Schon's Model Of Reflective Practice

A universally stated goal of current social work practice is the need for practitioners to use reflection in order to enhance, develop ,improve and emancipate their own practice. In professional practice, the concept of reflective practice which entails a process of self-analysis, self-dialogue, self-evaluation and self-observation has long been a prominent concern. In recent years, there has been a growing literature concerned with reflective practice which is conceptualized as an approach that acknowledges the uncertainty and complexity that are inherited in contemporary social work practice.
This paper aims to explore the theoretical and research base of reflective practice and professional challenge, the centrality of an approach to supervision and its significance and importance for effective social work.
Its origins lie mainly in Schon's (1983) model of reflection, which explains how professionals think in action and reflect on their experience and on their responses and reactions while they are doing it, and using 'reflection on action' to critically reflect , think about and make the necessary links between their practice and theoretical knowledge (Redmond, 2006).
Schon's model of reflection constitutes a classic formulation of how to reflect in action and on action, which was intended to combat and challenge the most popular and dominant understanding and perspective that professional practice represents a pure, rational, and technical activity that implies the application of a certain set of rules and expertise to various problems. Schon argued that in dealing with uncertainty , professionals use the process of reflection which enable them to shape and tailor their thinking and actions, and ultimately learn from their