- ADDING
VALUE TO THE EXPERIENCE
The value gained from experiences depends very much on how experiences
are reviewed. Reviewing is an opportunity to add value and meaning to
experiences however 'small' or 'large', 'negative' or 'positive' they
may be.
- GETTING
UNSTUCK
Without reviewing, groups and individuals can get stuck at a particular
stage of development. Reviewing provides a range of strategies for
moving beyond this stage and for getting the cycles of learning and
development turning again.
- ACHIEVING
OBJECTIVES
Reviewing can help to clarify, achieve, measure and celebrate
objectives.
- OPENING
NEW PERSPECTIVES
People may be in the habit of reviewing experiences from their 'normal'
perspective. By also 'seeing' an experience from the perspectives of
others and by 're-viewing' an experience through a variety of 'windows'
(reviewing techniques), people can escape from tunnel (or normal)
vision and learn from the bigger picture.
- DEVELOPING
OBSERVATION AND
AWARENESS
The more involving an experience, the harder it is to observe what is
happening. Reviewing can encourage observation, perception and general
awareness both during and after experiences.
- CARING
By reviewing activities we show that we care about what people
experience, that we value what they have to say, and that we are
interested in the progress of each individual's learning and
development. When people feel cared for, valued, and respected as
individuals they will be better learners!
- ENCOURAGING
SELF-EXPRESSION
It is not always easy to talk about experiences. An imaginative and
sensitive approach to reviewing can help people to find the medium,
situation, symbol or question through which they can most readily
express themselves. This is where the expressive and creative arts can
be particularly helpful.
- USING
SUCCESS
Focusing on success may be a strange experience if it is usually
problems that are the focus of attention in reviews. Reviewing can help
people to enjoy success, to understand how it happened and to get
accustomed to the idea that they can be successful.
- PROVIDING
SUPPORT
Reviewing can be a valuable safety net. The reassurance that support
will be available in the event of failure encourages people to take
risks (of the kind that will be supported). Whether people experience
failure or success, the causes can be analysed so that they learn how
to avoid failure (or win from failure) and how to achieve success.
- EMPOWERING
PEOPLE
Reviewing enhances people's ability to learn from individual or group
experiences. Improved learning ability, together with increased
confidence, allows people to become more independent and more capable
of self-development, and even ... of self-actualisation!
('Self-and-others-actualisation'
may be a more
suitable aspiration for those who acknowledge the mutually supportive
nature of much reviewing.)
For more information
see: Reviewing:
What, Why and How?
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