Reflection on the literature at the end . Reflective practice is considered an important skill to tertiary educators.

David Boud, a well-known academic in the field of tertiary education, explains reflection as:

'[A]ctivities in which individuals...explore their experiences [to gain] new understandings and appreciation.' (Boud et al, 1985: 59).

Reflective practice connects our personal or emotional understandings to what we have learned.It goes beyond traditional education and encourages a life long learning approach where continuous development is enabled. Reflection encourages us to scaffold classroom learning with other learning or knowledge gained outside of the class. This kind of learning deeply embeds concepts, in contrast to rote learning which relies on memory.

This is a little like a literature review, but it does not have some of the elements of a traditional review. You do not have to search for the articles, they are provided to you. There is no 'thesis' or argument which you are hoping to mount or counter through the literature. Your personal reactions to the literature are essential to a reflection, whereas it is possible for a literature review to be completed in a more 'objective' manner. I am looking for you to make your opinion apparent. The style of writing for a reflection is likely to be less formal than in a traditional literature review.

Reflection is understood as a creative process that encourages you to connect your learning in this Unit with your own experiences. Reflection is a process that is happening all the time, but reflective practice brings a conscious recognition to this process.Through drawing our attention to reflection, we increase our ability to learn and transform our thinking and perspectives. This is where deeper and more critical learning can occur. We can challenge our habitual thought processes and more deeply engage with the readings.

Successful reflection starts with a consideration of why reflection is important. This goes beyond the application of cases and legislation to problem scenarios, allowing one to consider how law might be used to address more systemic problems in society. This can involve interdisciplinary perspectives and breaking down the silos around "the law".

Reflective practice is also about acting ethically. Ethical practice can arise from recognising other people's perspectives and developing empathy. Legal roles often involve engaging with people who are experiencing difficulties and need advice and support. Recognising other perspectives can help in the practice of advocating for other human (and non-human) actors. It can also help us examine the institutional or systemic problems that may cause day to day legal issues, and consider how these may be addressed (to solve problems before a dispute ends up in court).

In summary, reflective practice is important in this Unit and for us as learners, as it assists understanding at a deep level.

What do I reflect on, and how?

Whether you agree with these or not, you will have a strong response to them. Why did this paper or other resource interest you? Did it resonate with your own experiences or prior understandings of the topic? Or is it interesting because it is an area you know little about?

Your reflection may begin with a description. Description is a good starting point, but make it short. A description may be useful to set the scene for your reflection, but description is not able to covey the deeper levels of thinking which are required in a reflection.

There are no specific questions that need to be answered in your reflection; creative approaches are encouraged.

BOOK - Asking the Law Question by Margaret Davies

Chapters -

Chapter 3 Natural Law and Positivism ,

Chapter 6 Feminisms and Gender in Legal Theory &

Chapter 7 Race and Colonialism: Legal Theory as "White Mythology"