Reflection is the means by which we learn from past experience, and when challenged by a situation we have not met before, we need to draw on our theory of teaching or of professional practice in order to generate a way of handling the situation most appropriately. Constructive alignment is a theory of teaching that directs us to reflect on what we intend students to learn and how they might demonstrate that they have, and how to assess how well they have learned.

Reflective practice is a term often used in education pedagogy which was a concept that was introduced by Donald Schon in 1987. It is a continuous process from a personal perspective, by considering critical incidents within your life's experiences. As defined by Schon, reflective practice involves thoughtfully considering one's own experiences in applying knowledge to practice while being coached by professionals in the discipline.