Drawing on your reading this week, discuss your understanding of the differences between reflexivity and reflection.

            Upon first reading page vii of Ellyn Lyle, Of Books, Barns, and Boardrooms, attempting to understand the difference between reflexivity and reflection, she lost me in her interpretation. Lyle states, “reflexivity refers to the researcher’s consciousness of her role in and effect on both the act of doing research and its eventual findings.” She defines reflection as “is after and individual whereas reflexivity is ongoing and relational” (p. vii). Naturally, I continued reading to page xi, although the definitions were still unclear. So, what are the differences?

            Most of us reflect daily and about many things. Reflection is nothing more than in-depth, focused attention. Reflexivity is a more focused, in-depth reflection but upon one’s perspective, values and assumptions. The comparison would be having a slice of apple pie (reflection) or adding extras like heating it and adding vanilla ice cream (reflexive). Adding both reflective and reflexive questions help to ensure everything is covered.

            In policing, I reflected on many things requiring an in-depth review of events, either alone or group. I tried to work out what happened, what other officers thought or felt about it, who was involved, when and where, what officers had experienced and thought and felt from their perspective. Reflection is good for me because it makes me ask why? It brings experiences into focus from as many angles as possible. Innocent details might prove to be crucial, but other details irrelevant or lead to somethings unnoticed at the time or identifying a seemingly innocent detail. Reflection could be viewed from many angles.

            Reflexivity adds far more by finding strategies to question my attitudes, values, assumptions, prejudices, bias, habitual actions and more. By being reflexive, I can examine my knowledge, see how my behaviour plays out in my personal and professional values, and see why such practices might marginalize groups or exclude individuals. Reflexivity involves thinking from within experiences. Policing questions may include why this passed me by, why did I miss this, my assumptions which made me not notice or make that decision, what are my employers’ pressures or ideologies that obstructed my perception, how and in what way were my actions perceived by others. These are profound questions enabling development much better than just asking what happened?

            Hanson (2013) explores deepening pedagogical practices around critical reflection and reflexivity. Bolton & Delderfield (2018) call for critical reflexivity, which “demands we focus on our own beliefs, feelings and emotions, and our taken-for-granted principles, values, assumptions, in short, our theories in use” (p. 60). He would undoubtedly endorse asking reflective and reflexive questions in (Kipling, 1902, p. 83) “I keep six honest serving men (They taught me all I knew); Their names are What and Why and When and How and Where and Who.”

Laurie

References

Bolton, G. & Delderfield (2018). Reflective practice: Writing and professional development (5^th ed.). Sage.

Hanson, C. (2013). Exploring dimensions of critical reflection in activist-facilitator practice. Journal of     Transformative Education, 11 (1), 70-89.

Kipling, R. (1902). Just so stories. Macmillan. Lyle, E. (2017). Of books, barns, and boardrooms: Exploring

Lyle, E. (2017). Of books, barns, and boardrooms: Exploring praxis through reflexive inquiry. Sense.