports as needed for healthy
development, productive relationships, and academic progress. This holistic approach must necessarily connect
with family and community contexts: developing strong, respectful partnerships to understand and build on
children’s experiences and, as needed, to strengthen any aspects of the developmental system where there are
challenges to children’s health and well-being.
In what follows, we describe the implications for practice of these interrelated systems that address major
developmental needs: the need for strong, supportive relationships that enable students to take advantage of
productive learning opportunities in cognitive, social, and emotional domains, plus additional supports
(physical, social, emotional, and/or academic) needed to address individual circumstances that need attention at
a moment in time to maintain a positive developmental trajectory. We stress that all of these are interactive and
interrelated and that these aspects of education must be designed to work together in a tightly integrated
fashion. Figure illustrates the four areas that structure the remainder of this review:
1. Supportive environmental conditions that foster strong relationships and community. These include
positive sustained relationships that foster attachment and emotional connections; physical, emotional,
and identity safety; and a sense of belonging and purpose;
2. Productive instructional strategies that support motivation, competence, and self-directed learning.
These curriculum, teaching, and assessment strategies feature well-scaffolded instruction and ongoing
formative assessment that support conceptual understanding, take students’ prior knowledge and
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experiences into account, and provide the right amount of challenge and support on relevant and
engaging learning tasks;
3. Social and Emotional Learning that fosters skills, habits, and mindsets that enable academic progress,
efficacy, and productive behavior. These include self-regulation, executive function, intrapersonal
awareness and interpersonal skills, a growth mindset, and a sense of agency that supports resilience and
productive action;
4. System of supports that enable healthy development, respond to student needs, and address learning
barriers. These include a multi-tiered system of academic, health, and social supports that provide
personalized resources within and beyond the classroom to address and prevent developmental detours,
including conditions of trauma and adversity.
Q.5 What is reflective knowledge? How can teachers Build communities of knowledge?
The philosopher Hannah Arendt said that the essence of being human is participating in moral discourse with
others. "The things of the world become human for us only when we can discuss them with our fellows. We
humanize what is going on in the world and in ourselves only by speaking of it, and in the course of speaking of
it we learn to be human." In a reflective classroom community, students work together in an engaging study of
our past, and of our world today. Knowledge is constructed, not passively absorbed. And students, with both
hearts and minds mobilized, are seen as subjects actively engaged in a community of learners. A trusting
classroom atmosphere like this creates the space for deep, democratic learning. The creation of an environment
like this requires a thoughtful approach.
1. Mutual Respect
This must permeate every aspect of a classroom, and is embedded in all of the other components. It includes a
deep respect for both the students and for the subject matter. Can students take risks? Will they be "shot down"
or ridiculed by other students, or even by the teacher, for openly sharing their thoughts? How will the teacher
handle it when one student personally insults or belittles another student? Will students be respected and
honored as thoughtful participants in a community of learners? A teacher's behavior in these situations sets the
tone for the whole class. We need to be explicit and put into practice our belief that a deep respect for each
student is at the heart of our educational endeavor.
2. Intentional Use of Space
How we arrange our rooms makes a statement and sends a message to our students. Some arrangements
promote a reflective community better than others. When a whole class discussion is going on, it is easier to talk
to each other when participants can see the faces of fellow students. Arranging the furniture in a circle promotes
a sense of community and can make a difference. Likewise, arranging chairs and desks in clusters for small
group work facilitates discussion. And then there's the wall space. Relevant pictures, posters, and student work
can play a role in generating a thoughtful atmosphere.
3. A Culture of Questioning
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Perhaps more important than anything else, questions promote active learning. When the teacher and the
students are involved together in a dialogue, they are engaged in a process of ever-deepening consciousness. A
healthy questioning of causes, motives, and underlying assumptions and values can only enrich student learning
and foster a deeper understanding.
4. Thoughtful Silence
Silence is one of the most powerful and underused tools in the classroom. Whether it is used when a teacher
slows down his or her speech to emphasize a point, or after asking a question, or even after a student has
responded to a question, silence can be invaluable. It creates space for thought and sends students the message
that we trust them as thoughtful learners who need time to reflect.
5. Student-to-Student Discussions
The teacher does not have to be at the center of class discussion. Studies have shown that student-to-student
interaction deepens student learning. It can happen in a number of ways, including:
• A spontaneous discussion
• The "No Hand Discussion", wherein students create their own criteria for a successful discussion, try it
out, and assess how it's going on a regular basis
• Student-led discussions
• Small group works
6. Connecting Content to Students' Lives to History and the World Today
When students can connect what they are studying with their own lives, it sparks within them a deeper interest.
They see the relevance and realize that this kind of learning can enlighten and enrich them personally. They
want to learn more. Instead of asking young people to discuss events from the past, we can connect historical
case studies to the moral questions they face in their own lives. Engaging students in this way enables them to
see the way that the choices people make shape history. They also can reflect on how to make a difference. For
example, looking at the role of a bystander in a historical case study leads to deeper engagement with the past,
while at the same time allowing students to reflect on how they themselves would respond when they see an
injustice occurring in their own communities. With these kinds of issues at stake, students are often eager to
build and participate in a reflective, trusting classroom community and learn from each other.
7. Allowing for a Variety of Ways for Students to Express and Enrich Their Learning
Sculpture, music, poetry, artwork, dance, short stories, video productions, and other forms of expression can all
demonstrate student learning and can deepen and enrich understanding of content. Providing different kinds of
opportunities for students to express learning creates a classroom environment where a variety of student gifts
are appreciated and celebrated.
8. Creating Space for Diverse Viewpoints
Issues are sometimes introduced in class that can lead to highly-charged, differing, and even opposing
viewpoints. Teachers need to have both the courage to raise these issues and the wisdom and skill to manage
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them. Some teachers are concerned about raising controversial issues, afraid that a class discussion on such
issues might be upsetting, get out of hand, be unmanageable, and cause hostility between students. This does
not have to be the case. Learning to voice your own thinking on an issue and listening to those you disagree
with is a cornerstone of a well-functioning democracy. When students are able to have a conversation that
involves communicating their own views and listening to diverse viewpoints, their thinking is both enlarged and
enriched. Being challenged in this way helps them to mature and develop as thoughtful, active citizens. They
have begun to create space for the other and, in the process, have deepened their own thinking. In a classroom
that has been practicing these eight components, this kind of deep, democratic learning is possible.
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CRITICAL THINKING AND REFLECTION

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Course: Critical Thinking and reflective practices (8611)

Semester: Spring, 2022

Name: Sadiqa Younis

Group work assignment

Group work assignment

Group work assignment

Group work assignment

Group work assignment

Group work assignment

Different depths of reflection

Short example of Gibbs’ reflective cycle:

Q.2 Explain in detail different types of action researches.

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