The Two R’s -A Synergistic Relationship to Inform Practice
Dr. Simran Randhawa
Senior Faculty PGDEi, ITARI
As a Teacher educator I strongly believe that Research and Reflection are two indispensable tools for informing practice , the synergy of which is like a compass continuously directing and enabling an educator to challenge own assumptions and biases for new meaning making . Adopting these two R’s brings about a dispositional change evidenced in both the professional identity as well personal identity of an educator. Reflection begins with the self and aids in identifying gaps between theory and practice ;it enhances research by generating meaningful research questions from practice; and provides a context for interpreting research findings .Research on the other hand provides theoretical frameworks to analyse experience , delineates evidence based practices to compare against ;and informs an educator about methods for conducting research.
The key elements within each of the processes ( Figure 1)are :
- Reflection : Personal Experience → Critical Analysis → Insights and Questions
- Research : Theoretical Knowledge → Evidence-Based Practices →Conceptual Frameworks
Each process feeds into and enhances the other. The outcomes of this synergy are :an increasing awareness of the self; a deliberate practice of collaborating with the self ;practice guided by a purpose ; improved teaching practices grounded in both evidence and experience; an informed understanding of educational theory (what works, when, and why) ;adaptability in teaching approaches and an enhanced ability to co-create meaningful contexts for learning . To conclude , reflection and research have a symbiotic relationship in aiding an educators professional development through purposeful action. It is time now then to whet both these practices and self -direct our learning as informed practitioners and lifelong learners.