Gibbs
Reflective Cycle Theory
Stages of the Cycle
1. Description- What Happened
2. Feelings- What where you thinking and feeling at the time?
3. Evaluation- What was good and bad about the experience?
4. Analysis- What sense can you make of the situation?
5. Conclusion- What else could you have done?
6. Action Plan- If it arose again what would you do?
Helps you evaluate what your actions throughout the situation and how to improve the situation next time it occurs.
More Information...
- Created by Professor Graham Gibbs in 1988
- Often used as a framework for coursework and assignments by students
- Was developed upon an earlier theoretical model by David Kolbs (4 stage experimental learning cycle, 1984)
Aims of using the reflective cycle...
- Challenges your assumptions
- promote self-improvement, this is done by identifying your weaknesses and strengths
- Explores new ideas and approaches to the situation
- Links practice with theory, by action of observing another action and applying knowledge and thinking about what has happened