The process of reflection involves:

• Learning from experience
• Conscious activity
• Understanding something that has happened in a different way

Schön's reflection philosophy has been widely adopted in Nursing as part of its professional legitimization and to establish a knowledge base.

Many authors challenged or supported Schön’s views and were critical about his lack of guidance on how to be critically reflective. This has been largely addressed since the 1980s and there are now many publications giving practical guidance on how to be a reflective practitioner. E.g. Allin & Turnock (2007); Gaye 2006.

Other professions are realising the significance of critical reflection for development of practice.

View a compilation of some of the main reasons why critical reflection is being increasingly adopted in society as a life long learning skill (Boud 2006)