Introduction
A culture of reflection is an important part of the learning process for adults in both formal and informal employment and social settings. Dewey defines Reflection as “active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and further conclusion to which it trends” (Dewey, 1933). Dewey supports the need for a method of learning based on the examination of a person’s experience and the various environments associated with learning. Reflection permits people to compare and contrast the paths, markers and maps each uses to find answers while providing a vessel for individuals to interact with managers and each other in a median of questions, answers, and sharing in the workplace or a traditional learning environment or alternative modes of instructional delivery such as distance learning. Effective reflective (spontaneous) thinking must have at its heart a commitment to action and deliberate critical thinking (White, 2008). This blog identifies the key elements needed in the creation and deployment of a reflective culture. Concluding, that leader-led interactions are enhanced by the various methods of instruction used to embrace learning in a reflective cultural environment.

Key Elements in Creating a Culture of Reflection
Establishing a reflective culture requires leaders who are dedicated to active learning. Each leader must establish a learning environment that supports authentic tasks that are appropriate and relevant to the learning styles of each individual. Reflective culture must provide access to learning tools, technology, and effective learning conditions. Leaders must be clear and open to feedback while encouraging collaborative dialogues with and among peer groups. The environment must be safe and non-threading, allowing for the modeling of images individuals can mirror. Reflective learning mirrors phases of critical thinking; trigger events –an unexpected experience causing a sense of inner discomfort. Appraisal – self-scrutiny, and appraisal of situations follow the trigger event. Exploration – Having admitted to anomalies or discrepancies in some aspects of life, individuals begin to search for new ways of explaining these discrepancies or of living with them, ways that reduce our sense of discomfort. Developing Alternative Perspectives – Arising out of the testing and exploring alternatives come ways of thinking that we feel make sense for our situations. Integration – Having decided on the worth, accuracy, and validity of new ways of thinking or living, we begin to find ways to integrate these into the fabric of our lives (Brookfield, 1987). Establishing journals, discussion boards, and learning communities supports the sharing of information while providing leadership and h valuable insights into group and individual reflections. The ideal is that through using the five teaching methods of modeling, coaching, scaffolding, reflection, and articulation, the leader can guide the learner down the path of becoming an expert by providing opportunities to succeed on the individual need or previous experiences of the learner (Harkness, Porter & Hettich,2001). The reflective culture encourages learners to move beyond an elementary analysis of experience. Through reflective action learners review the actual process of how they execute acting, feeling, and thinking. The various modes of a reflective culture explore how, what, and why questions in solving a problem during a review of a prior experience. Developing habits of continual growth and improvement requires self-reflection. As we learners and organizations reflect on actions, we gain important information about the efficacy of our thinking. These experiences let us practice the habit of continual growth through reflection. With meditation, trust, consistent modeling, and practice, we and our learners learn to listen to the internal and external voices of reflection, and in the process, our communities truly learn by doing (Costa & Kallick, 2000).

Conclusion
A reflective learning culture benefits everyone because it provides an opportunity to review previous actions and results while developing problem-solving skills. Learners accept the concept of questioning the past before moving forward, therefore, encouraging the use of prior experience in future decision making. Building a reflective learning culture benefits all by introducing learning skills designed to serve learners for life. Reflective learning provides the ability to frame and reframe. The culture must support an environment where reflective practice occurs in a place where there are opportunities to learn from others. Leaders and learners must share their experiences with and be willing to accept the experiences shared in return. For example, an individual sitting by a body of water as the sun is setting may reflect upon events from his or her past, perhaps remembering the song “Sitting by the Dock of The Bay.” The words of the song have little meaning, just words. In isolation, this individual just moves on to his/her next thought. Using reflective learning tools this individual may turn to the person next to him/her and begin a dialogue, sharing the experience while examining how what, and why questions. To be reflective means to mentally wander through where you have been and to try to make sense of it (Costa & Kallick).

References:
Costa, Arthur L. & Kallick, Bena (2000). Getting into the Habit of Reflection: Educational Leadership, 57, 60-62.
Herrington, Jan & Oliver, Ron, Designing for Reflection in Online Courses (2002). The Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australia, 313-319.
White, Kathryn, Effective critical reflection: Creating a sustainable culture during (and after) initial teacher education (2008). He Kupu The Word, 46-54.
Harkness, Tina, Porter, Chandra, Hettich, Dana, Articulation, and Reflection (2001), Emerging Perspectives on Learning, Teaching, and Technology.

Retrieved September 21, 2008, from:
Brookfield, Stephen, D. (1987). Developing Critical Thinkers, Challenging Adults to Explore Alternative Ways of Thinking and Acting, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and education, New York: The Free Press.