A reflection on learning about development

by Ruth Peters

Tags: Knowledge Platform

It is increasingly recognized that a reflective attitude among practitioners and researchers in the development sector is valuable and the reasons are manifold. Reflections help discover and make explicit theories, assumptions, values and beliefs that are embedded within individuals and communities through how one is raised and educated and that deeply influence the design of development projects and research (Eyben et al, 2008; Brydon-Miller, 2003). A greater self-awareness and understanding of oneself may also help appreciate colleagues, partners and beneficiaries in the development sector who may have different ways of understanding the world and thus enhance collaboration (Eyben et al, 2008). Moreover, reflection allows learning and hence knowledge which is considered essential in bringing about change (Eyben, et al 2008; Abbott, et al 2007).

An area that might benefit, in particular, from reflexivity is ones own learning about development because it determines strongly who a development practitioner or researcher is today and, more imperative, who he or she is tomorrow. Reflecting on learning about development is a broad theme embracing: i) where one is from and how this influences one’s learning about development; ii) the impact of one’s personality, morals and motives on learning; iii) the affects of the immediate context such as the university or institute that provides a course or workshop; and iv) the impact of relationships one engages in. Unfortunately, time and space to reflect are often sparse.

Recently, I had the opportunity to reflect a couple of weeks on my own learning about development. I started as a health practitioner in Kenya and Nigeria but gradually became a development researcher after obtaining a Msc in Public Health Research and an Ma in Development Studies and conducting or assisting with research in Bangladesh, Vietnam, India and Indonesia. In order to reflect I needed to step back and detach myself from all these learning experiences.

For this interrogation I used diverse reflective methods to create richness and to allow for different types of knowing, including a journal, video reflections, dialogues, mind maps and drawings. A reflective process is distinctive for each individual (Marshall, 2001), but three key stages can be identified: i) inner discomfort and surprise; ii) critical analyses of feelings and knowledge; and iii) the emergence of a new perspective on the situation (Atkins & Murphy, 1993 in McDrury & Alterio, 2002). I had high (even romanticized) expectations of the process when in reality, my reflective journey was bumpy, confronting and emotionally disturbing. In most cases, the moment I started to feel uncomfortable and was about to close my journal or push the stop button on the video recorder was actually the moment to delve deeper. When I managed to persevere the greatest insights became apparent.

In brief, through my reflective process, I discovered a vast and extremely interwoven network of socially, institutionally, culturally and historically constructed powers that influenced my learning about development, which reached beyond my perception. Nowadays, this understanding enables me to make more conscious decisions about my learning, which subsequently will determine who I will be and what I will achieve.

Obviously, an understanding of yet unknown powers that influence one’s knowledge and actions is relevant for each development practitioners or researcher since development projects, strategies and partnerships are often build upon them. Unfortunately, my network of powers cannot be generalized since each individual is part of a unique network. Therefore, it is essential that each development practitioner or researcher is familiar with reflection as a tool to discover and learn about ones own learning about development.

Ruth Peters is a PhD candidate at the VU University of Amsterdam. Prior to that she did a masters in Development at the Institute of Development Studies in the UK. Would you like to know more about this topic, read the full thesis entitled ‘Learning about development: a personal reflection’ or share a cup of coffee or tea? Please send an email to ruth_peters@hotmail.com

References

Abbott, D., S. Brown, and G. Wilson (2007) Development management as reflective practice. Journal of International Development 19:187-203.

Brydon-Miller, M. (2003) The terrifying truth: interrogating systems of power and privilege and choosing to act. In Mary Brydon-Miller, Patricia Maguire and Alice Mcintyre (eds) Travelling Companions: feminism, teaching and action research. Wetport, CT: Praeger.

Eyben, R., T. Kidder, J. Rowlands, and A. Bronstein (2008) Thinking about change for development practice: a case study from Oxfam GB. Development in Practice, 18(2): 201-212.

McDrury and Alterio (2002) Learning through storytelling in higher education: using reflection and experience to improve learning. London and Sterling VA: Dunmore Press Limited.

Marshall (2001) Self-reflective inquiry process, in Reason, P. And Bradbury, H. (eds) Handbook of action research: participative enquiry and practice. London: Sage.

It is not that you are a social construct: most people actively seek to be social constructs; and if they question that, it is almost akin to destroying themselves. - Klouda