Becoming a Reflective Practitioner, 6th Edition

CHAPTER 6Deepening Insights: The third and fourth Dialogical Movements

Christopher Johns

In the first dialogical movement, the practitioner writes a description of her experience. In the second dialogical movement, the practitioner dialogues with the description to reflect with the intent to draw tentative insight. In the third dialogical movement, the practitioner dialogues with extant literature. In the fourth dialogical movement, the practitioner dialogues with guides and peers intending to review and deepen her insights. These two movements interlink, where often extant literature is explored as part of the guidance.

Third Dialogical Movement

The third dialogical movement is prompted by the MSR cue – ‘How does extant theory/ ideas inform and deepen my insights?’ (Table 4.2).

The practitioner must first locate relevant knowledge. In the educational setting, sources of knowledge have traditionally been supplied (or spoon‐fed) by the teacher in the form of reading lists. Indeed, such lists may be helpful but are limited in that they narrow the focus to those texts. The teacher may point the direction towards relevant literature, but the responsibility to locate is the practitioner’s. Clearly, there is much theory ‘out there’ to inform that it may seem an arduous task to keep abreast. Just browse the professional journals to feel the weight of available knowledge. The librarian will usually assist, as will peers intent on the same task. Results can be shared and posted on ...