Reflective writing: principles and practice

This article presents the theories and principles that inform the practice of reflective; writing in portfolios used in the development of higher education professionals.; There are many definitions of reflection and reflective writing available. Put simply,; reflection involves individual teachers in thinking about and critically analysing their; learning and teaching experiences. Reflection of this kind is intentional and usually; directed towards enhanced understanding of and continual improvement in learning; and teaching practice. Such reflection is often guided by learning and teaching; theory, as well as by the experiences of and feedback from peers and students. When; teachers turn their reflection into reflective writing, they commit themselves to paper; or screen, drafting and crafting accounts of learning and teaching experiences and; subsequent analysis of these. In other words, reflective writing is characterised by a; narrative framework that transforms it from mere description into a personally and; publicly meaningful account of messy and multifaceted experience