How to become a reflective learner

'Reflective Learning' has been investigated by many, as clearly it is an essential component of higher education and the development of a learner. However, it is also important to note that feed back from lecturers is also important, yet, it is as important to also reflect on what is being learnt.
There are many skills for reflective learning to become a useful tool, including an awareness of what is being learnt, strengths and weaknesses of their learning, and a concious attitude towards personal goals and targets. Effective reflective learners have good motivation levels, attitudes and ideas, appropriate, distractions and gaps within their learning. Reflective learning does not only take place is an educational environment, but also at home and work.
So why is reflection important? Reflective learning provides the opportunity to resolve any confusion, develop yourself as an independent learner and to track progress. Reflective learning is something fairly easy to achieve, either through a hand written journal or technological methods.
A 'reflective journal' should not be bogged down with description, but instead, reflections on what you have learnt. It is possibly, a good idea to 'reflect' as much as possible, and to include informal aspects of your learning, including feelings about your lecturer/other students, and your ideas of how to learn most effectively. Reflective learning simply provides the opportunity to keep track of your learning and the progress of it, and to add to what you have already learnt. Honesty is key- trust your own methods and approaches to learning. A positive attitude to learning create advanced and more suitable skills.
One such method to 'document' learning is through the use of a blog (such as Blogger.) A blog is useful, as it expands the range of many things, including, communication, learning, education and technology, and so is regarded a potential excellent learning tool for reflective learning. Such a claim, is supported by Kolb (1984) who suggests, that an experience on its own does not create sufficient learning, but techniques such as thinking and discussing solidifies the learning experience almost. Kolb continues, and implies that the acquired learning must be tested in new situations; the learner must make the link between the theory and action.
On the other hand Gibbs (1988) identified a series of 6 steps to aid reflective learning- description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and an action plan.


Reflective Learning - Beth, Harley and Jodie (group work - reflective learning process) ;)

Reflective learning blog!

mind mapping!

Oh yes, I'm very proud!

Well, I think Sian would be very proud of my brain mind map! It could be best I've ever worked! Sian, come at me love... ;)

The home sickness begins :(

I have been loving life in Swansea to say the least! Genuinely loving life in Wind Street, Ed studies and I love love love my new gorgeous friends! 4 of us being Welsh, Me, Jodie, Beth and 

Ryan and the other two UNFORTUNATELY being English Harley and Bekkiie ;) hahaaa! They're the perfect group of friends and I can't wait for the next few years in Ed studies together!! :D 

For some stupid reason I've started to miss my hometown! Caerphilly, or Caerphilthy to some ;) Not even my family as such but I just miss chilling on my sofa with my handsome dawggies, watching Jersey Shore, Hollyoaks and Keeping up with the Kardashians! Not that I don't like being back at my house in Swansea, amongst the toenails and dirty dishes...o.O! Back at home at the moment though! My mam and my dogs have  wonderfully decided to leave my ass to head down to the caravan for the weekend! Didn't think i'd miss her as much as I do, but I do! But I still get to see my lovely lovely brothers, grandparents and great grandparents and last but not least, my B-E-Auuuuuutiful home friends <3

I genuinely love these guys! Have made my life for the past 5 years at least!!
Even though i've ranted on about missing home, I am genuinely excited to carry on with this course of mine! No matter how many bloody toys we need to make!! Bring it on :D

The Dinosaurs!

Soooo, last week, we went in to groups of 3 and decided to a presentation of Dinosaurs. Dont know why we decided dinos for, just because it was a random topic, cause none of us could decide on what we wanted to do. Lucky for us, we enjoyed reading about dinosaurs! :) It's a popular website, and the dinosaurs is just one of many topics you can read about on the Nautural History Museum site. It's a nicely structured page, lots of links at the top to get you to what part of Dino's you'd like to  read. Obviously there are no photographs of these dinosaurs but there are well drawn pictures, so you can see what they look like. The only thing I could say is that they could add colours to the drawings. But to compensate they do have some animation videos which is really fun, and gives you that extra viewing of these dinos.

There's probably every dino listed on the site, as there's an A-Z listing, so you can pick and chose from what you like. There isn't a lot of inormation, but there are the basics such as, size, diet and period. If you were looking for a deeper research in to dinosaurs, then I wouldn't recommend this, but for an easy and light read on dino's, this is perfect, and it's not to childish too! :) Enjoy!


http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/life/dinosaurs-other-extinct-creatures/dino-directory/

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/index.html >> This is the home link, justy incase you were looking for any other natural based info :)

alright? :)

First blog, ever... Here goes...

My name's Beth, just Beth, not Bethan, or even Bethany, just Beth ;D I'm 18 and I'm from Caerphilly. At the mo I live in Swansea for Uni, ''luuuurvin life 2k11 <3''

A few weeks in to Uni, studying Ed Studies and I actually really enjoy it! Love Uni life and love having a student loan, though it's running out fast! :( The only thing I'm missing from back home right now is my dogs, my friends and occasionally my mam :P! I went to Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni which is a Welsh secondary school and I'm very proud that I can speak the Welsh language fluently and I love my sheep!!

My favourite food is either fajitas or Rolo Yoghurt, so if you really want to be my friend, feed me these things! I love the colours red and navy and my favourite animal is a monkey, though gorillas scare me! >:(

My plan is to become a primary school teacher! If I can get on the PGCE that is, wink wink Sian Sanders ;)

So there is it, My story so far hahaa!