A blog post written by Heather Pennington, Alyson Lewis, Andy McCluskey from the Learning and Teaching Academy.<\/p>\n
As we celebrate colleagues who have recently achieved Fellowship through Cardiff University’s Education Fellowship\u00a0Programme, we are also looking ahead to welcoming new cohorts beginning their own professional recognition journey.<\/p>\n
Although every Fellowship submission tells a different story, there is one thread that runs through them all: thoughtful, critical reflection. It is the process that helps educators make sense of experience,\u00a0recognise\u00a0their\u00a0development\u00a0and\u00a0identify\u00a0where they want to grow next. Reflection sits at the heart of Fellowship, but it is also one of the most valuable habits we can develop as educators.<\/p>\n
Reflection is widely\u00a0recognised\u00a0as a cornerstone of educational practice\u00a0and\u00a0professional development.\u00a0Yet it is worth asking whether we sometimes assume reflection is happening more meaningfully than it actually is (Pennington and Lewis, 2025).\u00a0Reflection is more than describing what happened or what went well. At its best, it is an ongoing habit of curiosity that asks not only what we do, but why we do it, whose perspectives shape our decisions, and what we might do differently. Morgan and Milton (2023) describe this as adopting an\u00a0inquiry as a way of being<\/em>.<\/p>\n Meaningful reflection takes time – and time is often in short supply\u00a0amidst the busy workloads\u00a0and\u00a0competing priorities\u00a0of academic life.\u00a0Arguably, it\u00a0is easy to stop when reflection becomes uncomfortable, particularly when it prompts us to question familiar or\u00a0seemingly successful\u00a0practices.\u00a0Yet this discomfort is precisely where reflection becomes most valuable. As Sch\u00f6n (1983) suggests, professional learning develops through critically examining practice in context. This requires spaces that feel both safe and brave, where colleagues can explore uncertainty, challenge\u00a0assumptions,\u00a0and learn with others. Without this, reflection risks becoming a performative exercise rather than a catalyst for change.<\/p>\n Meaningful reflection is therefore less about producing the perfect account and more about developing a sustained habit of inquiry, one that continues to shape our practice long after\u00a0gaining a Fellowship.<\/p>\n Reflection is not about finding the perfect answer. It is about\u00a0remaining\u00a0open to learning and\u00a0recognising\u00a0that effective teaching is always developing alongside our students,\u00a0disciplines\u00a0and educational contexts.<\/p>\n Practice spotlight:\u00a0<\/strong>Andy McCluskey from the School of Healthcare Sciences shares how reflective practice has shaped his own educational development and Fellowship journey. Through his experiences, Andy explores how reflection can become an authentic part of everyday practice rather than simply another professional requirement.<\/p>\n Watch Andy’s short video<\/a><\/p>\n Milton, E.\u00a0<\/a>and\u00a0Morgan, A.\u00a0<\/a>2023.\u00a0Enquiry as a way of being: a practical framework to support leaders in both embracing the complexity of and creating the conditions for meaningful professional learning.<\/a>\u00a0Professional Development in Education 49 (6), pp.1072-1086. (10.1080\/19415257.2023.2251122<\/a>)<\/p>\nThree practical tips for deeper reflection<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
\nRather than asking “Did that session go well?”, try asking “What surprised me?”, “Whose\u00a0experience\u00a0might have been different from mine?” or “What assumptions influenced my decisions?”<\/li>\n
\nReflection does not require lengthy writing every week. Short notes, conversations with trusted colleagues, audio\u00a0recordings\u00a0or annotated teaching materials can all help develop a sustainable reflective habit.<\/li>\n
\nSome of our richest insights come through dialogue. Mentoring conversations, peer\u00a0observation\u00a0and professional communities provide opportunities to test ideas, challenge\u00a0assumptions,\u00a0and see our practice through different perspectives.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nReferences<\/strong><\/h2>\n