Reflective practice aims to make sense of and develop knowledge-in-action to improve our understanding and practice in a given situation. It involves asking questions and considering our whole selves and our role in the context of our practice. Reflective practice turns experience into learning and leads to better and more consistent actions. It is most effective when done with support from supervisors or peers who can challenge our beliefs, assumptions, and blind spots. To demonstrate reflective practice, we should provide evidence that shows both the process and the outcomes, indicating that the process itself reflects the concept and has an impact on our practice or knowledge.
Reflective practice and other ways of thinking and analyzing experiences in sports literature have not been clearly defined so far (Knowles et al., 2013). This lack of clarity has had a negative effect on understanding, applying, and demonstrating reflective practice. Sometimes, what is considered reflection is not actually reflective practice. For instance, just thinking about an experience or judging its value does not lead to new ways of thinking or behaving, which is the main goal of effective reflective practice (Cropley et al., 2010). Reflective practice is different than other related terms, reflection is thinking about and interpreting life experiences, reflexivity is thinking objectively about ourselves and our behaviors, values, and assumptions, and critical reflection is questioning and examining knowledge, beliefs, and actions to bring about change. While each of these types of thinking serves a purpose on its own, they do not fully represent reflective practice, which is a complex process that combines all these modes of thinking with a clear purpose.
Cropley, B., Hanton, S., Miles, A., & Niven, A. (2010). The value of reflective practice in professional development: An applied sport psychology review. Sports Science Review, 19, 179 209.
Knowles, Z., Gilbourne, D., Cropley, B., & Dugdill, L. (2013). Reflective practice in the sport and exercise sciences: Contemporary issues. London, UK: Routledge.
