Introduction

Why might this reflection course be useful to me?

Photograph of a man looking at a laptop computer screen
Figure 1

When we look in the mirror we see our reflection. In everyday life we sometimes talk about being in a ‘reflective mood’, and we tend to reflect on things that don’t have an obvious or straightforward answer. We might take time to reflect on something to consider it in more detail, in greater depth and in a new way. Consciously or unconsciously, reflection involves our thoughts, ideas, experience and knowledge, and the process of reflecting might be pleasurable or uncomfortable, or a mixture of both. Generally, reflection is a way of working on what we know already and it generates new knowledge.

We can experience change in our lives through our own choice, or we may find change is forced upon us. The process of self-reflection is something that we can undertake at any time in our lives to help us examine our feelings around a whole range of experiences. It can also help us to examine our goals, decision making or motivations – and for that reason, it is also used in learning and work contexts, and in relation to personal development and career planning. Reflection can help us to recognise and appreciate skills, abilities and qualities that we have and often overlook.

The aim of this course is to get you started on thinking about yourself, who you are, where you are now, what you want to do in your present situation and how you can work towards doing what it is you want.

The course and the activities within it are presented from the perspective of learners who may be new migrants, refugees or asylum seekers. But we hope that whatever your personal perspective, you’ll find this course useful in reflecting on experiences that have some importance to you, and that it will help you with future choices or decision making.

Similarly, if you have a role as a support worker, Reflecting on Transitions offers an opportunity to assess your knowledge and understanding of the issues affecting new migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

Learning outcomes