Social work theory · Volume G: Knowledge, Ethics & Professional Practice

Reflective practice

Reflective practice is the process by which professionals examine their experience in order to learn from it and improve what they do.

1. What it is

Reflective practice is the process by which professionals examine their experience in order to learn from it and improve what they do. It treats practice knowledge as something built through thoughtful engagement with real situations, as well as through the application of formal theory. The concept is most closely associated with Donald Schön (1983), who studied how architects, therapists, managers and other professionals think while they work. Reflective practice is a professional framework for learning and judgement. It does not explain human behaviour. It shapes how social workers use every other theory (Payne, 2021). It is now a core expectation in social work education and supervision.

John Dewey’s foundations. Dewey (1933) defined reflective thought as the active, persistent and careful consideration of a belief in light of its grounds and consequences. Reflection begins with a state of doubt or perplexity and leads to inquiry that resolves it. This pragmatist account (see Epistemology and philosophy of knowledge) shaped later models.

Technical rationality. Schön (1983) criticised the dominant model of professional knowledge, which he called technical rationality. In this model, professionals solve well-formed problems by applying scientific theory and technique. Schön argued that real practice is full of uncertainty, uniqueness and value conflict. Its problems are often ill-defined, located in what he called the “swampy lowlands” where the most important human concerns lie. Applying research findings cannot settle such problems on its own.

Knowing-in-action. Much skilled practice relies on tacit knowledge that practitioners cannot fully put into words. Schön (1983) called this knowing-in-action: the spontaneous, intuitive performance of skilled work, such as judging when to pause in an interview. Experienced social workers often describe this as practice wisdom. Because it is tacit, it can be refined only when practitioners make it visible through reflection.

Reflection-in-action. When something surprising happens, skilled practitioners think about what they are doing while they are doing it. Reflection-in-action involves noticing the surprise, reframing the problem and experimenting with a new response in the moment (Schön, 1983). Schön described this as a reflective conversation with the situation.

Reflection-on-action. Reflection-on-action takes place after the event. The practitioner looks back on what happened, what they did and why, and what they might do differently (Schön, 1987). Supervision, case review and reflective writing are common forms. Argyris and Schön (1974) also distinguished espoused theories (what professionals say guides them) from theories-in-use (what their actions show), a gap that reflection-on-action can expose.

Kolb’s experiential learning cycle. Kolb (1984) proposed that learning moves through four stages: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualisation and active experimentation. Knowledge is created through the transformation of experience. The cycle is widely used in social work field education to link placement experiences with theory.

Gibbs’ reflective cycle. Gibbs (1988) developed a structured six-stage cycle for reflective writing and debriefing: description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and action plan. Its inclusion of feelings makes it well suited to emotionally demanding work, and it is often used in student reflective assessments.

Reflection and emotion (Boud, Keogh and Walker). Boud et al. (1985) described reflection as returning to an experience, attending to the feelings it produced and re-evaluating it. They argued that unacknowledged negative feelings can block learning, while positive feelings can sustain it. Their model reinforced the place of emotion in professional learning. This is especially relevant to social work, where practitioners regularly encounter distress, conflict and trauma.

2. Historical development

Reflective practice grew from Dewey’s pragmatism and from studies of organisational learning. Schön’s work made it an independent framework by offering a general theory of professional knowledge that challenged the prevailing model of applied science. Kolb, Boud and colleagues developed related models within adult and experiential education (Boud et al., 1985).

Social work adopted reflective practice quickly, because Schön’s description of uncertain, value-laden problems fitted the profession’s experience. Reflection is now built into field education, supervision and professional development. In Australia, the AASW Code of Ethics (Australian Association of Social Workers [AASW], 2020) and education standards expect social workers to engage in ongoing reflection and supervision. Australian scholars such as Fook extended Schön’s work into critical reflection, discussed in G5.

3. Practical guidance

Reflection becomes useful when it is structured and regular.

• Notice surprises. Treat moments when a client responds unexpectedly as prompts for reflection-in-action. Pause, reconsider how you have framed the situation and try a different approach (Schön, 1983).
• Make time for reflection-on-action. Use supervision, peer consultation or brief written notes after significant sessions to examine what happened and why.
• Compare espoused theory with theory-in-use. Ask whether your actions match the principles you claim, such as self-determination or partnership (Argyris & Schön, 1974).
• Use a structured model. Gibbs’ (1988) cycle provides a clear sequence for reflective journals and debriefs, including attention to feelings.
• Link experience and theory. Kolb’s (1984) cycle encourages students and workers to draw general lessons from specific experiences and to test them in future practice.
• Attend to emotion. Reflection that includes feelings helps workers manage the emotional demands of practice (Boud et al., 1985). Unprocessed distress can distort judgement and contribute to burnout.

4. Critical evaluation

Strengths. Reflective practice recognises the complexity and uncertainty of social work and values the practical wisdom that experienced workers develop. It supports continuous learning, accountability and self-awareness. Schön’s critique of technical rationality gave practitioners a respected account of their own expertise (Payne, 2021). Reflective models are also flexible. They can be used across fields of practice and adapted for individual, peer and group formats.

Limitations. The concept is often defined vaguely, and Ixer (1999) argued that social work education assessed reflection without a clear account of what it is. Reflection-in-action is difficult to observe or verify. Kolb’s model has been criticised for its simplified sequence, and the learning styles derived from it have weak empirical support (Coffield et al., 2004). Reflection can also remain individual and inward-looking, neglecting power and social context, a gap that critical reflection seeks to address (Fook & Gardner, 2007). In many agencies, high caseloads and procedural demands leave little protected time for reflection, so it can shrink to a brief compliance exercise.

Overall importance. Reflective practice is a central part of contemporary social work identity. It describes how practitioners link theory, evidence and experience in uncertain situations. Combined with critical reflection (G5) and evidence-informed practice (G7), it provides a framework for ongoing professional learning.

5. References

• Argyris, C., & Schön, D. A. (1974). Theory in practice: Increasing professional effectiveness. Jossey-Bass.
• Australian Association of Social Workers. (2020). Code of ethics.
• Boud, D., Keogh, R., & Walker, D. (Eds.). (1985). Reflection: Turning experience into learning. Kogan Page.
• Coffield, F., Moseley, D., Hall, E., & Ecclestone, K. (2004). Learning styles and pedagogy in post-16 learning: A systematic and critical review. Learning and Skills Research Centre.
• Dewey, J. (1933). How we think: A restatement of the relation of reflective thinking to the educative process (Rev. ed.). D. C. Heath.
• Fook, J., & Gardner, F. (2007). Practising critical reflection: A resource handbook. Open University Press.
• Gibbs, G. (1988). Learning by doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. Further Education Unit, Oxford Polytechnic.
• Ixer, G. (1999). There’s no such thing as reflection. British Journal of Social Work, 29(4), 513–527. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/29.4.513
• Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice Hall.
• Payne, M. (2021). Modern social work theory (5th ed.). Red Globe Press.
• Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Basic Books.
• Schön, D. A. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner: Toward a new design for teaching and learning in the professions. Jossey-Bass.