<\/span><\/h2>\nDonald Sch\u00f6n was an American philosopher and MIT professor. He was always interested in knowing how professionals solved complex problems that couldn’t be solved using the standard procedures or theoretical knowledge.<\/p>\n
He developed and published the Sch\u00f6n reflective model in the 1980s in his book \u201cThe Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action ” (1983).<\/strong><\/p>\nHe revolutionised professional learning. He did this by challenging the idea of traditional education that prioritised theoretical knowledge and practical application over reflective practice.<\/p>\n
Moreover, before Sch\u00f6n’s work, the model of professional knowledge was technical rationality. It was the idea that professional competence is applying theoretical knowledge to solve clearly defined problems.<\/p>\n
However, Sch\u00f6n’s theory focused on professionals who constantly face challenging situations where standard rules don’t apply because real-life situations are rarely predictable.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, his approach revolutionised professional learning by introducing the concept of reflective practice, which is thinking on your feet while performing a task and learning by analysing past experiences.<\/p>\n
For example: an HR professional resolving an employee conflict cannot rely on the employee policies alone. Every situation is different from the previous one.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Components of Sch\u00f6n\u2019s reflective Model:<\/span><\/h3>\nSch\u00f6n’s reflective model focuses on learning through experience by evaluating and analysing them as they unfold and after they occur: It comprises 4 main components:<\/p>\n
\n- Problem framing: it is the first major step of Sch\u00f6n\u2019s reflective model. It involves stepping back from rushing to a solution to recognise and define the exact challenge.<\/li>\n
- Action: once you have analysed the challenge and the problem, an action plan must be created. It involves applying your skills, making real-time decisions, and trying solutions.<\/li>\n
- Reflection: it is the main part of the model and comprises reflection in action and reflection on action. Reflection in action involves analysing and adapting to a situation while performing a task, whereas reflection on action is thinking about an experience after it has happened to evaluate your decisions and outcomes.<\/li>\n
- Reframing: the insights from the reflection are used to modify your initial understanding. It helps develop improved strategies for new situations.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
<\/span>Different Types of Reflection by Sch\u00f6n: In Action and on Action.<\/span><\/h3>\nThere are two types of reflection by Sch\u00f6n: reflection in action and reflection on action. They are not isolated from each other; instead, they complement one another.<\/p>\n
<\/span>What is Reflection in Action?<\/span><\/h2>\n![\"Reflection\"](\"https:\/\/nursingassignmenthelpers.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/What-is-Reflection-in-Action.webp\")
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Reflection in action involves thinking and analysing actions and their consequences in the middle of a situation to make adjustments immediately. It is described as thinking on your feet.<\/p>\n
\n- Occurs during an activity<\/li>\n
- Leads to immediate adjustment<\/li>\n
- Supports quick decision-making<\/li>\n
- improved adaptability<\/li>\n
- Relies on professional judgment and experience.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Example: a university professor is teaching different types of research methods. However, all the students are confused regarding the lesson. So the teacher stops in the middle of the lecture, asks questions, simplifies the explanation, and also provides critical examples.<\/p>\n
Without stopping the entire lecture, the professor reflected in the situation and changed the teaching strategy.<\/p>\n
<\/span>What is Reflection on Action?<\/span><\/h3>\n![\"Reflection](\"https:\/\/nursingassignmenthelpers.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/What-is-Reflection-on-Action.webp\")
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Reflection on action occurs after the situation when you look at and analyse your past experience: what happened, why it happened, and what you can learn from it for the future.<\/p>\n
\n- Occurs after completing an activity.<\/li>\n
- Involves deeper analysis and improvement areas.<\/li>\n
- Helps identify patterns<\/li>\n
- Improves long-term professional growth<\/li>\n
- Supports continuous learning<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
<\/span>What are Some Questions to Ask During Reflection on Action:<\/span><\/h4>\n\n- What happened during the situation?<\/li>\n
- Why did events unfold in that way?<\/li>\n
- Which decisions were effective?<\/li>\n
- What challenges did I encounter?<\/li>\n
- How did my actions affect results?<\/li>\n
- What would I do differently next time?<\/li>\n
- What session can I apply in future situations?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
These questions can transform any experience into professional knowledge.<\/p>\n
Example of reflection on action:
\nImagine you are an HR manager. You completed a recruitment campaign and hired 2 qualified candidates, but you took too much time.<\/p>\n
After the recruitment, you will review each stage and realise that interview scheduling caused unnecessary delays. Then you decide to implement an online scheduling system for future hiring rounds to streamline communication. This evaluation occurred after the event.<\/p>\n
The most effective professionals use both models simultaneously as they think critically while working and continue learning even after the task is complete<\/p>\n