Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle is a framework that supports reflection (Gibbs, 1988). It consists of six stages that will guide you through a systematic process of reflection on learning experiences.
Description: Describe the experience by focusing on what happened, what took place, who was involved, and what the expected outcome was.
Feelings: Reflect on your feelings during the experience. What did you think? What feelings did you have? How did these feelings affect your actions and perspective?
Evaluation: Scrutinise the experience by identifying what went well and what did not. Consider positive and negative aspects, and the impact they had on the outcome.
Analysis: Dig deeper into the experience to understand why things unfolded the way they did. Look for connections or patterns, and consider alternative perspectives.
Conclusion: Summarise what you learned from the experience. What insights did you gain about your own planning, time management, learning, your own behaviour, or that of others?
Action Plan: Develop a plan for future learning. How can you apply what you learned? What strategies might you implement to improve in future?
Using this cycle will help you to develop critical thinking skills and allow you to continuously improve (Trimasse, 2024). It provides a clear, structured approach to reflection, guiding you through stages such as describing the experience, exploring your feelings, evaluating what went well or could be improved, analysing the situation, drawing conclusions, and planning future actions. This method helps you develop a deeper understanding of your learning, identify areas for improvement, and apply your insights to future experiences, supporting both your personal and academic growth.
References
Gibbs, G. (1988) Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods. London: Further Education Unit.
Trimasse, N. (2024) ‘The use of reflective reports in higher education’, Reflective Practice, pp. 1-17. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14623943.2024.2424520
