A Reflective Lens: Music Pedagogical Research to Transform Practice | Page 54

Use of Reflective Practice in Developing Students’ Listening and
Ensemble Performing Skills in Guitar Ensemble Co-Curricular Activity

Perceptions of Reflective Practice
Reflective practice seems to provide opportunity to
reconstruct the ensemble members’ experiences and
deepen their thoughts. This was found to be the case for
the majority of members in this study, with the journal acting
as a means of documenting their rehearsal processes,
recording their development as a performer, and helping
them to recall what they had learnt on a specific day.
From the entries submitted, we were able to evaluate
the effectiveness of their learning as they progressed. For
example, Matthew commented the following:

I feel the reflection journal for me is a great tool… when I look back at those
things, oh this could be improved on or I wish I could have done this or
maybe I could have done this better. When I look back I want to see… what I
read, what I wrote before, I want it to be better than who I am currently…
I feel like it gives me a sort of a goal.
[Reflective Dialogue 03, 25 July 2014]

From Matthew’s comment, we concur with his belief that
reflective practice can be used as a possible platform for
members to reflect on their own performance and identify
their own areas of weakness. Matthew further reinforced
his belief through one of his journal entries:

…figure out and really think of my flaws in the instrument I play... allowed for
me to recognise the problem in my music playing and allowed for quicker
fixing than just sweeping the problems under the rug.
[Journal 04, 1 Aug 2014]

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